Following Unexpected Creative Pathways through Abstraction in the Detour Series

Charlotte Wensley
Jul 1, 2021
4 min read

Abstract painting with organic shapes and patterns in green, yellow, and blue. Features grid lines and a serene, whimsical mood.

This body of work evolved from a series of process-driven sketches on paper using a limited colour palette, creating a visual dialogue between positive and negative space within each piece.

This series was intended as a brief exploratory journey, away from working on large canvas panels and on a more intimate scale through which I could move quickly capturing many ideas and compositional designs in a relatively short space of time.

These works were driven by a desire to explore process with an emphasis on shapes on and forms, recognising them and and gently guiding them into being as I worked; whilst reflecting on, and capturing something of the essence of a formative emotional experience arising from previously 'inhabited' places.

Drawing on fragments of memory and historic connections to places of personal significance, the creation of this work was guided by contemporary perspectives of memorable lived experiences.

There are 9 paintings in this collection.

| Confined

Confined explores the tension between movement and stillness — the feeling of being held in place, whether by circumstance, emotion, or environment. The suspended pod shapes in the composition evoke vessel like forms with delicate boundaries. Through layered texture and a restrained palette, the painting invites you to journey into a landscape where space is held for emotional encounters.

Mixed Media on Paper

29cm x 42cm

Abstract painting with blue, green, and yellow organic shapes on a white background. The design features intricate patterns and textures.

Framed abstract painting with green and blue shapes on white wall above a wooden table. Vase with flowers on the table, cushions on bench.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| Distant

This piece captures the quiet pull of something just out of reach — a place, a memory, or a moment that lingers beyond immediate grasp. Soft transitions of tone and space create a sense of separation and longing, suggesting both emotional and physical distance. The painting invites reflection on how perspective shifts with time, and how what feels far away can still hold a powerful presence within us.

Mixed Media on Paper

42cm x 29cm

Abstract painting with green and blue geometric shapes resembling trees and leaves. Soft, flowing patterns create a tranquil, natural scene.

Framed abstract art with green and blue patterns on a white wall above a modern sofa, lamp, and vase with eucalyptus. Minimalist decor.

| Falling

Falling embodies a moment of surrender, the sensation of letting go and moving into a new and previously uninhabited space. Layers of shifting colour and form evoke the blur between descent and release, uncertainty and freedom. The painting suggests that 'falling' is a precursor to transformation, where trust is needed in order to embrace the opportunity for change.

Mixed Media on Paper

42cm x 29cm

Abstract painting with blue, yellow, and green geometric shapes on a textured white background. Cracks and lines add dynamic movement.

Original - SOLD

| Loophole

Loophole reflects on the small openings we find in moments of constraint — the quiet instinct to slip through boundaries, both real and imagined. The work speaks to the human urge to adapt, to find space where there seems to be none. Its abstract forms suggest movement and resistance, revealing how even when surrounded by limitations, we search for possibility and for a way to continue becoming.

Mixed Media on Paper

42cm x 29cm

Abstract painting with green, blue, and white organic shapes overlapping. Textures and patterns create a dynamic, serene mood.

Framed abstract painting with green and blue shapes on grey wall. Wooden table with white lanterns below. Warm, modern room with vase.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| Presence

Presence explores the quiet intensity of simply being and the weight and stillness of it. Through layered abstraction, this piece captures the subtle pulse of awareness, where form and feeling meet and reflects on how presence is less about physically occupying space and more about sensing our presence within that space.

Mixed Media on Paper

42cm x 29cm

Abstract painting with blue, green, and yellow shapes overlapping on a textured background. It features blocks, circles, and flowing lines.

Cozy living room with a sofa, abstract art on wall, rustic coffee table with chess set, cups, and books. Soft, neutral colors dominate.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| Tempest

Tempest captures the turbulence of inner and outer worlds colliding — a surge of emotion, memory, and movement. Swirling gestures and shifting tones evoke the chaos and beauty of transformation, where instability becomes a catalyst for change. The painting reflects the human experience of weathering these emotional storms and finding a renewed sense of clarity and strength after they have passed.

Mixed Media on Paper

42cm x 29cm

Abstract painting with green and blue geometric shapes on a textured background. Circular and rectangular patterns create a dynamic flow.

Abstract painting with green and blue tones on a white wall above a bench with striped pillows. Basket and plant beside. Calm, modern setting.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| Tethered

Tethered reflects on the delicate balance between connection and constraint — the unseen threads that bind us to people, places, and moments in time. Its abstract forms suggest both tension and tenderness, revealing how attachment can ground us even as it holds us back. The painting speaks to the human desire for belonging while acknowledging the quiet pull toward freedom.

Mixed Media on Paper

42cm x 29cm

Abstract painting with geometric shapes in blue, yellow, and green on a textured background. Circles and lines create a rhythmic pattern.

Abstract painting with blue, green, and yellow shapes hangs in a modern living room with white sofas, wood table, and dried plant decor.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| The Last Stop

The Last Stop evokes the quiet gravity of endings and transitions — moments suspended between what has been and what comes next. Its abstract forms and suggestions of landscape evoke the subtle tension of departure, capturing the human experience of closure and anticipation. This painting invites contemplation of journeys, both literal and emotional, where every ending holds the seed of a beginning.

Mixed Media on Paper

29cm x 42cm

Abstract painting with green, blue, and yellow shapes interwoven. Curved lines and patchwork patterns create a vibrant, dynamic composition.

Original - SOLD

Prints available on request - see below.

| The Marsh

The Marsh immerses the viewer in a landscape of both stillness and subtle motion, where water, earth, and sky blur through abstract forms. The painting reflects the human experience of quiet observation — a sense of being present amid shifting, unpredictable terrain. It evokes the tension between vulnerability and calm, and the way we navigate emotional environments that are delicate and fluid.

Mixed Media on Paper

42cm x 29cm