Untitled, c. 20th century

Claire Burch (1925-2009) was an exceptionally exploratory creative, experimenting in filmmaking, writing, drawing, and painting over the course of her career. Burch was enthralled with the creative process from a young age, she recalled during her childhood "My poor parents wanted me to be a lawyer. They wanted me to do something practical. Here I was scribbling away. Painting got added to the mix before I can even remember. ... And it escalated, it never went away. It got more and more intense.” Her drive to create led to a prolific career, leaving behind thousands of drawings and paintings, hours of film, and books of poetry. In her work as a filmmaker Burch diligently chronicled the underbelly of Berkley, telling the stories of activists, the unhoused, and the mentally ill. Whether working on canvas or on video, she prioritized presence, trust, and raw observation over conventional storytelling.

Bio information sourced from:
claireburch.org
Remembering Claire Burch by Lydia Gans for The Berkley Daily Planet, https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-06-04/article/33067