Lulu Sherman: Charcoal's Minimalist Magic

I find myself frequently dreaming of alternate artistic paths—oil painting, sculpture, large-scale installations. I live in this super minimalist charcoal world but I'm drawn to the tactile richness of paint, the malleable nature of clay, the bustling energy of a studio filled with diverse materials and tools. It’s a classic ‘grass is greener’ situation.

However, when I acknowledge the inherent strengths of my chosen medium, I'm reminded of its elegant simplicity. My work requires only a few charcoal pencils, an eraser, blending stumps, and a brush. This simplicity grants me unparalleled flexibility; my entire living space becomes a studio. I can just wander from room to room, outside to inside, wherever the inspiration takes me. That kind of freedom is  easy to forget when you're busy wishing for something else. But when I remember how amazing charcoal is, how it lets me just be creative anywhere, anytime... it feels like a real gift.