A Musselburgh artist has not looked back after giving up her job to pursue her love of art at the end of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Clare Bevis, 33, of Millhill, who draws inspiration from East Lothian and Edinburgh landscapes, has had her work exhibited at Harvey Nichols department store in Edinburgh and sold paintings at more than 50 markets last year.

Clare, a former pupil of Liberton High School in Edinburgh, and who studied for a masters degree in design at The Glasgow School of Art, said: “I’ve always loved art.

“I even have all my art books and school drawings from when I began school.

“I have a love for local architecture and the streets we walk every day but sometimes forget their beauty and detail, hence most of my pieces feature a building or street of some sort.

“So far I have drawn a lot of Musselburgh, Edinburgh and am beginning a full East Lothian range heading towards Dunbar.

“After art school, I worked in call centres, was a housekeeper and worked in fancy hotels as a waitress.

“My final job was for a beer company in Edinburgh, which I doubled up on selling my artwork too.

“I’d work 9am-5pm, then 6pm-midnight/1am on the artwork and organising events to attend.

“After one-and-a-half years, I decided to quit my job and go for it with my art full time.

“I was a bit exhausted doing both so chose art. That’s been the best decision I’ve ever made.

“I love to make meaningful work and create connections with people and the places they live through my art.

“Everyone loves the night scenes I create as they bring a calming and soothing feel to have up in your home and even better when you know the place too.”

Clare said: “I use pens to draw my illustrations, then create digital images and paint the work digitally. I’m also going to be creating some originals in the coming months, using gouache on canvas.

“I’d love to get a studio soon as, when I start painting again, I might just run out of room in my small flat.”

Using the business name Clarabunda, her most popular paintings are of Fisherrow Harbour and the Archie the Archer sculpture by the River Esk. She describes her art as “illustrations of Scotland with a modern twist”.

She explained that, so far, her work had been popular with local people who attend the monthly markets at Newhailes House.

She also sells paintings at shops in Musselburgh and Portobello.

She will attend markets including those at The Brand Family East Fortune Farm, Kilduff Farm, Haddington Festival fun day, North Berwick Highland Games, and Made in East Lothian at Tyninghame this summer.