A native of the Washington D.C. area, after earning a Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, Claire moved to Carrara, Italy, a region rich in sculpture traditions, to work in the studios of master Italian artisans and sculptors. It was there that she learned the centuries old techniques of sculpting in marble and terra cotta. Sourcing these materials from the hills of Tuscany, as done by artists dating back to the Etruscan period, for over thirty years, Claire has been creating museum quality, timeless, one of a kind works that seem to resonate with spirituality and have the aesthetic qualities of prehistoric and ancient sculpture. In her work, she consistently strives to create a harmony between the sensuous feminine, ethereal form and these earthly materials. Her inspiration comes from artifacts of early civilization dating back to 38,000 BC. Through her work, she tries to capture human emotion, our connection to the land we inhabit, and the divine.Claire was selected to carve monumental works on-site for two public parks in Japan. Her commissions for public, educational, and religious institutions include monumental works for Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL, Marian House, Baltimore, MD, The Holton-Arms School, Bethesda, MD, St. Bede, Williamsburg, VA, Holy Trinity Church, Washington, DC, Holy Redeemer College, Washington, DC as well as many private commissions, and her work can be found in numerous public and private collections throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.