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The Creative Day...
I am lucky enough to live on the South Devon coast with my partner, Joff, who owns his own blacksmithing company. Loving where I am and who I am with when I wake up in the morning gives me a positive start to every day! My first job after breakfast is to walk my dog along the estuary or down on the beach; this is a great time for thinking and planning, and helps me to focus on the day ahead. Later, I make phonecalls and do the boring administrative chores that we all have to put up with, then make my way to my studio which is on a farm 15 miles from my home. I then try to paint right through until around 6 in the evening, always in the company of either music or French radio to give myself an interesting and stimulating atmosphere. To prepare for the next day I generally try to clear up the mess I’ve made, which is usually quite considerable! When I get home, we tend to cook together and eat a relaxed late supper, or go out and meet up with friends. At some point during the day I try to find time for some Yoga which I find is a helpful way to relax and get in touch with yourself - both very important for my work. I am also passionate about my allotment and spend as much time as I can there taking care of my beloved vegetable garden!
The Creative Impulse...
I have always been something of a dreamer, and for me, painting is a way of exploring the depths of my own imagination. I am not concerned with reflecting reality, but rather with bringing the images and colours that live inside my mind to life on the canvas. My emotional desire to paint is often triggered by the ocean however. I am constantly transfixed by its flowing natural shapes and beautiful colours, and I hope I am able to recreate some of this liberating energy in my work. Another inspiration for me is the mythology that always seems to surround coastlines within the context of different cultures. I view these as stories created by the landscape, and similarly, I want my pictures to grow out of a combination of nature and imagination, and to inspire dreams in others.
The individuals and styles that have influenced me over the years are too many to mention, but a few examples are Max Ernst, the early fashion illustrations of Benitot (for their wonderful simplicity of line), the writings of William Blake and Iris Murdoch, the unfettered architecture of Gaudi, and the art and architecture of Ancient Egypt.
The Creative Process...
I have to confess that I am not very methodical in my work and generally have two paintings on the go at any one time. When I get excited about a particular piece however, I will work on it exclusively until it feels right, but if I try to force the creative process I find it impossible to achieve anything positive. I have always loved experimenting with all kinds of media, as I find this gives me the freedom to paint with genuine spontaneity. I enjoy using pastels as they offer such a range of intensities of colour and allow me to create the shimmering impression that is vital to my vision; I also often employ inks, gouache and oils, which allow me to blend colours in the precise way I choose; on occasion I will even mix my paints with some other substance to achieve a particular effect, and this allows me not only to have control over the image, but also over the texture which I believe is equally important to the finished composition.
Background...
Charlotte was born in the great naval city of Plymouth in 1973 and grew up with a natural fascination for the sea. After training to be an illustrator at the University of Derby and Hereford College of Art, her love of coastal life drew her to Scotland where she was invited to become Artist in Residence at a rural centre for the arts. Charlotte says: “The moment when I first knew I wanted to be a professional artist was when I was asked to produce some work for a refuge centre for women who had suffered domestic violence, and I created a series of pieces reflecting on acceptance and harmony. The whole experience of liaising with the refuge and seeing people's response to the finished images was immensely rewarding and inspiring, and proved to me that art really can make a difference.” Since becoming a professional artist Charlotte has showcased her work throughout the South of England and has enjoyed numerous successful exhibitions in London, York, Inverness, Galloway and Dallas, Texas. Following her success at the Fine Art Trade Guilds Awards in 2000, where she was awarded the prestigious title of 'Artist Exhibition Winner', her work attracted a great deal of attention leading to the publication of her first collection of Limited Editions, which sold out in a matter of weeks. Since then her reputation has gone from strength to strength, and her Original Paintings, Limited Edition Prints, Sculptures and Glassware have quickly achieved the status of collector’s items.
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