Hollie in Greece, oil on canvas, 56 × 51 cm, 2025.

Hollie in Greece, oil on canvas, 56 × 51 cm, 2025.

Charlie Elke enjoys bold colours and raw, unfinished painting techniques. The segmented blocks of colour in the background dissect the trio of main colour groups in the palate of the painted figure, whilst laying down a basic idea of a scene behind. The direct portaguese sunshine casts a dynamic light and shadow onto the child. Her pose has the integrity and inelegance of a small child and ties together the overall nostalgia of the painting for a simpler time. The long, hot summers of the early 2000s.