Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Schembri.
Hi Charlotte, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
It probably sounds cliche to say, but I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Toronto, and as a kid, I was always drawing, painting, or participating in crafts. Art was my favorite subject in school, and I was constantly told by my classmates that I had really good drawings. Those compliments helped me strive to become better at drawing and to always push myself. Drawing homes was my favorite. I always wanted to be an architect and design homes, but I soon realized that it took more math than it did design. Math was not my strong suit. As I’ve gotten older, I was able to take more art classes in school, build my skills and learn all about the history of art. By the time I reached my junior year of high school, I knew immediately that art school was my path into college. Throughout my college career, I learned how to make work using many different mediums, including drawing, painting, photography, and print-making. I also developed my voice as an artist through writing artist statements and speaking about my work during critiques with my classmates and professors. I use everything I’ve learned at the University of Texas with my work and my clients. My family and friends ask me to do commission pieces now, which helps me build my referral base. Today, I mainly focus on painting and photography and am always working on a new project that will hopefully be displayed in a gallery space one day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building your own name and brand is never an easy process. Today as an artist, social media is as important as ever to help build your business. That’s why throughout going to college at the University of Texas at Austin, I had a part-time job working at Realty Austin as a marketing coordinator. While working there, I learned skills that could helped me build up @charlotteschembriart on Instagram and Facebook. Engaging with your followers is important, and it shows them that you care and that you are not stopping your practice. It also helps create leads that can turn into commissions and later on, referrals. Being an artist and creating work also makes you involved in the customer service world as well. I’ve had to deal with different clients with different needs and wants. I’ve also learned that the customer is always right, even when they are in the wrong. I always want to make sure that they are happy in the end because hopefully, they’ll want to work with me again, even if things didn’t go as planned.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve never stuck to one medium, in particular, so I call myself a multi-disciplinary artist, meaning I work in many different mediums. I absolutely love drawing portraits in charcoal, creating mixed media pieces with charcoal and watercolor, painting abstract patterns on canvas with acrylic, and taking black and white film photographs. Whatever I’m in the mood to work on, I choose one of those mediums. I’m proud of how far I’ve come as an artist and all of the different skills that I’ve gained over the years. I would have never seen myself making the work that I’m doing as a kid, and that’s pretty cool. What sets me apart from others is that I have a unique eye for patterns and contrast in my work. Even while creating work in different mediums, I find my unconscious mind always connecting my work through pattern and contrast (even if it’s subtle).
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Never give up on your dreams and never stop making work. Getting where you want to be isn’t easy, but that’s the challenge in life. Also, never through away your old artwork! You never know if it’ll interest you again in the future. I’ve always kept my old artwork and sketches, and am so happy I did. I am using some of those old ideas and concepts in new projects today.
Contact Info:
- Email: cschembri98@gmail.com
- Instagram: @charlotteschembriart
- Facebook: Art By Charlotte
