Text Box: Text Box: Charles Gillham, born in Latonia in 1920, has been an artist all of his life. After graduating from Holmes High School, he studied art at the Ohio Mechanics Institute, now a part of the University of Cincinnati. There he studied painting with William Weissler, a student of Frank Duveneck. He continued his studies at the Cincinnati Art Academy where he studied with Paul Chidlaw, among other. He met his wife Marica in Chidlaw’s class. His work life was spent as a commercial artist with Mott Studios in Cincinnati. Charles’ early work was in oil, then acrylic, but for many years now he has worked almost exclusively in watercolor. Charles is a longtime member of the Cincinnati Art Club, and was a signature member of the Florida Watercolor Society. He continues to paint often. Text Box: Text Box: Charles Gillham - Home studio - Studio Above the Trees

 

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

 

I was an only child, so I guess I began drawing at an early age as a form of self entertainment.  An area near where I lived was being excavated, exposing a vein of grey clay.  This suggested a try at sculpting small figures.  It was then that I realized I had certain ability in this field.

 

Upon graduation from high school during the Depression, it was difficult to find employment.  My father sent me to art school at the Ohio Mechanics Institute in Cincinnati, now the Ohio College of Applied Science.  It was there I realized I was going to spend the rest of my life working to become a better artist.  Unfortunately, my training was cut by three and a half years of service for Uncle Sam in World War II.

 

I have worked in oil and acrylic over the years, but after retiring from a commercial art career, I found that my true love was watercolor.  I moved to Florida and discovered painting "en pleine aire" in the sunshine, surrounded by palm trees, seabirds, and turquoise water was a wonderful way to spend my days.

 

Normally, I work on 140 or 300 pound Arches or Kilamanjaro cold press paper. I don't usually work wet on wet, but recently I have experimented with pouring color, and have found it exciting.