While born in Lourenço Marques (Maputo), Mozambique, in 1973, Clara Martins was based from an early age in Sydney, Australia, where she studied Fine Arts at the College of Fine Arts of the University of New South Wales. Here she also completed a Master's in Art and a specialization in Graphic Art at the Sydney Graphics College.

She began her career as a fine artist in the early 1990's in a number of prestigious Australian galleries. In 1997, she moved to Portugal, holding her first solo exhibition in 2001.

She won important awards, such as: “Altshuler Painting Prize from the College of Fine Arts at the University of New South Wales, Australia; “Honorable Mention” in the Ambientart Leiria Competition and the “Portuguese Community Award in Australia 2002”, instituted by the General Consulate of Portugal in Sydney.