Charlotte Harris, Paintings and Portraits; Still life on blue velvet
email Charlotte
 

Artist's Statement

 

My portraits are often of my family and friends. I enjoy painting those who I am close to and trying to bring out certain elements of their characters in the pictures. I am continually experimenting with composition, light and space in my portraits and like to explore how changing these elements can affect the atmosphere and mood of the painting. I hope that the people in my paintings come alive to those viewing them.

My still life paintings often include traditional subjects such as fruit, glassware and other small objects, but I like to place them in a carefully constructed and sometimes unusual way. The set-up might be symmetrical or there might be just one or two objects included, but at all times I aim to draw attention to and give a platform for the different qualities and the nature of the object.

Lighting is an important factor as it allows the surfaces and textures to be shown to their full potential, and adds interesting effects where it bounces off reflective surfaces and passes though transparent objects like glassware. I often include glass in the set-ups, from wine glasses to marbles, and enjoy depicting its mysterious refractive effects. I also find myself attracted to patterned fabric and rich silks. The patterns add depth and detail to the paintings and can create balance, especially in the more sparse compositions.

My most recent work features objects collected on a trip to Amsterdam where I had the opportunity to see many beautiful Dutch still life paintings. Latest themes also include compositions involving marbles and dominoes and studies of satin bundles.

Biography

Charlotte Harris was born in Ashford, Kent in 1981 and currently works from her studio in Folkestone. She studied at Leeds Metropolitan University, during which time she worked as a studio assistant for the artist Tom Wood, whose work is featured in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London. At the age of 21, she won the BP Portrait Award in 2003 with a painting of her grandmother and later that year graduated with a 1st class Honours degree in Fine Art.

Charlotte has exhibited throughout the UK and in London including at the Hunting Art Prize, Royal College of Arts; The Hart Gallery, Islington; Affordable Art Fair, Battersea and A-Gallery, Wimbledon.

Charlotte's painting of Dame Vivien Duffield was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to form part of their primary collection. Further notable commissions include portraits of the Rt. Rev. Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford and Sir Peter Jonas, the Staatsintendant of the Bavarian State Opera. Charlotte's recent commissions include Lord David Rowe-Beddoe and Brenda Billington, President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.