Charles’ Art
Still Life at 13 (watercolor) 17.25” x 21.38”
I did this painting when I was 13 years old. My sister Vlasta gave it to me two years ago when my wife Sandy and I visited her in Brno, Czech Republic. I was amazed and touched that my family had held on to my art work through the war years and beyond!
Namĕšt nad Oslavou (watercolor, pen & ink) 27” x 21.5
As a child during World War II, I was in awe of this small Southern Moravian town on the Oslava River. It was full of historical treasures, art works and natural beauty including a renaissance castle and a bridge lined with baroque sculptures built by Vaclav Adrian in the 1700s. It is a replica of the Charles Bridge in Prague.
Kuwait (watercolor) 25.25” x 19.25”
No drawing needed. This watercolor painting is a fantasy of war.
After Desert Storm (watercolor) 26.25” x 19.25”
No drawing needed here either. Another war fantasy.
Curtis (pastel) 25.88” x 30.5”
His noble face caught my attention when I first saw him. He was a friend from the Cass Corridor.
Father Gene (pastel) 24.75” x 32.25”
Nobility comes in many shapes. It was easy to paint Gene, my father-in-law and friend. He was natural and he didn’t have to pose when I captured him from the side. I hold him in much esteem.
Sandy 2302 (acrylic) 23.88” x 29.38”
This is a portrait of my best friend and most devoted advocate, my wife Sandy.
Aunt Joan (pastel) 23.5” x 29”
Anyone who knows me knows that I like women of all ages and Aunt Joan was no exception. She had a certain elegance, wit and a wonderful voice. She was Sandy’s aunt and we met at her daughter’s home in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Samarkand Madrassah Instructor (pastel) 26” x 32.5”
I n the cities of Uzbekistan, Madrassahs are everywhere. They are religious and trade schools, where the young Uzbeks are instructed in their chosen professions. This blind instructor addressed me in perfect Russian about the very old traditions of the Madrassah. He quickly pegged me as an American tourist and let me photograph him. While speaking, I also sketched his enigmatic face.
Bukharan Odd Couple (acrylic) 28.38” x 40.5”
We both, the camel and I, were equally surprised as the “giant” turned around the curb between us. Obviously, the camel was a native and the dog imported.
Child in Samarkand (acrylic): 28” x 40”
I became emotional when I came closer to this child beggar. His sad look pleaded for love, not money. I didn’t understand what he said but I felt kindness in his voice. I wished so much to know his language. So I captured what he said in my painting.
Accordion Player in Khiva (pastel) 24” x 29.5”
I observed this musician while traveling in Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic which is now an independent state. Strategically located on the Silk Route, the khanates of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva were the cultural center of the world while Europe still lay in the “darkness” of the Middle Ages. The accordion player was outfitted in the traditional colorful, silk ikat robe and enormous sheep’s wool hat. He and his two fellow musicians were playing lively music from Khorezm, the region of the city of Khiva south of the Aral Sea.
Tashkent Dancer (pastel) 22.5” x 29”
I saw this striking young woman dancing in a museum in Tashkent. Her colorful, jeweled, silk costume was captivating as she twirled and spun making artful hand gestures and coy facial expressions.
Noche Sobre las Arenas I (acrylic) 48.25” x 36.75”
Night at the beach las Arenas seems to be illuminated by some mysterious source, perhaps the moon behind the clouds or the sunlight reflecting from the sky. Only a few times have I seen the dark shadows over the seashore and the sea. Many artists don’t like to paint these night scenes, but I do. The drama of color interaction is masked with dark, sometimes black strokes, making the seascape details invisible. Yet they are there! Look carefully.
