Claire Wills

About the artist

Claire Wills creates intuitive, joyful, contemporary interpretations of Scottish landscapes and seascapes, blending pattern, texture, and colour to evoke a sense of connection with the viewer. Based in Burntisland, Fife, her semi-abstract paintings have been exhibited throughout the UK and are held in private collections worldwide. Her latest series, In the Woods, was inspired by her time as artist-in-residence at Dalkeith Country Park in 2024–25. Immersing herself in the forest, Claire found a renewed appreciation of woodland as a place of healing, resilience, and quiet transformation. The intricate layers of roots, undergrowth, and canopy revealed the forest as a living, interconnected system sustaining life in ways we often overlook. 

This body of work celebrates that hidden vitality, with bold colours, layered textures, and rhythmic patterns capturing both the energy and tranquillity of woodland life. Bluebells became a central motif, their sea of purples and blues symbolising new beginnings, hope, and strength, while the early snowdrops embody the first signs of renewal after winter’s rest. Claire’s practice is deeply informed by her passion for connecting people with nature. Having worked extensively with local playgroups, nurseries, and schools, she has witnessed how time spent outdoors fosters creativity, reduces stress, and nurtures a profound sense of belonging to the environment, to others, and to ourselves. In the woods reflects that vision: paintings that invite the viewer to pause, reflect, and share in the forest’s quiet magic.