I discovered a love of creating art whilst at school, but it is only in the last three or four years that it has gone from being an occasional hobby to something that occupies most of my free time.

Paintings in oil and watercolour form the majority of my work, though I also work in acrylic, pencil and pastel depending on the subject and the result I hope to achieve. I love working in oil due to its capacity for blending colour - Georgia O’Keeffe’s floral paintings are a huge inspiration to me and I admire the way she used and blended colour so beautifully. I use oil for many of my floral paintings, but in the last year or two have started to paint more flowers in watercolour as I find the level of detail that can be achieved, and the process required to do so, an irresistible challenge.

I paint a variety of subjects, things I find interesting or beautiful, including landscapes, wildlife and portraits. By varying the subject and medium I hope to broaden my experience as an artist. I constantly aim to improve upon my work and learn new skills. 

I tend to look upon a painting as a puzzle to be solved, a problem to which I need to find a solution. Sometimes the puzzle is easily solved, everything coming together in a logical sequence; sometimes the solution is only found after hours or days of trial and error; sometimes the puzzle defeats me and it’s better just to start again. However difficult the puzzle is, I love the process of creating a painting and even the ones that end up painted over or thrown in the bin have a value as I learn something from each of them, even if it’s just something as simple as not to rush! 

I live and work in the Derbyshire Peak District with my two dogs, Coco and Lola. I design bespoke kitchens and furniture for a living, and paint in my spare time.

Charlotte Ambler is a self-taught artist who lives and works in the Derbyshire Peak District. She paints predominantly in oil and watercolour, with the desire to capture a true likeness of the subject a consistent theme throughout her work. Charlotte continually strives to learn and develop her skills as an artist by painting a variety of subjects, but flowers are what she returns to the most. Her floral artworks range from detailed botanical watercolours to oil paintings in which the influence of Georgia O’Keeffe, Charlotte’s favourite artist, is clear. Charlotte’s work has been purchased by private collectors in Europe, the USA, and Australia. Her ‘Poinsettia Leaf’ watercolour painting was selected for the Society of Botanical Artists ‘Plantae’ 2020 open exhibition.