A father’s patience and talent, ancestry that embraced art and music and Italian, Greek and French heritage were always going to be a strong potion to bolster an artistic career. So it’s no surprise that Sydney based artist, Claude Poffandi, pursued a career in business with a focus on Law and Contracts !

Growing up in Sydney in a family that migrated to Australia in the 60s, it seemed important to have a steady job and raise a family, something that Claude did whilst at the same time spending much time in his much loved music in bands over the years.

The artistic flair was always there from early school days, doing well in art and craft classes, winning the odd contest and always willing to help out with school posters and flyers, even designs for friend’s odd surfboards. While there was always favourable recognition of the art, it never dawned on him to pursue a career as an “artist”…. after all who did that? His father had worked all his life as an accountant and other relatives were working in engineering establishments in Australia. It never really emerged that Claude indeed had an uncle in Greece that was an art teacher or that the name ‘Poffandi’ did have some resonance in Corfu with music.

Life goes on an fast forward some twenty years after school and a friend explained to Claude that there was something called ‘pastels’, some sort of stick product that used the pure pigment of artist’s paint. “Crayons” he thought, but they said no, these were different!! …. Well the love affair started right then and there. From sketching with pencils and little bid of water colour and Indian ink to this wonderful medium that brought colour and texture and depth …. a whole new world !!!

For quite a while art started to be produced … initially focussing on wildlife with his love of animals, soon after flowers became good subjects as did birds, majestic horses and dogs and cats.

Claude and his family had shared their lives at different times with many loved friends by way of an Irish Setter, a Doberman, a couple of Weimeraners, a Greyhound and myriads of cats including a Balinese and a Russian Blue, so it was no it seemed appropriate when Claude was asked whether he could paint a pet or two … that was the outset of the Pet Portraits business!! … something that brought a lot of satisfaction in seeing a tear in the eye of the owners when they saw the lifelike paintings of their much loved friends.

Soon after Claude was asked to produce a few works depicting the Greek Isles. The texture of the pastel really leant itself to both the white and coloured buildings, the boats, the seas …. Many a painting went to a good home … the colours became more and more vibrant as a Claude style emerged for these landscapes. Why stop at the Greek Isles he thought, bringing the same vibrancy of blues and purples to Australian Icons in the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, way before anybody even dreamed of lighting the up in Vivid !!

Self taught, Claude says 'It's just some thing I do. Often when working on a painting, I just get a gut feel to pick up a certain colour to add ... it's subconscious .... it's like I'm in a trance or have done this before somewhere ... I know I haven't, well I don't think I have !! ... but many times following the feeling is the 'x factor' that takes the painting to a different level"

Move on a few years, a little more focus on music and law, an album here and there and it seems that the universe said unto Claude, ‘it’s time’ ….. it’s time for ClaudeART … it’s time to share a bit more … it’s time to respect gifts that you may have been given … it’s just time !!!