Mixed Media/Painting

Artist Statement

The Mechanics of Nature
Abandoned Victorian institutions in varying states of decay, have always been a source of fascination to me. From the layers of history, experiences forever now silent, to the poignancy of details that remain – all evoke a sense of the power of nature and our temporal place in it. The real beauty, I feel, is how it slowly surrenders to nature, as all things do. Nature reclaims everything, manmade structures eventually return to the earth.

This series began for me as an exploration into what history had unfolded in these abandoned environments, and evolved into bigger questions of the relationship between what’s made by man, and what simply happens naturally. I imagined the mysterious inner workings of all things, the man behind the curtain, so to speak. It seemed appropriate to depict these images in natural mediums – wax, wood, metallic leaf, juxtaposing the manmade with the organic.

The wax is such an imperfect organic material, what if we look through it at images of manmade structures? What if we take environments that are anything but natural, and depict them in dreamy, layered images? What if we simply take something out of its original context, do we perceive it differently?

Contact Information

Nichols Berg Gallery
8611 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
tel: 206-380-4070
www.nicholsbergart.com

tel: 267-237-7500
e-mail:
www.clarissashanahan.com
Please contact artist or gallery for purchases, commissions, etc.

Artist Bio

Clarissa Shanahan is a fine artist who has been brought up in decorative arts traditions. She holds a BFA from University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and is a Bread Scholar, a merit based full scholarship from UPenn, the first Pafa/UPenn student ever to be awarded. In 1993, she received a full scholarship from Friends of Vielles Maisons Francaises to restore a 19th-century horse carriage in Buxy, France.

After extensive studies and professional experience in decorative arts, with clients such as American Express, Oscar de la Renta, Bendels, Fendi, Planet Hollywood, Saks and Lord & Taylor, she then moved almost exclusively into film work. Her film credits as Scenic and Charge Scenic Artist include such films as Julie Taymor’s The Tempest, Salt, Meet Joe Black, Summer of Sam, Illuminata, Snake Eyes, Angels in America, and the film Pollock, where she produced the paintings of Lee Krasner. Her experience includes such television credits as SNL, Law & Order, and HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.

Clarissa has been teaching studies such as Gilding, Encaustic, and Medieval Manuscript Illumination at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, as well as Fleisher Art Memorial, and now, the newly formed Studio At The Nichols Berg Gallery. She lives in Philadelphia with her Cinematographer husband, Marc Jeff Schirmer.

Education

2005
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
BFA

2002
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

1998 – 1999
New York Academy of Art, New York, NY

1991 – 1992
Isabel O’Neil Studio, New York, NY

1990
Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY

Honors and Awards

2004
Recipient of the Bread Upon the Waters Scholarship, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

2003
Recipient of the Senior Associates Scholarship, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

1993
Full Scholarship and Invitation from Friends of Vielles Maisons Francaises to complete full restoration of nineteenth century horse carriage in Buxy, France. Presentation and report to Board of Directors.

1992
Apprenticeship Program Recipient, Tromploy Studios, NY

1991
Full Studio Scholarship, Isabel O’Neil Studio, New York, NY

Professional Experience

Adjunct Faculty, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Instructor, The Studio at Nichols Berg Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Freelance Gilding & Restoration

4 years as Production Designer in the Film Industry

15 Years as a Scenic Artist in the Film Industry

Selected Exhibitions

2011
Lucky New Year Show, The Nichols Berg Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

2006
Faculty Exhibit, Samuel Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA

2002
Annual Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, Philadelphia, PA

2001
Kelly Writers House, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

1999
Paintings from the film Pollock, Pollock-Krasner House & Study Center, East Hampton, NY

1997
Fine Art Of Scenic Artists, Blue Moon Gallery Hot Springs, AK

Other

2004
Phrenic Ballet Arts Auction, Philadelphia, PA

Commissions

Retail and Commercial Clients
Parc Restaurant [Starr Group]
American Express
Planet Hollywood
Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas Window Display
Lord & Taylor’s Christmas Window Display
Mark Hampton Interior Design
Oscar de la Renta [Private client]
Fendi Display [NY]
Bendel’s Display [NY]
Visions 1992 Designer Show house in Rye, NY
Mattel Toy Fair
Parker Brothers
Milton Bradley
Met Life
Kohler

Film & Television Productions
Scenic Art
Boardwalk Empire [2009/10 – HBO]
Salt [2009]
Mercy [2009]
The Tempest [2008]
The Happening (2007)
Angels In America (2003)
Unbreakable (2000)
Pollock (PT Charge Scenic) (2000)
Gun Shy (Charge Scenic) (2000)
Blue Moon (2000)
At First Sight (1999)
Man on the Moon (1999)
Summer of Sam (1999)
Curtain Call (1999)
Stepmom (1998)
Illuminata (1998)
One True Thing (1998)
Snake Eyes (1998)
Meet Joe Black (1998)
The Horse Whisperer (1998)
Addicted to Love (1997)
The Deal (Charge Scenic) (1998)
Milk & Money (1996)
Lipstick Jungle
Law & Order
Trading Spaces, Boys vs. Girls
Hack
The Education of Max Bickford
The $treet
Politically Incorrect
Now and Again
Saturday Night Live
The High Life
Dateline NBC

Production Design
Buddy Gilbert Comes Alive, Feature
2 Minutes Later, Feature
The Perfect Witness, Feature
Morris County, Feature
Jihaad, Feature [Set Decorator]
Dare, Feature [Set Decorator]
Explicit Ills, Feature [Set Decorator]
Looking For…, Short Film
Future Weather, Trailer
Will You…, Short Film
The Couch, Short Film
I Love You, I’m Sorry, and I’ll Never Do It Again, Short Film

Art Direction
The Road [Element Shoot Art Director]
Alphabet Killer
Dodging Silver Bullets