Artist Biography

Born into the horse training tradition, Clare Christie began her
lifelong relationship with sport horses at a very early age. Her
family moved out to their ranch in the Texas hill country when
she was thirteen. Life on the ranch consisted of horses, land and
open space.  She began drawing and painting landscapes and
horses, always drawing on her surroundings.  She was a part of
the horse training business, which her mother ran, therefore
riding and caring for the horses was a huge part of daily life.
“Communicating successfully with horses is a challenging and
inspiring activity.  It takes an amazing amount of patience
and trust.  The horse exhibits power yet grace, boldness yet fear,
and can be calm one moment then swift the next.”

After living on the ranch and successfully competing on the
hunter /jumper circuit in Texas she decided to seek a liberal arts
education.  During the years, at the University of the South,
Clare discovered a world of extreme intellectual and creative
stimulation. Challenged academically and nurtured
artistically, Clare soon expanded into mediums beyond
drawing and painting.  “I began by creating horses built of
sticks and wire, light and linear, they were merely suggestions
of what I wanted the viewer to see.  I then addressed a new
challenge by creating this same feeling of light, fleeting
movement with heavier, more massive materials. My purpose is
to draw the viewer into the horse’s world.”

After graduation, Clare returned to Austin. When not riding
and training horses, Clare can be found working in her studio
located on her family’s stables in Austin, Texas.
CLARE CHRISTIE
Clare at work with her wire and branches' sculpture.