Claire Loon Baldwin is a natural science illustrator and designer based in Maine, specializing in watercolor botanicals, wild foods, and biodiverse landscapes.
Claire's art is informed by her experience working in state and national parks across the US. Between 2012 and 2018, Claire worked at lodges in Glacier National Park in Montana, and North Cascades National Park in Washington. She went on to work as an environmental educator in the redwood forests of California, and with the park service in Grand Canyon. In Grand Canyon National Park, her roles included Field School volunteer, Youth Conservation Core and Vegetation Crew Lead, and interpretive park ranger. From backpacking trips through alpine meadows, to rim-to-rim hikes across Grand Canyon, Claire's sketchbook was her constant companion as she explored.​
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Claire began her arts education in a rigorous four-year high school program before completing two years of undergraduate studies at the Tyler School of Art. Her passion for human rights then led her to the University of Maryland, where she earned a self-designed B.F.A. in Maternal and Child Health Equity in 2016. In 2023, she completed an intensive Visual Design certificate program with General Assembly.​
In 2018, Claire created Grand Canyon National Park's centennial poster series. Since then, she's continued to create environmentally-oriented art with prominent clients including DK Publishing and Penguin Random House, Down East Magazine, and the Boston Globe.
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When not in her studio, Claire spends as much time as she can exploring the coast and mountains of Maine. She teaches classes with museums, nonprofits, and educational institutions that weave together art and the environment. She is available for client work and representation.
Notable Clients:
DK Publishing and Penguin Random House, the Illustration Institute, Grand Canyon National Park, Down East Magazine, The Nature Conservancy of Maine, the Maine Audubon Society, the Rhode Island School of Design, Willow Bend Environmental Education Center, the Boston Globe, Western Confluence, BabyBug Magazine and Cricket Media
Testimonials
Affiliations
Process, Materials, and Techniques
Claire Loon Baldwin's creative process always begins with seeking inspiration from nature.
She uses watercolor and ink, and has spent years developing her materials and techniques. To meet the demands of fast-paced editorial work, she integrates digital techniques into her process, ensuring speed without compromising quality or detail.
Claire’s favorite tools include tried and tested waterproof inks, specialized cleaners, and hot-press watercolor paper that captures intricate fractal paint details. See her list of materials, techniques, and watch video tutorials, check out her blog.
Go Behind the Scenes on Patreon
Patreon is a subscription-based platform where Claire shares exclusive in-depth updates on her projects and creative practice. Supporters on Patreon vote on what rewards they'd like to receive in the mail, ranging from stickers, prints, postcards, and more.​
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Patreon is the best way to engage with, and support Claire's work. Sign up now and choose your rewards!
Claire Loon Baldwin formerly worked under the name Claire Luce Baldwin.
Claire updated her 'pen name' to Claire Loon Baldwin in 2023. As her creative practice grew, she want to have a name that distinguished her business self from her personal self, and reflected her love for nature.
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Anyone who's heard loons calling across a starlit Maine lake knows that these birds are a go-between for our world and the next. And that's what inspires Claire's work: the sublime and sometimes otherworldly beauty of nature.