
We’re thrilled to introduce Charlotte Sprague, our latest artist-in-residence at Quest Art School + Gallery’s Art Is Love space!
A lifelong creative with a passion for colour, Charlotte’s current series, SUSTENANCE, explores themes of food insecurity. During her residency, she will be creating acrylic paintings that raise awareness of food insecurity in the Simcoe Muskoka region, with partial proceeds benefiting a local food network.
Charlotte aims to engage the community through partnerships, food donations, and social media content, all while pushing her artistic practice to new heights.
To learn more about Charlotte’s journey and her plans during this residency, read the full interview below!
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background in the arts.
My love of colour is a key driver in my artwork.
A lifelong creative with a background in Sales & Marketing, I’ve been able to delve into a full-time art practice since retirement. Along the way, I’ve earned further Arts education from other talented creatives and Georgian College, and enjoy membership in a number of Arts organizations.
Participation in association and juried art exhibitions and commissions is an important part of my practice, and I feel fortunate to have the support of patrons across Canada.
What specific project or body of work do you plan to focus on during your Art is Love residency?
I will be using my residency days to further my SUSTENANCE series of still-life and food-related works.
Are there any particular themes or concepts you're interested in exploring during your time here?
SUSTENANCE will serve as a call out to Food Insecurity, particularly in the Simcoe Muskoka region (which is higher than the provincial average!). Partial proceeds from the sale of my residency works will be donated to a local organization that addresses Food Insecurity.
What materials or techniques do you plan to experiment with or incorporate into your work during the residency?
My work during the residency will focus on acrylic painting in a variety of sizes and a wide array of colours, playing with colour theory and some abstractions.
How do you envision your work evolving or changing as a result of this residency experience?
I anticipate that I will work beyond singular images to more complex compositions - ideas that I have been mulling over for some time.
How do you hope to engage with the local community or other artists during your time here?
My intention is to partner with a local food network to call out the issue of food insecurity locally and to support that organization’s efforts through food donations and a portion of sales from the residency. I will create and post social media content weekly to support these initiatives.
What advice would you give to other artists considering applying for a residency program like this one?
Start early!!!! Once you consider the concept and parties involved, it takes time to think it through and put it all together.
How do you see this residency contributing to your long-term artistic goals or aspirations?
I see this residency as a stepping stone in my practice in terms of community connections, planning and launching a solo show, gleaning feedback from the public, and possibly further residencies!
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