On the Table

Drawing was Clements's primary medium. She created intricate drawings in ink, ballpoint pen, and sometimes watercolor, which she often expanded over several sheets of paper joined together. (The folds and creases produced in the process of manipulating the sheets is an integral part of the work.) This view of the crowded contents of a tabletop plays with the art-historical genre of still-life. Rather than staying in one place while she drew, Clements constantly shifted her perspective. She said, "I'm interested in the way we see as we move through life, instead of when we're sitting still." The result is an image in which typically static objects and their shadows become dynamic characters in the overall composition.