“This portrait by the artist Claire Milner is at home in New York... I find fascinating the shadows, the nuances, and the emotions that she manages to express thanks to subtle games of colored crystals. I am in love with this work. And I am in love with Marilyn. What is more moving than these candid eyes? ”

“Rihanna’s mansion clearly shows off her distinct taste in art.. there’s no missing the Swarovski-studded portrait of Marilyn Monroe by artist Claire Milner. The overall effect is that of a home that is perfectly put-together, yet anything but vanilla.”

“Art has long held the potential for social activism—Pablo Picasso, Judy Chicago, Banksy, to name a few. British artist Claire Milner belongs on the list. Her large-scale paintings explore identity, gender, politics and fashion. But dearest to our heart are her depictions of animals and the environment. From poaching and climate change to habitat loss and captivity, Milner powerfully yet tenderly exposes the toll all of these take on wildlife and endangered species.. She also portrays people. In fact, Rihanna famously commissioned a 5’ x 5’ portrait of Marilyn Monroe made from 65,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals. Its effect is magical, but here too Milner turns her keen eye for suffering on Monroe, painting Norma Jeane on the back, forever hidden from the world while the celebrity persona sparkles on display.”

“With her dazzling crystal mosaics and probing mixed-media paintings, Claire Milner exposes the clash between abundance and extinction, and growth and decline. These highly nuanced works capture the cultural spirit of our time.”

“Claire Milner’s artwork is staggeringly beautiful. A majestic lion’s head made entirely from Swarovski crystals. A painting of a rhinoceros in Venice. Another of a beguiling woman riding an elephant. But upon closer inspection, it’s clear all is not well in these worlds—the elephant is in chains. The rhino has been commodified. Climate change, poaching, and loss of habitat are forcing already endangered animals into extinction. And that’s just what Milner wants us to think and talk about—and then take action.”

“Critically acclaimed as metaphors of our time, Claire’s paintings and collages explore the effects of humans on other species and ecosystems. With a visual language that speaks for the climate and nature, Claire creates highly nuanced animal and celebrity art with political and cultural undertones. Taking influence from art history, classical literature, fashion, architecture, science and the natural world, Claire produces a vigorously meaningful mosaic of literal and symbolic imagery. Incorporating precious stones and beautiful, illustrative colours, the artist creates bedazzling works that expose the war of consumption on nature.”

“The artistic opus of Claire Milner is largely drawn from the artist’s desire to inscribe environmentalist discourse in art. On a similar trail of examining human behaviour in crises, Milner considers topics of identity, gender and displacement. The artist uses her work as a device for social and political debate.”

“Her works of art are majestic as well as thought-provoking.”

“At first glance, these sparkling paintings are gorgeous images of endangered animals. Upon closer inspection, however, each work shows a much darker subtext. The hauntingly expressed consequences of poaching, climate change and habitat loss powerfully focus on the plight of some of the world’s most vulnerable species.”

“Critically acclaimed as metaphors of our time, Claire’s paintings and collages explore the effects of humans on other species and ecosystems. With a visual language that speaks for the climate and nature, Claire creates highly nuanced animal and celebrity art with political and cultural undertones. Taking influence from art history, classical literature, fashion, architecture, science and the natural world, Claire produces a vigorously meaningful mosaic of literal and symbolic imagery. Incorporating precious stones and beautiful, illustrative colours, the artist creates bedazzling works that expose the war of consumption on nature.”

“Claire Milner is an experienced artist based in the United Kingdom whose paintings have been exhibited in England, Wales, the United States, and France. In addition, her art has been featured in publications such as The Observer, Create! Magazine, The FLUX Review, etc. Creating in themed series, Milner’s works highlight the human connection to the natural world and its impact via the encroachment upon critical ecosystems and species.”

“Claire Milner is an English pop artist celebrated for her extraordinarily affecting, bejeweled Swarovski images of icons and endangered species designed to make us think about the nature of all beautiful things. She is a crystal revolutionary; an agent provocateur in paint and crystals! Milner is the quietest, most caring and sweetest of agent provocateurs. She likes to let her paintbrush and consummate manipulation of glamour; fashion and opulence do the talking. Quoting Picasso, she says, ‘Painting is not made to decorate apartments. It’s an offensive and defensive weapon against the enemy.’ Now that’s clever. Seduce with heart-stopping beauty and charisma and then stick the dagger in.”

