Clairo - Pretty Girl

Music Appreciation

I was introduced to Clairo by my daughter, who stumbled upon her music one evening. Clairo—whose real name is Claire Elizabeth Cottrill—quickly became a favorite in our house. Her lo-fi sound, paired with a distinct vulnerability, resonated with my daughter so much that she began creating and posting her own music and videos. It’s no surprise, considering Clairo’s own story: she began uploading music to the internet at just 13 years old, gradually building a following through raw, home-recorded content that felt both personal and relatable.

"Pretty Girl" was released on August 4, 2017, as part of Clairo’s debut EP, Diary 001. It was this track, in particular, that catapulted her into the public eye. Its understated charm and emotional honesty connected with a generation of listeners navigating identity, self-worth, and relationships. The viral success of the music video—which she filmed herself—marked a new chapter in DIY pop, establishing Clairo as a leading voice in the lo-fi, bedroom pop movement.

Musically, "Pretty Girl" is deceptively simple: a minimalistic beat with synth-driven textures and a steady rhythm that lets the lyrics breathe. The production is intentionally unpolished, giving the song a confessional quality. Lyrically, it explores themes of codependence and emotional compromise in relationships, with Clairo singing about changing herself to be the "pretty girl" someone wants. The stripped-down approach reinforces the emotional core of the track without overproducing or masking its sincerity.

The music video for "Pretty Girl" became iconic in its own right, shot using Photo Booth on Clairo’s MacBook. It features her sitting in her bedroom, lip-syncing and dancing in an awkward yet endearing fashion, wearing oversized glasses and a carefree attitude. This raw and unfiltered style made the video instantly relatable, helping it rack up millions of views. Sources include interviews with Pitchfork, NPR, and The Fader.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://pitchfork.com/artists/clairo/

https://www.npr.org/sections/world-cafe/2019/12/23/790265246/how-clairo-turned-a-viral-bedroom-video-into-a-successful-music-career

https://www.thefader.com/2017/10/19/clairo-pretty-girl-video-interview

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Mary Vaux Walcott

Art Appreciation

Mary Morris Vaux was born on July 31, 1860, in Philadelphia into a wealthy Quaker family. Her early years were shaped by both privilege and curiosity—traits that allowed her to travel frequently with her family to the Canadian Rockies. She received a watercolor paint set at age eight and took lessons for four years, developing her artistic skill. 

Following the death of her mother, she assumed caregiving responsibilities for her younger brothers but continued pursuing her passions for nature, art, and geology. Encouraged by her father, she developed a keen interest in sketching alpine flora during their mountain excursions, a hobby that eventually defined her life's work.

Walcott became known as a field artist whose scientific precision and artistic talent blended seamlessly. In 1914, she married Charles Doolittle Walcott, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, which further immersed her in scientific circles. Her contributions became particularly significant when the Smithsonian published a five-volume work titled North American Wild Flowers between 1925 and 1929, featuring over 400 of her watercolor illustrations. She traveled extensively to document flowers in their natural habitat, always prioritizing accuracy in form, color, and detail—qualities that made her work valuable not only to artists but also to botanists.

Her artistic style was meticulous and restrained, focusing on realistic depictions rather than abstract interpretations. Using watercolor, graphite, and occasionally gouache, Walcott captured the subtle beauty of native flora with a clarity that rivaled botanical photography. Walcott’s artwork is praised for its scientific precision and lifelike detail: she painted wildflowers in the field—sometimes for up to 17 hours—to capture exact hues and forms in situ, then completed refined versions at camp. 

Among her better-known works are Cypripedium montanum (Mountain Lady's Slipper) and Aquilegia coerulea (Rocky Mountain Columbine), which remain celebrated for their lifelike detail and gentle coloration. Today, Walcott’s legacy lives on through her published works and collections housed at the Smithsonian, where her dedication to both art and science continues to inspire.

Mountain Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium montanum), 1923

American Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), 1925

Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), 1925

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-Morris-Vaux-Walcott

https://lithub.com/the-trailblazing-illustrator-and-mountaineer-who-explored-the-wild-north/

https://americanart.si.edu/artist/mary-vaux-walcott-5197

https://paconservationheritage.org/stories/mary-vaux-walcott/

https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/education-opportunities/classic-outreach-resources/frank-morton-jones/jones-author-bios/mary-vaux-walcott/

https://siarchives.si.edu/blog/mary-vaux-walcott%E2%80%99s-wild-flowers

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/mountain-lady-s-slipper-cypripedium-montanum-mary-vaux-walcott-born-philadelphia-pa-1860-died-st-andrews-new-brunswick-canada-1940/1wGiqtbYdoHccw?hl=en

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Source:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLSHphIMf0h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==