A RISK WORTH TAKING

ALISON PORTER AND KEVIN YOUNGMAN (AKA DIRECTORS)

Charlotte Cornish, a name synonymous with vibrant hues and bold semi abstract landscapes, a true artist who paints with the heart of a lioness and the precision of a surgeon. Born in Zambia in 1967, Charlotte graduated from the Slade School Of Fine Art in 1992. In 2024, she was elected to The Royal Society of Painter Printmakers. We embark on this retrospective of thirty years to celebrate her remarkable journey.

Here discover the passion in her early prints, her confident approach to printmaking, and the innovations of her latest paintings. We explore her artistic growth and her willingness to take risks, adapting her direction according to outside influences. Charlotte took a leap of faith thirty years ago, turning down a  lecturing position at De Montford University to pursue her career as a professional artist.

Charlotte was heavily influenced by her art college tutors, John Hoyland and Albert Irvin, who were part of the New British abstract movement that developed in the 1950s. Both artists inspired and mentored young Charlotte, their teachings becoming the springboard for Charlotte's transition to abstraction and the experimentation of printmaking to painting. Her work today is alive with remnants of their teachings.

Charlotte’s paintings, unlike most abstract paintings that are still and static, are celebrations of physical energy and life, thoughtful and reflective - like images of the mind. She developed techniques from gestural action painting to produce dynamic energy. At first glance, her work may look messy, yet over months of thought and expert practice pass to create a Charlotte painting: vibrant hues poured across the canvas, a sideways tilt to make the paint drip down in parallel lines, then a flick at the canvas to create a splatter. She might do this multiple times in different directions, the drips going in contrasting ways on the canvas. Her thoughts are ever conscious of the intensity and culmination of the work itself. The result is like the many layers of experiences and memories that we all have in our own  lives. 

We were first captivated by her work twenty-seven years ago at her debut 1997 solo painting exhibition at Cambridge Contemporary Art. Instantly drawn to the mesmerising energy on display, the young graduate caught our attention with paintings inspired by a recent trip to Macau China. Charlotte’s love of using bright, iridescent colours - yellows, greens, reds and blues - originate from her love of nature and travel. From the exotic bazaars of Morocco, the greenery of tropical Mexico to the tranquillity of Grasmere in the English Lake District, she draws inspiration from places with vibrant atmospheres. 

Landing is a testament to Charlotte's artistic evolution; to be carried away in a whirlwind of colour, depth and emotion. Let Charlotte's art ignite your imagination and challenge your perceptions. It's an invitation to immerse yourselves in the world of a truly exceptional artist. Remember, art isn't just something you look at; it's something you experience. You are not alone in your appreciation of her paintings which are in the collections of the prestigious halls of University of Cambridge,  Bank of England, Fitzwilliam Museum,  Ashmolean, Aldi and John Lewis as well as many private collectors. Her work resonates with diverse audiences having universal appeal .

Charlotte's artistic flame burns brighter than ever. 

       -  Ali and Kevin

Landing - A Retrospective, First Thirty Years