“Claire’s artworks are widely collected - most famously, Rihanna commissioned a portrait of Marilyn Monroe to be made from 65,000 hand-applied Swarovski crystals. The Blue Marilyn featured in a special edition of Vogue Paris, guest-edited by Rihanna in a profile of her favourite things. Claire’s work regularly features in the global media, including the BBC, BLOUIN ARTINFO, Elle, Forbes, Huffington Post Arts, The Observer, The Telegraph, The Times, Vogue, and Musings Magazine”

“Famous faces can shine bright like a diamond — after Rihanna’s fave artist immortalised them in thousands of shimmering crystals. The artwork, which is all made in her studio in Yorkshire has attracted megastar attention. Claire’s mosaic artwork has also been noticed by advertising agencies that are now using her talents to promote their products.”

“Animal conservation and Swarovski crystals, tens of thousands of them. They have much in common, believe it or not. But only when they are in the skilled hands of artist Claire Milner.”

“Talented artist Claire Milner offers a unique take on hyperrealistic paintings by using colorful gemstones to recreate breathtaking, but sadly endangered creatures. Her works of art are majestic as well as thought-provoking. Talking about endangered animals is one thing, but seeing them evokes a whole other emotional response that gets people active. Milner’s work does just that by using opulent Swarovski crystals to recreate dozens of animals that are close to extinction.”

“Milner created the admired, “Blue Marilyn” Monroe portrait for Rihanna, which offers a haunting, multi-faceted insight into the duality of celebrity.. On first examination, we see the familiar, iconic image of Monroe, the other worldly film goddess, all eyes, hair, pout and twinkling star power. Look more closely, and the portrait is suffused with sadness, vulnerability and light and shade. Marilyn is blue, as blue as an Arctic winter. Similarly, in a portrait of Amy Winehouse, Milner captures the spirit, energy and ingénue sweetness of Amy Winehouse. A female Warhol, Milner is reviving the ancient mosaic techniques in Byzantine art, and mixed media, to create dazzling art that clashes nature with consumption.”

“Rihanna has bought one of her portraits and her work is being snapped up by collectors across the globe.”

“THE most striking thing about North Yorkshire artist Claire Milner’s stunning portrait of Marilyn Monroe isn’t its size (five feet square), or the fact that it’s made out of Swarovski crystals – or even that pop star Rihanna paid tens of thousands of pounds for it (although that generated a fair few headlines). What hits you is that, despite its size and the way it was made .. it has a raw truth about it... There is a real fragility and vulnerability captured there. There is another haunting secret to it, too. Claire painted a second portrait on the back, of Norma Jeane Baker... There is something almost unbearably poignant about the thought of that portrait of Norma Jeane forever facing the wall. It makes the revealed face of Marilyn even more moving.”

“It’s all about the detail for Claire Milner, the stellar British talent behind the portrait of Marilyn Monroe... Claire’s philosophical approach is revealed in the surprising hidden portrait painted on the reverse that represents the young Norma Jean - a commentary on the life of a celebrity. Her richly diverse sources of inspiration include ancient art and popular culture, as well as music videos and Shakespeare. This is reflected in a dynamic adaptability, from a mosaic depicting under-sea volcanoes to iconic portraiture.”

“Epic”

“It looks absolutely A-MAZING!
As far as extravagant purchases are concerned, this has gotta be one of the best ones we’ve seen in a long time!!”

“This is an investment guaranteed to make a statement. Mosaic artist, Claire Milner has had some high-profile clients, not surprisingly, when her portraits are produced solely of Swarovski crystals.”

“British artist Claire Milner spoke to Global Living magazine about her vibrant mixed-medium artwork that is taking the world by storm, and even revealed a little-known secret about the Swarovski Marilyn Monroe portrait she produced for R&B singer Rihanna.”

“..a painstaking accomplishment.”

“..the eyes are windows to the soul. And here all the work of the crystals, their colour, and the play with light and shadow give an interesting depth to Marilyn’s eyes. Beautiful, impressive and truly emotional. In all her celebrity portraits, the artist touches something more intimate and personal. Simply breath taking.”

“Sparkling talent”

“Claire Milner is the artistic genius behind the popular Marilyn Monroe 5ft x 5ft Swarovski crystal portrait. As you can see, the attention to detail in the portrait is flawless down to the strands of Marilyn’s hair!”

“Rihanna purchased this Marilyn Monroe artwork made out of 65,000 SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS, it weighs 182 pounds and measures 5 by 5 feet, made by artist Claire Milner. All we can say is - WOW! ”

“R&B superstar Rihanna commissioned artist Claire Milner to create the largest head portrait of Marilyn Monroe made from 65,000 Swarovski crystals.”

“Marilyn Monroe inspires most artists for everything; her beauty, glamour and ill fate. The latest Marilyn Monroe-inspired artwork created by Claire Milner now sits pretty at R&B star Rihanna’s abode. The portrait is 5-feet by 5-feet sporting 65,000 hand set Swarovski crystals. Four-months in making, the artwork weighs 80kg.”

“I love her facial expression in this picture.. It captures her beauty, but also the torment that was constant in her thoughts.”