Claire Mc Dermott
Mc Dermott's photography research influences her sculptures to envision a planet that shares and represents all cultures within a community. Her transdisciplinary thinking creates futuristic, nonsensical and abstract plants and uses imaginary concepts to define her social and environmental concerns.
Mc Dermott graduated with an MA Art and Science from Central Saint Martins in 2020 and an MRes Art and Humanities from the Royal College of Art in 2023. Her thesis titled "Happenings, Sightings, and A Plumed Seed" explored Allan Kaprow's art happenings while comparing them to the same enlightenment of her field sightings and observations. She has exhibited at Tate Exchange, Watford Museum, Cooke Latham Gallery, Beaconsfield Contemporary Gallery, and recently at Headstone Manor and Museum. Her artwork was featured in Phi Magazine whilst her poetry was published in The Pluralists (RCA) and the Earthwise book. Her microscopic illustrations are held at Cill Rialaig Arts Centre, Ireland; her public sculpture ‘The Meeting Tree’ is installed at Newton Farm Ecology Park.
Claire Mc Dermott (b. london, UK)
Education
2023 Masters Research, Art and Humanities | Royal College of Art
2020 MA Art and Science | Central Saint Martins, UAL
2012 Botanical illustration at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
1996 HND in Historic Decorative Crafts. De Montford Uni, Lincoln
Solo Exhibitions:
2024 Translucent | Headstone Manor and Museum
2018 Illusion | Space2 Gallery, Watford Museum
2013 Persona | Curated by May Shetrit. The Gallery HAC, Harrow
2009 Evolving | Fovea Gallery, Harrow, London
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2024 Tribute | Safehouse, Peckham, Southwark
2024 Still Life | The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Scotland
2024 Graduate Art Exhibition 2024 | Candid Arts Gallery, Islington
2024 Shortlisted for the RPS Benelux Chapter 2024 - Movement
2024 Art and Science & Creativity Book Art | Liverpool Central Library
2024 Extempore 24 | Tension Fin Art, Penge West, Bromley
2023 Annual Open Exhibition | Southwark Park, Rotherhithe
2023 Earthwise | Beaconsfield Contemporary Gallery, Vauxhall
2023 Inner Workings | Wip show RCA | Cooke and Latham Gallery, Wandsworth
2023 On The Edge | Royal Society of Sculptures | Espacio Gallery, Tower Hamlet
2022 What A Waste | Koppel Project | Holban, Camden
2021 Health Climate Ecological Emergency | UCLH & NHS, Camden
2021 FINALLY | MA Degree Show, delayed graduate show, Southwark
2020 Virtual MAAS Symposium | Central Saint Martins, Camden
2020 Virtual Graduate Showcase | Central Saint Martins, Camden
2019 Emergent | MA Art and Science Open Studios, Islington
2019 The Setting | SU Exhibition & Project Space with Maria Ribeiro, Camden
2019 Postgraduate Art Auction | Lethaby Gallery, Camden
2019 Made in Arts London (MiAL) at TM Lighting Gallery, Camden
2019 Studio-Lab of Art and Science | University of Westminster
2019 Interim Show | Apiary Studios, Tower Hamlet
2018 EmbryonicA | MAAS, Open Studios, Islington
2017 Artsdepot Open Exhibition | Shortlisted for 2017 award, Barnet
2015 The Independent Artist Fair | TIAF at The Rag Factory, Tower Hamlet
2015 RHS London Botanical Art Show | Vincent Square, Westminster
2015 RI Watercolour Competition, shortlisted | Mall Gallerie, Westminster
2014 Joint | with Johannes Von Stumm, North Wall Art Centre, Oxford
2014 The Independent Artist Fair | TIAF at The Rag Factory, Tower Hamlet
2014 Art and Science | Courtyard Arts Centre, Hertfordshire
2013 Selected | Marburae Art Gallery, Cheshire, UK
2012 Culture | Opening of The Gallery HAC, Harrow Arts Centre, Harrow
2012 Botanical Celebration | Westminster Central Hall, Westminster
2009 TwoGether | with Jane McAdam Freud in the Gradidge Gallery
