Fiona Charalambous

"Untitled"
Watercolour
6 x 4" and 8 x 11"

After nearly two decades working in forensics, I started painting during my coffee breaks as an escape from witnessing first-hand the grittiness of crime scenes.  Painting in coffee shops reminds me that there is beauty to be found everywhere, I capture everyday hustle and bustle, my favourite being flowers in the world of chaos. Cities are my source of inspiration, my favourite cities include NYC, Paris and London.
 

1) The postcard features flowers, tap water and a coffee inspired Project Waterfall and their mission to provide clean water in coffee communities and third world countries. The piece captures my prospective at the Boot Cafe over the summer, featuring flowers, my favourite item that I love to paint. It also hints at my love for travelling to new cities and unearthing different cultures and capturing both the pretty and gritty elements of a city.
 

2) The second piece was penned after I examined a crime scene, and I went to a coffee shop and gathered my thoughts after witnessing something horrific. In my moment of reflection, I painted my small table at E5 Bakery, a place of calm and serenity in the simple pleasure of having a coffee. This allowed me to escape such a dark episode on that day. I noted down some initial thoughts that I had and this can be seen in the piece. 

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50% of the sale of this artwork supported Project Waterfall