It’s always fascinating to learn about the different ways artists see the world around them. Every artist is different, a truth that has only been reaffirmed again and again with every interview I’ve conducted. But, every so often, you meet someone who sees things just the way you do, and the connection is instant. It was that connection that I felt on March 19 when I had the pleasure of talking to Charlotte Tysall ’26. Amidst recommendations for classes I should take to fulfill my physical education requirement (we got a little side-tracked), Tysall shared with me her easy smile, amazing artwork and authentic perspective on the world.
Tysall identified that she has “always been a visual person,” which manifested in her childhood through “whatever [she] could get [her] hands on” — namely, polymer clay. Spending hours bent over her desk and causing irreparable back problems, Tysall shaped her sculptures, going “back and forth from photos” to make them “as realistic as possible.” This early start in 3D art made the transition to drawing much smoother, especially for Tysall’s preferred style: realism. She dedicated a great deal of time to art throughout middle and high school, but came into Cornell looking to pursue science. While she enjoyed what she was studying, Tysall couldn’t ignore the void left by a lack of time for creative pursuits. “I was missing the art aspect a lot. I didn’t feel entirely like myself.” Then, through a friend, Tysall learned about the Fine Arts minor, and the rest is history. Now, she tries to “sneak art in wherever [she] can, including in [her] ‘tree ring science history’ class,” where she convinced her professor to let her make an infographic poster instead of a final essay.
The first few art classes she took at Cornell were some of the most impactful. “I used to paint with acrylic paint mostly, and [Intro to Painting] was where I was first introduced to oil.” A change in medium can be a catalyst for a revamped artistic practice, which Tysall soon learned. “Oil paintings … feel more substantial. I don’t think I ever made big paintings with acrylic paint … but I’m starting to use bigger canvases too.” She doesn’t keep herself confined to the medium, either. “If I want something really realistic or very specific, I’ll use colored pencils because it’s a little bit easier to manipulate,” she said. Then, she shared with me possibly the most inventive way of creating art I’ve ever seen. “One of the things I do is map art — like GPS art,” Tysall shared. Intrigued and more than a little confused, I asked for details. She readily obliged. “I stare at a map and look to see if I can find a shape. I write down the left and right directions so that I can make that shape … and then I run. … So, the GPS is another medium of choice.” She showed me a few of the patterns she’d made — animals made out of paths she’d run along streets and trails. One of them was a half-marathon in the shape of a bear. I was floored. It’s a testament to Tysall’s ingenuity and artistic perspective that she’s able to turn her running routes into art pieces. To encompass her approach to art, she said: “Everything I do, I’m looking at it like ‘that’s something I want to paint.’”
Although she may find inspiration in unconventional places, Tysall’s actual creative process is fairly straightforward. “I don’t like the word perfectionist, but I know how I want something to look and I’ll stop when it’s done.” To prepare, she gathers her references, sits down and puts on music, audiobooks or a podcast. Then she gets to work. “I’ll paint or draw for hours and hours. If I can, I’ll do something from start to finish.” Sometimes that means sacrificing sleep, but Tysall is ready and willing to do so. “I would say there’s two halves to it: first is getting it mostly done, then the second half is me fixing tiny details that nobody else is going to notice but that I care a lot about. I think in the end it hopefully shows through.”
I, for one, think that Tysall’s effort definitely shows. And it has been recognized on campus, too. Have you ever taken the time to look at the doors of the Mann Library elevators? Tysall designed one of them in the 2023 Mann Library Elevator Art Contest. Another collection of hers on unsustainable fishing was also on display in Mann Library up until the end of last semester. Certainly, Tysall has made an impact on Cornell through her art, and she doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. “I’ll always be doing art, even if it’s not my main job. I think I might end up bouncing around a bit, but I’ll figure something out. … the crossover of art and science is pretty prominent for me, I’d like to do something helpful.”
Tysall’s incredible art is available for your perusal at ctysallart.com and @ctysall.art on Instagram. (And, if you’d like to own a Tysall original for yourself, she does commissions!)
‘Student Artist Spotlight’ is a column that runs intermittently, featuring student artists of all kinds on campus. For interest in a feature, please contact Melissa Moon.
Melissa Moon is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at mmoon@cornellsun.com.
