MEET THE ARTIST

ARTIST STATEMENT

My art reflects the natural world, celebrating nature, energy and shifting light within florals and changing seasons. I believe flowers have the ability to transcend barriers of language, politics and culture. They symbolize love, femininity, friendship, gentleness and strength, memories and moments of nostalgia, birth and death, connecting people across generations.  

Working mainly in oils (loving the versatility and richness this medium offers), I explore grace and form within elegant lines, careful brushworks and occasional sweeps of the palette knife - revealing details and then replacing them with calm, strong colour, muted tones and softer glazes. Although my primary approach is Indirect, I enjoy working with wet paint to create movement and softness throughout, often working in sections, returning later to add detail, highlights, depth and soft glazes to further enhance and soften the painting.

When I paint it’s a very tactile experience, using a diverse array of tools, from old and new brushes, to my fingers, sponges and the occasional palette knife. I enjoy the flexibility of blending on canvas and the energy this brings to each piece. I believe creating art in this way adds awareness and momentum to my art, keeping me present while creating.

The common thread across my latest paintings is an expressive power and sense of three-dimensionality formed by the out-of-focus, bokeh backgrounds.  The natural separation within these settings together with the feeling of depth, brings both atmosphere and prominence to my subject’s. Colour, rhythm and use of space on the canvas is universal across all my compositions.

Charmaine Boyle (b: 1976)

My inspiration comes from memory and nostalgia, painting the beauty and fragility of the natural world. I work mainly in oils, experimenting with the flexibility and luxury of colour this medium has to offer.

At first my focus was to paint animals and wildlife, inspired by my life in Africa. Recently this has shifted as I explore light, colour and bokeh effects within my latest floral artworks - captivated by their delicacy and tranquillity, bringing this into the home in serene impactful artworks.

The constant promise of a blank canvas with perpetual possibilities keeps luring me into creating new pieces, continually learning, experimenting and advancing my skills. Whilst I never stopped painting and drawing from my earliest years, my two-decade long career in the marketing industry hibernated the dream of painting full-time, which recently became a reality. As a self-taught artist, ‘loving what I do and doing what I love’ has given me the opportunity, and time, to develop and explore this wonderful creative journey.

Originally from Zimbabwe, I lived most of my life in South Africa and am currently based in Scotland. The beauty of these different places has nurtured my senses and continually forms part of the inspiration I draw from.

I sell my work directly, exhibit locally and have supported vital conservation projects through the sale of my artwork where possible.

EXHIBITIONS:

  • David Shephard Wildlife Foundation - Finalist - 2024 (Mall Galleries, London)

  • Association of Animal Artists - Autumn Exhibition 2023 (The Station, Richmond, North Yorkshire - Supporting the ‘The Big Cat Sanctuary’)

  • Mayne Gallery Devon - Postcards for Nature Ex

  • hibition (Supporting ‘Devon Environmental Foundation’)

  • SSA 130 Years Annual Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (Society of Scottish Artists)

  • Africa Wildlife Art - AfricaWildlifeArt.com (Invicta Wildlife Fund)

CONSERVATION PROJECTS / NON-PROFITS:

Invicta Wildlife Fund - www.africawildlifeart.com
Kalahari African Wild Dog Conservation Project
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
The Big Cat Sanctuary
Devon Environmental Foundation