Clare was born in the Britain of 1963 just a mile or two from the city where the Beatles were busy exploding onto the world. The seventh of eight children, Clare lost her father aged only four, leaving her mother to cope alone. But, though they were poor, the home was filled with love and laughter and books and the kind of creativity born of necessity. One of their favourite family days out was to the municipal art gallery which was free. Then their mother would somehow get hold of old wallpaper sample books to use as drawing paper and for Clare drawing meant animals, it was...more
