Peep of Ptown: Claire

One of the true Pleasantonians is Claire. She grew up participating in many local programs at the Firehouse Arts Center, which made a tremendous impact on her life as acting is who she is today. Claire enjoys various art forms, such as acting, photography, podcasting and bullet journaling. Her acting journey began in the first grade when she didn’t get the role of one of the pigs in the Three Little Pigs play. She was so devastated that she didn’t get a solo part, that her mom decided to enroll her into an acting class. There she fell in love with acting and started performing with Pleasanton Youth Theater Company. She performed a couple of shows a year and now she is a part of the Creatures of Impulse, an improv troop.

She particularly enjoys improv because “no other art form forces you to get into your castmate’s heads” and is collaborative to such a high degree. The two people that influenced her as a young actress are Mark Duncanson and Jeff Zavattero. Claire says that “they are like her improve parents” and taught her everything she knows today. Claire develops her artistic talents in multiple ways, including her own anthology podcast called Cumulonimbus where she shares her written work and voice acting. So far she has 2 stand-alone episodes, one about a girl trapped in Target and another one about the history of Horchata. One of the other ways Claire expresses her creativity is by keeping a bullet journal. She says it allows for some flexibility in planning while also acting as a form of creative self-care. One of the cool things Claire was able to notice is how her style of journaling evolved throughout the years.

As for advice for our readers on developing their style, Claire recommends to experiment and seek inspiration from the world around them. Yet the key is to accept that our style “will change and that’s ok. You change, the world changes.” According to her, “Finding your style is more of a philosophy and a lifestyle.” She also plays Minecraft, which is her personal art form and a form of relaxation. She explains the significance of it: “I’ve tricked myself into thinking that all of my art forms have to be either performed or monetized or given to someone or in some way advancing me. Minecraft [on the other hand] is just for me.” Her last tip is to have something just for you to do, just for yourself. Claire is a true artist in so many different ways all thanks to the beautiful environment she grew up in. So like Claire, herself would end this “… and yeah!”