Claire Perkins, also known as The Artful Alchemist, is one of those artists whose work immediately draws you in. Her mixed media mosaics are layered with texture, imagination, and story – blending found objects, natural elements, and a strong sense of transformation into pieces that feel both whimsical and soulful.
Her newly launched website now gives art lovers an easy way to explore her work online, with galleries that reflect the spirit and variety of her creative world. Created by BLT Marketing & Design, the new site offers a beautiful new home for Claire’s evolving body of work.
Claire’s blog is also worth a visit, featuring insightful, profound, and humorous writings that are every bit as engaging as her artwork. Click on image below:
Claire’s path into the art world was anything but ordinary. After spending more than 20 years working as a computer programmer in the corporate world, she experienced a level of burnout that left her longing for change. That search led her into the world of art-as-therapy, where she studied with the late Lucia Capacchione, PhD, ATR, and became a certified coach in journaling and expressive arts methods.
That experience opened the door to a profound personal and creative shift. What had once been a predominantly left-brained, analytical life began to make room for a more intuitive, expressive self. As that part of Claire emerged, she explored a wide range of mediums, including acrylics, watercolor, pastels, colored pencil, mixed media, and collage. But it was during a 3-D mosaic workshop with Debra Mater that she found the medium her creative heart had been searching for.
Today, Claire is known for giving new life to old and discarded materials. She uses vintage jewelry, semi-precious stones, tile, glass, beads, buttons, and other unexpected treasures to create mosaic pieces rich with color, texture, and meaning. Her work builds connections through shape, theme, and detail, often transforming thrift store castoffs into something entirely new and luminous.
She especially delights in creating playful and imaginative birds, animals, and insects, while much of her work also carries a deeper spiritual and symbolic resonance. As Claire says, her art is “sometimes whimsical, sometimes mystical and often grounded in nature and the divine feminine.” That balance of joy, mystery, and meaning is part of what makes her work so distinctive.
Claire is also a featured artist at the Wickenburg Art Center & Gallery, where her work is available for viewing and purchase. For locals and visitors alike, the gallery offers a chance to experience her mosaic creations in person and appreciate the intricate detail and personality that define each piece.
Adding to her growing creative presence in town, Claire has also taken on the role of acting Webmaster for the Wickenburg Art Club website – a fitting full-circle moment for someone whose background in technology now supports and strengthens the local arts community. Her journey from programmer to artist to arts advocate reflects the kind of reinvention that inspires others to trust where creativity can lead.
Claire’s new website is more than a fresh online presence – it is a reflection of the artist herself. Thoughtful, imaginative, and full of heart, the site gives visitors a chance to step into the world she has built through mosaic art, storytelling, and transformation. Whether you already know her work or are discovering it for the first time, this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate an artist whose vision is helping make Wickenburg’s arts scene even more vibrant.
Interested in Your Own Website? If you’re an artist or business in the Wickenburg area and you’ve been thinking about a website – or your current one no longer reflects your work – now is a smart time to explore your options.
Claire Perkins’ new website, The Artful Alchemist, is a strong example of how a well-designed site can help artists showcase their work, tell their story, and connect with new audiences.
For local artists interested in building their own online presence, contact Wickenburg Art Center & Gallery to learn more, or reach out to BLT Marketing & Design to discuss a custom website designed around your work, your goals, and your budget.
