Claire Yaniv, born in Basra, Iraq, immigrated to Palestine in 1928. She studied painting at HaGymnasia Halvrit under Israel Paldi (1892–1979) and Haim Gliksberg (1904–1970), focusing on drawing with Jakob Steinhardt (1887–1968). After graduating, she taught painting at Kibbutz Ginegar (1944–1946) and in 1946 joined The Studia Art School (later Avni Institute of Art and Design), led by Yehezkel Streichman (1906–1993) and Avigdor Stimatsky (1908–1989). There she also studied sculpture with Moshe Sternschuss (1903–1992). In 1949, she joined the Israeli Art Association and later undertook a study tour in Paris in 1958. She taught painting at various institutions and, in 1973, graduated with a Bachelor of Art and Philosophy from Tel Aviv University. Inspired by European Modernism and the School of Paris, she expressed herself through abstract painting, landscapes, and portraits, showcasing vibrant colours and expressive brushwork.
C. Yaniv’s paintings explore the tension and constraints women face in conservative Iraqi-Jewish society, depicting their search for self-expression. The painting Interior with Mother and Child (1953) and the ceramic plate Mother and Daughter (late 1970s) show her interest in the mother-daughter relationship. Her works from the 1950s reflect her Eastern roots with vibrant and ornate styles. As a founding member of the Group of Ten (1951–1960), she participated in exhibitions focusing on the Israeli landscape and experience which challenged the modernist abstract art group New Horizons. One of her notable works, Girl (Anat Koon) (1955), exhibits decorative elements, rhythmic composition and a Fauvist colour palette inspired by local light and colour.

In the late 1950s, C. Yaniv transitioned to painting landscapes, inspired by her lifelong fascination with scenic views and birds’ perspective in flight. As a child, she would climb trees and hills, yearning for a bird’s-eye view of the city. She climbed Hahachlama Hill (now Keshet Street/Sharet Street) in Ramat Gan, meticulously capturing panoramic vistas. Her painting At the Foot of the Hill (Ramat Gan from Givat Hahachlama) (1953–1954) portrays the landscape as a unified whole, influenced by her admiration for Joseph Zaritsky’s (1881–1985) expansive panoramas, focusing on the overall composition rather than intricate details. In the 1960s, her works evolved into a more abstract style, featuring higher aerial views with minimal details and vibrant splashes of colour.

C. Yaniv was a member of the Aklim [Climate] Art Group (1973–1982), founded by Rachel Shavit (Bentwich) (1929–2022) and Eliyahu Gat (1919–1987), which emerged after the 1973 Yom Kippur War and emphasised Israel’s light, colour and landscape. In 1974, in response to the Ma’alot massacre, she relocated to Ma’alot and established painting groups. Later, in 1976, she moved to the Ein Hod Artist Village.

C. Yaniv’s desire for a bird’s-eye perspective is reflected in her incorporation of birds into her artwork. One example is her painting Birds Over Haifa Shore from the 1980s. Over time, her paintings evolved into a melodic chromatic style, emphasising movement and spatial expansion, capturing the sensation of flying above. In addition, she shifted her focus towards portraiture, mainly depicting family members and close friends.