Studio Visit: Claire Salvo

Taking a moment with the masterful artist

The Rule of Three is an advertising principle, also seen in writing and other areas, whereby something becomes more memorable if you see it three times in succession. I don’t remember the first time I caught wind of Claire Salvo’s name, but I do remember the moment I started paying closer attention to her art. Not long ago, Claire started painting these realistic depictions of trash on the sidewalk, mainly branded packaging for junk food and consumer goods. The hard shadows framing the pop culture iconography were striking and instantly appealing. My friend Jessica randomly posted Claire on her IG (they share the same framer) and then a few days later, I was at a Web3 dinner in Santa Monica and Claire just happened to be sitting behind us. This all happened within a matter of, like, a week. It was time to meet Claire Salvo.

Claire is a 33-year-old artist based in Los Angeles. Her work is prolific, her talents sweeping as broadly as her brushstrokes. Most laypeople’s litmus test of what makes art “good” is whether they can do it themselves: “My kid can paint that.” Claire’s work is undeniably skilled and captivating in that sense. But as an artist myself, I already know that Claire’s art is inimitable. What grabs me is that she sees the world uniquely, is in love with the learning, and doesn’t pause to consider the boundaries. As I sit in the gallery and admire her creations, it is clear that she and the work are one and the same in their ambition.

Some of my favorite drawings were these graphite pieces on textured paper. It’s incredibly difficult to capture clothing because there is so much nuance in the material, the shadows and the way the object drapes. Somehow, Claire bottles the essence of a favorite sweatshirt in a way that makes you want to wear the document.

I spent a lot of time with her ballpoint-pen drawings. These aren’t prints, paintings, or photographs. They are illustrated with everyday office pens. When you buy and participate in an artist’s work, you are paying for their time and life. You are collecting a chunk of their career. When you look at it that way and consider the amount of painstaking detail, patience, and discipline that it takes Claire to bring these images to fruition, the art becomes quite priceless.

(I mean, check the stippled dots on this one. A tremendous amount of care)

Claire has very rightfully made a name for herself in the NFT space as well. In Web3 art, collectors can gripe about utility (which, is the proclamation that the digital art isn’t enough for them, so they need something more substantive to justify their purchase). Claire even offers the physical pieces to pair with her digital artwork.

Claire has such unfettered talent that she feels like five of my favorite artists in one person. That’s one of the things that most attracts me to her work. It’s hard to pin down yet it all feels distinctly hers and that’s a spiritual connection that transcends expertise. She is fluent in a rainbow of artistic languages, but the most critical piece? She has something to say with them.

Follow Claire on Instagram and Twitter to follow her journey and support her work.