Accompanied by a warm cup of tea, gingerbread cookies, sketchbooks, and a large, furry cat that occasionally listens to the name Bailey, we sit down with Charlotte on a warm autumn day. She talks about working with Wolvis, her biggest inspirations and why, in a parallel universe, she would have loved to become a musician.
Interview by Chiara Veschueren • Images by Charlotte Peys
Which three words would you use to describe your own practice?
The first word I would choose is 'organic'. I find it important that a drawing comes about in an organic way. Someone recently called my work 'playful', which I also find fitting. Lastly, I find 'wonder' important. I never know in advance what something will look like in its final version. It emerges. This transforms me from a creator to a spectator, putting me in a constant state of wonder.
Have you always felt like an illustrator?
For a long time, I didn't feel like a real illustrator because I never carried a sketchbook with me. It seems to be the ultimate proof of being an illustrator to the outside world. As if those two always go hand in hand. Three years ago, I started keeping small sketchbooks. These notebooks are a reflection of my work in its most sincere form. I try not to judge what I write or draw in these sketchbooks.
Just as I am daring to take more and more freedom to do what I want to do, I find that the word illustrator no longer covers the load. I think it will always be a search for my own space, my own field of drawing.
Does that make you feel more like an artist?
I also find that word difficult. I think if I looked at my work from a distance, I would call myself an artist. But inherently, I don't feel like an artist. I don't feel at home in that world and the processes that go with it, but at the same time, I realize that my view of it is too one-sided.
What significance does language have in your work?
Language and drawing are very intertwined. It's as if my head and hand don't distinguish between them. Especially in my sketchbooks, which I always carry with me, words play a big role. They reflect thoughts and ideas. In the final work, the focus is often more on the image, but who knows, maybe that will shift.
Language is drawing and drawing is language.
What do you think of the phrase 'a picture says more than a thousand words'
Because that sentence has been said so often, it seems to have lost its meaning. Don't you think? I somewhat agree because to read a sentence, you need a specific language. An image isn't tied to a language but to a cultural context.
Who or what inspires you?
With this kind of question, there is always one name I definitely want to mention: Joke van Leeuwen. She writes her own texts and illustrates them herself. ‘Wow that's a profession, I want to be able to do that too later,’ I thought as a child. I get my inspiration from various sources, such as art, photography and theatre. But also non-fiction or very day-to-day activities and conversations with people around me inspire me enormously.
I am often very touched by socially critical works. I find it important that a project has a link to society, but would not describe myself as an activist.
Do other interests or hobbies influence your work?
Nature has always played a big role in my work. I love being outdoors. That's why I enjoyed making illustrations for the Wolvis collection 'I’m in the woods, it’s silent here.'
My sketchbook turned into a forest filled with colors, words, and drawings.
I used to see drawing as a kind of end point. Now I try to be a bit less dependent on that result-oriented and consider drawing as a way of thinking, as part of a process and a way to relate to the world.
How did the collaboration with Wolvis come about?
It grew very organically. I went to pick up a scarf when Griet asked me to make an illustration on the window. When it became clear that the theme of the winter collection was forests and trees, she invited me for a brainstorming session. Very cozy, in the garden. There were no predetermined expectations from each other, but things became more concrete after a while.
I am extremely happy with the collaboration and with the beautiful scarves. My personal collection has grown so much that I can't give them all the attention they deserve.
To what extent do friends, family, or your partner influence your work?
I couldn't say to what extent, but that influence is definitely there! My partner is also an artist and is actually working on very different things than I am. Yet there is also overlap in the work we create. It's super interesting to be able to talk about that. Conversations with friends, family, or my partner clarify certain things.
In talking to other people, I always understand best what my own practice is exactly about. I don't really think about that otherwise.
Do you find it difficult to keep work and private life separate?
That doesn't work. But I really enjoy that. I could be much stricter about it, but I don't want to. Everything blends together, which also makes it often unclear and tiring. Sometimes it's difficult because there is no difference in time. Every part of the day seems the same in character. As if I could do any task at any time of the day. This is very nice, but it can also be stressful.
Does this 'not so structured' way of living influence your practice?
Yes! Just as my work and private life blend together, I see the same happening with the assignments I work on. They influence each other. Links are formed. That is actually very important to me. It gives me the feeling that there is a certain cohesion, that my work is close to me.
If you could snap your fingers and have a new skill, what would it be?
I would love to play an instrument and make music together in a group. I sometimes miss that shared creation in my practice. Standing on a stage appeals to me less. Doing a craft like woodworking, ceramics, or weaving also seems fantastic.
To conclude... What do you like most about your work?
Through what I do, I meet different people, places, and organizations. I find that great because I think it's very important to realize that there are many perspectives and realities. My work challenges me to seek that out. Drawing is almost a kind of disguise.
A reason to be or not be somewhere.
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