Women in Art 278 Magazine December 2013 | Page 14

facebook website google+ twitter tumblr english artist Charlotte Farhan abstract/naïve Charlotte Farhan has always been artistic and spent her childhood being encouraged to pursue her artistic nature, with dual nationality between France and Britain and growing up between Paris and within an hour of London. Charlotte was taken to art galleries and exhibitions from an early age by her French Grandmother and Mother. Art, philosophy, literature, music and fashion were passions within the family and promoted with great importance. - expressionism & Psychology degree. For Charlotte receiving art therapy taught her more about art than any lesson or teacher. “Art is fluid and creates energy which can be felt, art is not only visual”. Elitism and ego are negativities Charlotte avoids in the art world. Art found Charlotte once again in 2010 when she had suffered ill health and she began to create and build a portfolio to approach on line galleries. After being accepted by a few galleries the creation and learning began. Charlotte taught herself how to share and promote her work through social media and by 2011 she exhibited two paintings in “The Summer Show” at The Art House in Southampton. In 2012 she had gained a large following and lots of interest in her work. Charlotte’s education in art started early at her Montessori nursery school. Pursuing art all the way to college but found the constraints of being “taught art” limiting and turned to more academic subjects such as philosophy and psychology whilst learning photography. Returning to education in 2006 Charlotte did a diploma in fine art (painting At the beginning of 2013 Charlotte achieved and drawing) and is currently studying Art History for extra credits towards her Ba (Hons) Philosophy 30,000 likes on her artist page on Facebook and has sold work internationally. This year has also seen Charlotte gain an art residency at Art Saves Lives, a London not for profit organisation and was recruited after her candid portrayal of her battle with mental illness in The Portsmouth News and popular art blog, on how art helps her lead a more stable life. Charlotte also has had two solo exhibitions the first in May at The Art House in Southampton called “Silver Linings (emotions in colour)” and it was comprised of fifteen paintings. Then in July Charlotte had her first solo London exhibition at NSH Arts in Mile End.