focus slowly, as then Cleary would layer the graphite with the aid of tissues and blending stumps. Cleary created her images from multiple photos, taken from different angles, a habit she developed during college when models weren't readily available. This is partly why she is identified as a photorealist. This process was a challenge for Cleary, as there was no precedent or guide to help her with her style. There was a lot of trial and error to figure out not only what erasers worked best, but also how much stress the paper could take. Cleary developed this style out of fear of white paper; she also found it easier to cover a mistake by working this way, as it was easier to add more graphite instead of erasing a line. By working in this reductive fashion, Cleary created an image that was original and unique. Without the harsh pencil lines, her drawings had a softness and ethereal quality. While her work is considered photorealism, it stands out from other artists of the time. Cleary's mastery of drawing flowed over into other mediums as well, such as pastels. Cleary was also known as a painter. Cleary was drawn to the wide range of colors that were available in painting compared to the rather limited number of colors available in pastels. Her painting style has been described as "not painterly." This is because Cleary tries to hide her brush strokes and remove any evidence of her technique. Themes and subjects Cleary was best known for her nude figure drawings and her most common subject was herself. Cleary was considered by many to be the best figure painter in Washington, D.C. and maybe in the country. Early in her career Cleary painted idealized images of her subjects, including herself. Cleary acknowledged in her mid-thirties that she had not accepted her aging and was removing blemishes from her paintings. Cleary explained that she doesn't "paint the grotesque" and that is why she paints the ideal. If nudes were Cleary's most common subject, her most beloved subject would be rats. Cleary was given a rat as a gift in the 1970s and from that point on they became a recurring subject for her (she would also keep rats as pets for the rest of her life). The rats were often drawn in pastels, and Cleary had truly mastered their likeness. In one memorable piece