Born in Edinburgh, Charles is a graduate from the Glasgow School of Art. His grandfather was an accomplished artist and won prizes for his art in 1897 from the Glasgow Master Painters Association along with a couple of his paintings. Family legend has it that he ‘hung out’ in Montmartre, Paris in the early 1900’s.

Charles has always painted whilst heading up a design company working with clients throughout the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA - now he is spending more time on his painting - naturally being drawn to the West Coast of Scotland where he has connections over many years although he cannot resist the draw of Italy, the Carribean and Dance.

His painting style is direct, unfussed brush strokes and knife work usually in oils on canvas creating what he calls  ‘Statement Pieces’ of a reasonable size where the contrasting textures reflect the reality of the scene and the reality of natures colour palette in front of him – avoiding any artificiality in producing  the image.

“I aim to capture real places and moments in time – creating a window on another place which the viewer will find uplifting and will be able to return to it for a visual, mental or spiritual ‘refresh’  – especially when it is sky, sea or beaches and the combination of all three. I do believe that we are ‘hardwired’ in our genes to receive a calming energy from these locations – probably they meant safety, security and relaxation to our ancestors in dim and distant past and that a painting can equally deliver some of that resonance?"