“With Nourish in mind and in isolation in Sydney, I found what I could to paint and then could eat afterwards. It limited the outings. I took existing paintings and re-looked. I was already ‘spare’, I became sparer. It really is the simple things that matter and bring joy. My mother would say ‘ when things get tough, love the weeds. Look at that beautiful convolvulus over the fence !”

“To nourish isn’t just about taste and eating …it’s about nourishing our other senses. To take pleasure in the visual and soul food …if you will. Even in the good times I’ve got a Depression mentality!”

Charlotte likes cabbages.

“They are both simple and complex. Painting them involves layering their leaves to the light, all while the cabbage itself is decaying on duty. When I need to see an analyst, I paint a cabbage instead…then I’m right.”

Charlotte has been painting and exhibiting for 40 years. She exhibits in Australia, New Zealand and Chateau de Villandry in France. She teaches still life painting at Sydney Botanic Gardens and Sturt school in Mittagong NSW. Initially the ‘Still Life’ genre in early Dutch paintings was to show plenty in times of scarcity.

“Nowadays I want to show simplicity in times of plenty. It’s the shaft of morning light on over ripe plums on a kitchen bench!”

“Charlotte runs with the seasons, capturing an array of fruit and vegetables in all its luscious glory. “I start trying to keep things simple and drown in complexity and pattern… looking for the life. So ‘still life’ is not so still. It captures a moment in time…the seed, the glory moment and the blemishes…before decay.”

Nourish until November 1. To see the full listing click here

images by Carli Wilson Photography