Charlie O'Sullivan

profile

Statement

I have always been inspired by the colour and texture of both landscapes and objects. As a child I drove my family to distraction with the contents of my pockets - collections found and used for spontaneous exhibitions at the dinner table or on my bedroom window sill. I still remain true to this tradition yet use paint to fuse both memories and experience, which are suspended within the painted layers. Continuing to hoard the unusual from old teapots to rusty keys, these all play a part as props in my work either borrowing their history or lending their form, a spark for my imagination. I have followed a fairly traditional path; degree, job, marriage, children, teaching, and post grad. At 41 its now time to move forward with my own work; to take risks, allow time for contemplation, be bold and to return making those window sill exhibitions that I got so much pleasure from as a child.

"I try to depict a specific experience with high texture, multilayers of paint and words hidden or reworked often by sanding and scratching as I drive to express the concept in my mind though always, as with life, expecting things to change along the way"

"Charlie O'Sullivan is one of the brightest new talents to emerge amongst South West artists. She has always been influenced by her northern upbringing and love of the sea. Now living in West Devon she is greatly inspired by windswept coves and moorland in Devon and Cornwall. Her work has become a fusion of images , stories and experiences, past and present. This can straddle a multitude of happenings such as walks, her children, music or poetry melded with a landscape or event.
Of late, emotion has become a strong factor as her work has settled into depicting stories generated by a specific moment in time.
This powerful set of paintings have been prepared for this, her first major show following rapid success at Steam Gallery and art fairs. Each painting is accompanied by key words embodying feelings and emotions Charlie has tried to express in each work.

Mike Lambert Marine and Steam Galleries Aug.2009


 

Biography

2010 NovemberSolo Show at Marine Gallery Beer
2010 SeptemberSolo show at the Duchy Centre
May 2010AAF Bristol with Marine and steam Gallery Beer Devon
May 2010Delamore Arts Summer Exhibition
2010 MarchAAF London 13 Works Sold
2006-2010Lecturer in fine art @ Cornwall college
September 2009Joint show with Martin Procter @Marine Gallery Beer
May 14/17th 2009AAF Bristol 8 Works
March 2009AAF Battersea London (10 works)
January 2009All you need is Love Delamore
2008Marine and Steam Galleries, Work Represented by
2007Delamore Annual Art Exhibition
2008Delamore Galleries Group exhibition
2007Leading Edge Gallery, Solo Exhibition Devon
2007Southampton, Harbour House, Open Exhibition Selection
2005Postgrad Plymouth Uni
Long Time Ago!Degree Bradford School of ART

Awards/ Commissions * Freelance Illustrator BBC and Channel 4 * Ivybridge Library Mural for children's reading room * Dame Hannah Rogers mural and sensory signs * Permanent display at both Exeter and Plymouth Hospitals * NSEAD Commission * Nat West Bank Travel Scholarship to Vienna * Nat West Bank Travel Scholarship to Barcelona Please feel free to join my  join my mailing list on the attached link.

Exhibition History

2010 NovemberMarine House at Beer solo
2010 OctoberDuchy Gallery Solo
2010 SeptemberMorley Gallery
2010 13th to 16th May 2010AAF Bristol (12 Works)
2010 March 10th - 14th MarchAAF Battersea, London (12 works)
2010 Jan -DecA selection of work available at Over the Moon gallery St agnes Cornwall
2010 Jan -DecA selection of work year round at the Jane Adams Gallery St Just Cornwall
2010 JanuaryMixed Show at the Duchy Centre Dartmoor
2009 19th Sept-2nd OctMarine Gallery Beer Devon Joint show Martin Proctor and Charlie O'Sullivan
2009 JuneOver The Moon Gallery St Just/St agnes
2009 Annual Summer ShowSummer mixed exhibition at Delamore
2009 May 14th-17thAAF Bristol 2009
2009 March 12 - 15AAF Battersea Park London (10 works)
2009 FebDelamore Galleries 'All You Need is Love'
2008 May to JuneDelamore Arts Cornwood Devon
2008 SeptemberDelamore Galleries Autumn Collection
2007Southampton Harbour Hse
2007Solo show at leading Edge Gallery
2006Exeter Royal Hospital NSEAD
2006Garden Mural and signage for Dame Hannah Rodgers School
2006South Hams Council Heritage trail