Awards, Residencies, Events and Public Commission:
2025 The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
2025 Millennium Seed Bank In progress - joint application to Arts Council
2023 Solo exhibition | Awarded part funding from Eaton Fund
2022 Extremity II | Awarded part funding from Gane Trust
2020 SURGE and WEISS / UCL | shortlisted
2019 CERN | Invited for a week of lectures and events
2019 Made in Arts London (MiAL) | awarded representation
2019 Studio-Lab of Art and Science Symposium | Westminster Uni
2019 JOYA: AiR | Ecological field trip, Los Gazquez, Spain
2019 Art Crit | Awarded Student Union funding at the Tate Exchange
2019 Come Together, In A Time of Change | The Tate Exchange, SE1
2018 AA2A | one year residency at Art & Design Chelmsford College
2016 Sculpture Symposium | The Royal Society of Sculptures
2015 The Royal Horticultural Society | awarded a silver-gilt medal
2015 The Cill Rialaig Residency | Self-portrait installation, Ireland
2011 Arts Council England | Awarded funding for The Gallery HAC
2009 The Meeting Tree - commissioned for Newton Farm Ecology Park
Publications:
2024 Haus-A-Rest issue 51 writers corner art and science
2023 Thesis; Happenings, Sightings and a Plumed Seed
2023 Lazy Day | The pluralist’s, Geometric Gardens. RCA SU mag
2023 The Unseen & drawings. Earthwise book
2021 Phi Magazine Dream Issue Vol 8 Page 22
2021 Axis, New Art Highlight
2021 Made in Arts London (MiAL) | annual catalogue Page 30
2020 MA Art and Science at Central Saint Martins’s catalogue
2020 Made In Arts London(MiAL) 2020 catalogue
2017 ForumArts Sculpture Symposium 2016
2012 Culture published for the opening of The Gallery at HAC
2009 HVA catalogue by Winsor & Newton and Harrow Council
Artist talks:
2025 Art and science talk for Tickbird & Rhino. Booked for May
2024 Tuesday Talk at Headstone Manor and Museum as guest speaker
2017 The Sculpture Symposium Conference | Royal Society Sculptors
2017 Now what do we do | Art & Design Chelmsford College
2013 Persona | The Gallery HAC, Harrow, HA5
2013 To be Conceived | The Old Police Station, New Cross, London
2012 Culture | Jeff Lowe, Rob Ward, Jane McAdam Freud at HAC
2012 Enthusiasm or Ambition | HAC, Harrow
2011 Sculpture Network held at Jeff Lowe’s studios, London
Workshops
Art Crit - Come Together, In A Time of Change: workshops and debates at The Tate Exchange.
The Settings: Plants for Us – drawing plants at SU Exhibition & Project Space, Hoban
Emergent: Art and Science mould making workshops Open Studios, London
Draw Me In, drawing plants and bugs workshop at Space2 Gallery, Watford Museum
Chelmsford College: AA2A artist in residence -worked in front of the students/ helped when needed
Nature walk to Meeting Tree, Newton Farm Ecology Park; clay & plaster moulds at Beacon Centre
Curation
Artist curation of Macai Gallery Window: Jamaica Rd, London
Art Crit - Come Together, Time of Change: The Tate Exchange
The Settings: With Maria Riberiro, SU Exhibition Space, UAL
Culture: Jeff Lowe, Rob Ward, Julian Wild, Jane McAdam Freud, Andrian Melka, at The Gallery, HAC
TwoGether, with Jane McAdam Freud, Gradidg Gallery
Art Harrow 08: The Elliot Hall, The Gallery, HAC, Harrow
Corn Exchange: with Guy Reid, Matthew L Sanderson, Daphne Gradidge
Volunteering:
Chairman of Art Grads alumni from Central Saint Martins
Chairman of art group titled EXHIBIT.
Warden of Newton Farm Ecology Park, HA2. Recruit volunteers and organise work parties
Chairman of Harrow Visual Arts Forum | Harrow, HA1
Work currently held at Cill Rialaig Art Centre, Ireland
Public art: The Meeting Tree at Newton Farm Ecology Park
Membership: EXHIBIT, Axis, The Art Worker’s Guild and The Poetry Society
Internet:
www.facebook.com/clairemcdermott.artist
https://www. instagram.com/clairemcdermott.plants
Contact: