Jacqueline Claire - Visual Artist & Spiritual Storyteller
Jacqueline Claire
Jacqueline Claire is a visual artist and spiritual storyteller based out of Texas. Jacqueline is passionate about the art and its power to help us connect with joy, meaning, and each other. Jacqueline believes this is what the world truly needs right now.
As an artist Jacqueline is driven to uplift community and bring people together through her paintings. She comes from a long line of creators, born and raised in Texas, and she currently resides in a small German/Hispanic town between San Antonio and Austin, New Braunfels, Texas. Her work spans a range from fine art on canvas to children's illustration - but the goal is the same: to touch hearts and elevate spirits. Even when the work is dark sometimes, it's about holding hands and moving through the darkness to reach the light together - cured of fear and more deeply connected. She does her best to let the art guide her to what it wants to become - that way whatever message or feeling is delivered to a viewer is special and intended for them. The process of creating is her teacher.
Jacqueline has devoted her life and career to exploring the role of art and faith in elevating her audiences, and encouraging them to access mystical realities. She recently concluded her first art and spiritual storytelling tour of her show, Awaken to Your Life As a Spiritual Journey through nine cities.
I’m so excited for you guys to connect with Jacqueline, check out her work, and follow along as she continues to share her mission to bring spiritual empowerment to the world through art.
I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.
Sure thing! My name is Jacqueline Claire. I am a visual artist and spiritual storyteller based out of Texas. Currently I am working on a new mystical painting series exploring the connection between humans, the natural world and our spiritual reality.
How did you get started?
Well, it's been a beautifully nonlinear path. I actually started out acting in film and television. I pursued that path for a good 19 years. At some point while I was living in LA I really faced that it was no longer fulfilling me. I found through visual art I could more directly communicate my sense of beauty and spirituality. I started incorporating storytelling and public speaking with my exhibitions and found that to be really enriching for audiences and an artistic expression in and of itself. It's really opened the way for more people to interact with the art. As well as for the art to open opportunities for deep and profound conversations with people.
What inspired the work that you're doing?
My work is inspired by my spirituality, and the impressions I taken in in daily life. My spiritual practice is rooted in the Baha'i Faith. The Baha'i writings are vast and rich. The prayers and writings are not only full of spiritual potency, but also extremely visual and mystical. I see a lot of influence from my devotion in my artwork. As well as a synthesis of the beauty I perceive daily in nature. You'll notice a lot of trees, moons, beautiful skies and humans in my paintings because those are the things that inspire me. And my spiritual storytelling shows just tie in both of these threads of the artwork and the deepening of spiritual practice and connecting it all with our daily lives.
What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?
Heck yes, and it is an ongoing process and exploration! My biggest passion is connecting with my own spiritual reality and helping others do the same. How to tap into that endless source of joy, creativity and meaning. And find peace and perspective in the tough moments of life.
What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?
Yes! A joy blueprint! I have a few different answers to this depending on how we are defining joy. If it joy is a deep spiritual sense beyond moods and happiness, then joy is absolutely in spiritual practice. In my life, understanding the Baha'i writings and then expressing that understanding through my thoughts, words, actions and artwork. I find a great deal of joy and satisfaction from creating artwork and sharing it with people. Mostly though through being able to talk about the deeper ideas behind the work and igniting other people's since of joy and spiritual connection. If joy is happiness, then I definitely like to keep some people around who make me belly laugh and make sure I'm getting exercise, going swing dancing every week!
How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?
Yes, again it all comes back to spiritual practice. My Faith is very grounding for me. I say daily prayers in the morning, afternoon and evening and read inspirational spiritual writings. This is a way to tune in. Spiritually "tune in" and like tuning an instrument. I may not play a perfect song with my day, but I feel I have a better chance of playing something beautiful if I have "tuned" myself. In the Baha'i writings our hearts are refereed to as mirrors. Spiritual practice is about keeping those mirrors clean and polished and then turning toward the light - so we can reflect divine spiritual attributes. I also stay grounded by spending a little bit of each day enjoying nature and limiting cell phone and social media time.
What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?
That's an interesting question. My priorities have shifted a lot since then. I used to be very concerned with the outer appearances of things and as I grow older I am more concerned with the internal. But I always wanted to be a storyteller in some way and inspire people. The fact that I have found a truly unique avenue for doing that my young self would probably think was pretty cool.
Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation?
They shift. The last couple of months I've been feeling very empowered by this one line in a Baha'i prayer called "The Fire Tablet". It's referring to life challenges and it goes, "when the swords flash, go forward, when the shafts fly, press onward". It helps remind me to embrace challenges and move forward with joy and courage.
What is your biggest dream?
What an amazing question! My biggest dream is to be a very happy grandma. To be surrounded by my happy grandchildren and artwork. To look around and marvel at how much more unified, truthful and healthy the world has become during my lifetime.
To learn more about Jacqueline and her work visit her website www.JacquelineClaireArt.com and you can connect with her on Instagram @JacquelineClaireArt and Facebook @JacquelineClaireArt and you can join her e-mail list here and support her work and mission on Patreon here
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