Through paint and passion, this husband-and-wife duo crafts a harmonious narrative, entwining love, family and artistic expression seamlessly, finds Ramsha Vistro ▸
A DAM AND ANDREA CLAGUE’S LOVE STORY, the backbone of their creative journey, began at Pensacola Christian College, where the challenges of the art programme forged bonds among students. What started as a friendship bloomed into a romance, propelling them into a lifelong artistic adventure. “The programme was very challenging and it engendered strong bonds of friendship among us art students. Our friendship eventually blossomed into a romance and we have been on a creative adventure ever since,” reminisces Adam.
The proposal marked a pivotal moment in their journey; a stroke of artistic genius beautifully encapsulating their love story. “I proposed to Andrea with a half-painted canvas. I had painted a still life representing our relationship up to that point,” Adam smiles. “I asked Andrea if she would complete the painting and also complete me by being my wife. She said ‘yes.’”
Navigating artistic differences, they find shared territory in their mutual purpose: truthfully encapsulating the beauty inherent in every subject. “We share a common goal of capturing the beauty of our subjects faithfully. In so doing, we hope to convey to our viewers that great beauty exists, he adds” Their styles, influenced by artists such as John Singer Sargent and Richard Schmid, exhibit certain similarities, leading to a humorous situation where galleries struggle to distinguish their work. To address this, Andrea incorporated her maiden name into their signatures. “We have many of the same artistic influences. In fact, one of our galleries asked us to sign our paintings differently because they couldn’t tell our work apart,” laughs Andrea. “Although we have similar goals and styles, we are unlike each other in other aspects. The subjects that catch our eye and the elements within those subjects we choose to emphasise are often very different. We each have our own ways of seeing and working.”
Andrea’s art, celebrated for revealing the extraordinary in the ordinary, reflects her process of finding inspiration in the mundane. “I think the most difficult aspect of being inspired is taking the time to be aware of the beauty of an object. When I am busy with everyday life, I tend to forget to notice and admire. An object can just become another thing I need to dust around. However, if I really look and observe, it becomes extraordinary. I start to noti
