ArtSpotlight

Charles Peck
Painter

Charles Peck has been drawing and painting his entire life. He was told he started at the age of 3. Though he doesn't remember that, he doesn't remember a time when he wasn't. After an enlistment in the U.S. Army from '66 to '69, Charles did some drifting around doing portrait sketches in malls and outdoor shows ending up in Key West where he started college on the G.I. Bill. Charles found he liked school and continued his education at Florida State University in the B.F.A. Program majoring in studio arts with a minor in art history. Once he graduated in 1973, he went back on the road doing sketches anywhere he could draw a crowd and make a few bucks. This went on for quite a while. He traveled the coast of the Gulf of Mexico which included some short stints on a couple shrimp boats and about a year off shore on oil rigs. He also picked up business painting signs to help with funding.

 

Charles moved on to Fine Art and murals full time after that. He had been including illustrations in his signs for several decades, so this wasn't much of a jump. Charles has been living in rather unconventional abodes over the years to reduce overhead and free up time for painting. He has lived in abandoned tobacco barns (always with consent - and a few paintings and drawings to make people happy), teepees (one built on the Sioux design using waterproofed canvas), school buses converted to rolling studios, houseboats, and other unconventional domicile solutions. He finally found his home on sailboats. Currently, he has an American Bluewater Classic - a Pearson Vanguard sloop, hull #373. In addition to his artwork, Charles has taught sailing as an A.S.A. Certified sailing instructor for several years. There have been a few standard houses in the mix - usually when involved in an affair of the heart. But Charles remains single - with a few close calls.

Charles has continued with his reading and constant attendance at the Theater of the Absurd. His longest art trip was to South America for a year in the '70's. For several months, he lived with the Ecuadorian Quechua group on the north bank of the upper Rio Napo. Charles has given drawing, painting, and art history classes, as well as lectures in private homes and local art centers, and other community groups. He has also been asked to judge many art shows in recent years and enjoys donating to nonprofit groups to assist in community cohesiveness and extend art awareness to a larger segment of the community.

He has been able to keep up his figure drawing by attending local groups or starting them when needed. Charles now resides in Punta Gorda, Florida where he has lived for a longer time than anywhere else and is active in the Punta Gorda Visual Art Center as an instructor. He was able to start an open figure drawing group there 12 years ago which is still ongoing. His work can be found in private collections in both South and North America, corporate collections, and many public murals in various towns in South Florida to include Punta Gorda where there is a very active mural society.

Charles has shown in just about every kind of venue from taverns to outdoor shows, restaurants, libraries, churches, banks, office buildings, art centers, galleries, and now the Internet. An example of a true artist's soul, Charles happily lives off of commissions and word of mouth.

Click to enlarge hemage

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