“When I was a child,” said Louisiana mixed media artist, Claire Foster Burnett, “we had those watercolors you could get for 10 cents, and we would get mother’s clothespins and put clothes on them, paint a face on them.” From playing as a child, to using art as an educational tool for the elementary students of McDonald 36 school in New Orleans, to having her work sought after by prominent art collectors and cultural institutions, Claire has run the gamut of the arts. She attributes her success to two factors – “The little miracles in life, and the will of my ancestors.”
Claire honed the artistic skills she had picked up as a child during her 36 years teaching elementary school. “When I was teaching, I saw the textbooks the children had and I wasn’t satisfied, so I started making worksheets, and games. I would make little stick men, for opposites, I would use people pulling and pushing. The games were so popular the boys would sneak up on my desk, and take the worksheets. When I caught them, they would ask ‘Why can’t we do all our subjects like that?’ And that would make me so happy I couldn’t even yell at them for stealing.” Claire continued using the arts to solve educational conundrums by creating life size cut outs of boys and girls. “The kids who were afraid to read in front of the class could stand behind the cut outs and read. Of course all the other kids would clap, and after a while that kid wasn’t afraid to read in front of the class any more.”
When I retired, I saw a commercial on television: A well to-do couple sitting by a pool talking about how they were set with their savings, and I said ‘saving?’ I was buying books for the children in the classroom. I wasn’t going to have a lot to leave my daughter so I decided to make something for her. I started working on the slave-ship with the clothespins. I was obsessed – sketching and planning. I had this feeling that I was doing what my ancestors wanted me to be doing.”
While Clair Foster Burnett’s ancestors were urging her to create art, which is “attractive, but also is of educational value, displaying the histories which surround us,” one of life’s little miracles was waiting in the parking-lot of Kinko’s.
“I just wanted to be a happy little house wife; I made a vow to myself that I wouldn’t leave the house until my husband went to work. But one day I just had this desire to go to Kinko’s to make some copies of my art. So I told him I was gonna go, and I went.”
“I saw this woman in the parking lot counting things, and she saw me carrying my models. I don’t know why I asked her, but I said ‘do you know anyone who would be interested in my art.’ and she said ‘well, I would.” The woman in the Kinko’s parking lot was Stella Jones, of Stella Jones Gallery on St. Charles. Claire had her first showing that November.
“I wasn’t there fifteen minutes when one of my friends said ‘look your stuff is coming off the wall. I said ‘Shit! I shouldn’t be here. I only have ten pieces, I should be home making more.” Claire’s historically influenced paintings, adorned with clothespin dolls sold-out in one evening. Claire has been on a roll ever since, selling out lectures at the Amistad museum at Tulane University, where her work is now part of the permanent collection, as well as having two major showings this April – The New Orleans African American Museum of Art (NOAAM) – through April, and The Southern University Museum of Art (SUMA) – through April 27th.
One of the goals of the Southern University System Museums is to provide a venue for Louisiana’s African American artist to display their work,” said Vivian Kerr, Museum Director. “The work of Claire Foster Burnett was introduced to us by Dr. Stella Jones through her gallery in New Orleans. Needless to say, the President, Dr. Leon R. Tarver II, and I were attracted to the uniqueness of her work and her ability to capture the culture and history of the New Orleans area. Claire Foster Burnett is a talented artist and educator who has the amazing ability to connect with all people. She is witty, smart, intuitive, and energetic. Mrs. Burnett leaves something of herself with everyone she encounters. Her work speaks for itself. It is brilliant!”
“Three of Mrs. Burnett’s works were purchased and are part of the System Museums permanent collection, including the signature piece for this exhibit, ‘Gold Weights.’ I have looked forward to having the opportunity to show more of her work at both of the System Museums. The 4th anniversary of the Southern University Museum of Art seems an appropriate time to recognize the contribution to the arts of such a talented artist.
Claire Foster Burnett will continue contributing to Louisiana art, but when asked about a specific project she hopes to undertake in the near future she said, “Straighten up my house.”
