Biography

Zola and the Squid was launched in the  summer of 2024 after its founder Clara Stanley took up artist residence at East beach studios Worthing, West Sussex. 

This small but vibrant community of artists, makers and creatives working out of old beach huts on the Worthing promenade was just the move needed to start building a cohesive body of work

and an opportunity to think more commercially as an artist. Being able to open the studio doors to the public meant that the working space could double up as shop and the focus shifted to creating prints and homeware alongside original artwork. 

This move into a new working space coincided with the acquisition of a new bulldog puppy named Zola, who accompanies Clara to the studio most days. And after finishing her first collage piece of a squid in her new place, the studio name was born.

Clara began her artistic career many moons ago. Art, music and drama were always her favourite subjects at school and naturally progressed to competing an Art Foundation Diploma at Northbrook College back in 1992. This was followed by a BA in Communication Studies at London Guildhall University (now London Met). After a few years working in the film and tv sector she then retrained as an FE lecturer teaching Media and film studies and competing her MA in Media Arts at Royal Holloway in 2007. All the while continuing her love of keeping sketchbooks and travel scrapbooks. 

Family life and a move back to Sussex meant a gear shift in work too and she spent five years running a successful seasonal cafe in Littlehampton hosting film nights and putting on exhibitions for local artists.

But it wasn’t until the pandemic of 2020 and the resulting lockdown that her attention returned to her artistic practice once again. Lucky to have a artist friend lodging with her during that time, the pair embarked on an exciting creative period and her love of collage was discovered. 

This momentum culminated in a return to university to start a degree in Fine Art and Clara successfully completed the first two years but had to pause her studying due to work and family commitments.

But the degree completely blew open her creative practice, moving from working in more traditional mediums such as drawing and painting to working in moving image, photography and installation and she plans to complete the degree in the next couple of years.

The decision to make collage pieces under a studio name was taken in order to differentiate these different sides to her practice whilst also leaning into the idea of building an art brand and building a presence online. 

Each collage piece at Zola & The Squid begins with one simple motivation: to make work in response to what is inspiring at that particular time with as much authenticity and unconsciousness as possible. To always try and return to the that first sense of excitement felt in the art room at school, or first day on a workshop.. wanting to be free of any fixed outcome and just make something that speaks to the real you. Painting paper and waiting for it to dry then cutting it up into shapes is always the first simple step to creating something more sophisticated. But never tires to excite. In a world and a time where it can feel a heavy place to be, Zola and the Squid is an unapologetic celebration of colour, pattern and fun.