Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Bassin.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Charlotte. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up traveling the world. I was a daughter to immigrant parents who met in New York City – my dad literally came to the United States on a boat. I grew up on the island of Martha’s Vineyard and spent my summers in Europe visiting extended family.
After high school and before college, I took a year off to travel the world. During that year, I spent two months backpacking around Europe, one month living with a family in Mexico, and another month exploring East Africa. I studied art and design in college and spent two semesters abroad – in London and Italy. After college, I taught in India and even lived in Australia. I almost always traveled alone – equipped with my backpack, camera, sketchbook, and journal.
As serendipity would have it, I met my husband on a plane – he had recently returned from a trip around the world. Marrying him inspired me to settle down and start a career as a web and graphic designer. I realized that getting married and having kids meant I wouldn’t be able to travel like I once had, so I started creating world maps as a way of staying connected to the rest of the world.
That was 15 years ago. During that time, we had two daughters and I became quite successful in my career… but I never stopped making my world maps. It was a beautiful hobby – my creative outlet. Two years ago, I decided to quit my job and become a professional artist in order to share my art with the rest of the world.
Has it been a smooth road?
If I’m being completely honest… making a living selling art is not easy! It’s fun but it’s also a great challenge. I am grateful that I have a background in marketing and design because they both play a major role in getting your art out there for the world to see.
Selling art is a whole different story – I’ve had to make difficult decisions on whether I want to be represented by a gallery, do art festivals and fairs, get into art publishing or sell my work online. I hired an art career coach, Kathy Beekman of Art Coaching for You, who I meet with regularly, and her knowledge and experience are invaluable. I wouldn’t want to be on this journey without her. My advice to women just starting out is to remember that you are not alone – seek help, ask for advice and find your support system.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Wander + Wonder World Maps story. Tell us more about it.
I started making my maps because of my passion for world travel, but there is something much bigger driving me now. When I quit my job to pursue art, I had a strong feeling that the world needed my art – it needed a little more beauty and a message of kindness and of hope.
I believe there is goodness in all people, and our shared fundamental needs connects us all. There are our basic needs: food, water, shelter, a sense of security. And then, there is everything we all desire: love, acceptance, connectedness and freedom. These shared needs are what connects us as humans.
I also never include political boundaries in my maps, but that decision was not a conscious one. People started asking me if I would make maps of the United States or of specific countries or states. I would respond naturally with, “No, I don’t do that…” I realized then that the image of the world as a whole is incredibly important to me – it represents a sense of unity and oneness.
Although, I love painting, drawing, and collage, my favorite maps to create are those that use elements of nature. The organic shapes of flowers, rocks, sticks, sea glass, and foliage are beautiful within the shape of the continents. I love all the earthy texture and colors. While I work on these, they serve as a reminder of how we all need to take care of our planet in order to maintain its beauty. I hope viewers feel the same when they experience the finished product.
Ultimately, travel is what drove me to create these world maps, but it really is my love of humanity, nature, and art – the greater messages that I am trying to spread through my art that is now my driving force.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
Since pursuing being an artist full-time, I have found incredible support and encouragement, time and time again, from other women. I became a volunteer with Athena Project, a local organization that empowers women in the arts, which not only opened me up to artistic opportunities but exposed me to talented, creative, female artists in other disciplines.
I believe, the greatest opportunity out there right now for women is the idea of solidarity. We have a common struggle and we still have a lot of challenges facing us but as we come together we can, and will, prevail. We can be vulnerable together, we share our fears and cheer each other on without inhibition. We create space where we can be our authentic selves and in doing so – we are able to thrive.
Contact Info:
- Address: 346 White Ash Dr, Golden, CO 80403
- Website: www.wanderandwonder.org
- Phone: 3038429015
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderandwonderworldmaps/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wanderandwonderworldmaps/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/charlottebassin/
Image Credit:
Scott Bassin
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