Studio Diary - April 2022

Charlotte Wensley
Apr 11, 2022
4 min read

Updated: May 27

As the season is changing, so are things in the studio, with my latest body of work nearing completion. It will soon be time to plant the seeds of some new ideas. It must be all the rain....

...ideas are sprouting and we're planting seeds!

Watching my husband potter in his veggie patch and seeing him wait for just the right moment to plant seeds, collected and saved from last years' harvest, so that they have the best possible chance to thrive, has got me thinking. He's patiently waiting for the right time to do it, cultivating the soil and nourishing the ground into which the seeds will go. And when he's done, he'll wait some more, tending and nurturing and giving his plants just what they need to help them reach their potential, whether that's as a cauliflower or a carrot!

I see many correlations between his work in the garden with my work in the studio.

My ideas are just like seeds. That's how my investigations and lines of inquiry begin, tiny little specks of thought that could easily blow away or get overgrown by others that are stronger or more determined. When I can, I save these seeds in my sketchbook. I set them aside knowing that the time is not yet right to give them growing room.

In the meantime, I prepare the ground to make sure that each seed of an idea can be planted in fertile soil. I might research a new process or technique, or explore visual stories in my sketchbook, spend some time working in clay, doing loose preparatory pieces or writing notes and articulating thoughts.

I also take time to clear away the weeds!

Before I begin a new series of work I tidy the studio, put materials and tools away and remove the chaos and clutter of the past few weeks or months of work.

And when the time is right, I plant the seed and commit to nurturing it and supporting it with whatever it seems to need, whether that's more sketching, new techniques, process experiments, reading, research or writing.

And then the growing process really begins, the seed sprouts, it takes root and grows, developing purposefully into something bigger and stronger.

And all the while I am observing it closely, being aware of what each seedling idea needs to help it grow stronger.

As Jim watches out for weeds and applies nourishing organic tonics to his garden, I do the same in the studio, looking out for distractions, removing them, and keeping an eye on what else I think I might need to learn that will help me support this new growth.

And weeks or sometimes months later, the tiny seed reaches it's potential, becomes fully formed and bears fruit, resulting in a new body of work, that has been grown in a supportive climate of awareness, mindfulness, nurturing and commitment.

This month brought an invitation for me and fellow local artist and friend Dale Leach to bring a print and collage workshop to the Tinbeerwah Art Group. Two morning sessions and hundreds of prints later I think we all agreed that we'd had a blast exploring, experimenting, sharing and creating!

The energy in the room for trying a new process and thinking outside the box was just wonderful to be part of. It was truly inspiring to see so many artists embrace the challenge with a have-a-go mindset and a keenness to learn.

Thank you TAG for having me, hopefully I'll be back later in the year with a new workshop for you all!

I've been busy in the studio too with my current series,

I think I'm nearly there.....

Two finished, three to go! I now have another 2 diptychs just waiting for those finishing touches and the final artwork in this series is now underway. I put them all up together in the studio this week and I love how they are coming together as a body of work. Each panel is so unique but they are all intrinsically linked by the process I've used to create them. I'm hoping that in next months newsletter I'll be ready to share this new series with you - nothing like giving yourself a deadline to urge you on to the finishing line......and then I'll be turning my attention to my 'seed' book!