Clara Donald

Clara Donald’s piece My Heritage draws inspiration from time spent in Scotland with her family, reflecting on the landscape’s striking beauty and its harsh, unforgiving nature. One of her earliest influences was a painting of a Scottish thistle in her grandfather’s home, “Thistle wild, proud and free, blooming where none dare to be.” This image sparked her fascination with Scotland’s flora and fauna, connecting her to the heritage of both grandfathers.

Clara explores these themes in a contemporary way, using dark inks and harsh lines to express the landscape’s severity, contrasted with crystals and beads that capture its beauty. Dark silver jewellery chains add a sense of strength and resilience, while lighter elements bring balance and life. Her designs focus on body adornment, creating art that interacts with the human form through expressive embroidery and experimental materials such as leather bias, tulle, crystals and goldwork.

Her body adornment dress that wraps and grows around the body evokes the intertwining patterns of nature. Through this work, Clara reimagines heritage and memory, transforming traditional craftsmanship into contemporary, wearable art that embodies Scotland’s duality of beauty and hardship while celebrating personal and cultural identity.