Claire Haynes

Philadelphia, PA

Claire Haynes creates large-scale oil paintings in a realistic style, focusing primarily on portraits, but also exploring animals and nature.

Claire Haynes is a Philadelphia-based artist known for her large-scale, highly detailed oil portraits that capture quiet, fleeting moments in time. Her work blends precision with intentional incompleteness, inviting contemplation through both what is seen and what is left unsaid.

Claire began studying figure drawing in high school and later attended Ringling College of Art and Design, majoring in Graphic Design while continuing to paint. After 15 years in advertising, she took a step back from the industry to focus on painting.

Now working full-time as an artist, she brings a meticulous attention to detail to her portraits, with a focus on capturing not just a likeness, but a sense of space and stillness. Elements of her compositions are often left unfinished, a deliberate choice that speaks to the courage it takes to embrace imperfection — and to the beauty found in what is left unsaid.

For Claire, painting has always been a personal refuge — a way to create calm amidst the chaos of day-to-day life. Her work invites viewers to do the same.

Says Haynes, "Art is not just a passion, but a vital form of expression that brings depth, connection, and meaning to my life."