Claire Owen
Ms. Owen, a native of Rochester, New York, grew up in a large family, in a house filled with books. She was always certain of her desire to study art, and so enrolled in the School of Art and Design at Rochester Institute of Technology after high school. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in illustration, and taught for several years before returning to RIT, in 1975 , for a graduate degree in printmaking.
It was during her graduate study that she began working in book forms, binding together series of etchings. It was here that she met Daniel Tucker,who was studying Print Technology, and together they established Turtle Island Press.
In her books as well as her
paintings, Owen explores the theme of human's interaction with the
natural world. Some of the works are reinterpretations of natural
history. In her early work Owen explored the book form without the
use of text, but has returned to the use of language and considers it
an integral element in her work. Indeed her work in books has been
influenced by her keen interest in literature, including the writing
of Angela Carter and Gabriel Marquez. Her desire for future titles
includes working with contemporary women writers whose work has
influenced her own development.
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