Claire Milner

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New & Noteworthy Artist

Claire Milner’s paintings and collage works have been labelled as ‘metaphors of our time’.

Claire's artwork explores the effects of humans on other species and ecosystems.

Rihanna commissioned Claire to create a portrait of Marilyn Monroe out of 65,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals.

Claire Milner is a British artist known for her environmental collections that collate art history, science and nature. For the last two decades, the abstract collagist has focused on climate change and mass extinction. Claire mixes contemporary painting and cutting-edge digital techniques with older pictorial traditions.

Claire Milner’s Early Career

Claire Milner was born in Yorkshire and studied at Coventry University, earning a BA in Graphic Design. She simultaneously attended a Foundation in Art & Design at Harrogate College of Art. Claire Milner is an artist member of the Gallery Climate Coalition. Her work has raised substantial funds for environmental organisations worldwide and won awards for raising awareness of threats facing keystone species. Commissioned by Virginia Mckenna, she recently created a painting for The Born Free Foundation. Joanna Lumley purchased the work.

Style and Inspiration

Critically acclaimed as metaphors of our time, Claire's paintings and collages explore the effects of humans on other species and ecosystems. With a visual language that speaks for the climate and nature, Claire creates highly nuanced animal and celebrity art with political and cultural undertones. Taking influence from art history, classical literature, fashion, architecture, science and the natural world, Claire produces a vigorously meaningful mosaic of literal and symbolic imagery. Incorporating precious stones and beautiful, illustrative colours, the artist creates bedazzling works that expose the war of consumption on nature.

Exhibitions and Collections

Claire's artworks are widely collected - most famously, Rihanna commissioned a portrait of Marilyn Monroe to be made from 65,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals. The Blue Marilyn featured in a special edition of Vogue Paris, guest-edited by Rihanna in a profile of her favourite things. Claire's work regularly features in the global media, including the BBC, BLOUIN ARTINFO, Elle, Forbes, Huffington Post Arts, The Observer, The Telegraph, The Times, Vogue, and Musings Magazine.