Charles Newman received his Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2008, focusing on plein-air painting; he earned a BFA in Painting from Rowan University in 2002. In 2001, Charles studied painting and photography at the Scuola Lorenzo de’Medici in Florence, Italy. Charles continues to paint en plein air. He is an accomplished craftsman and currently works at Provenance in Philadelphia, PA, specializing in architectural salvage materials and antiques. He is known for his hand-crafted frames made with salvaged wood and custom home restorations. Charles has received numerous awards at Plein Air Festivals along the East coast, including First Place at Cape Ann Plein Air 2022, Second Place at Plein Air Easton 2019, and was featured in the Aug/Sept 2018 issue of Plein Air Magazine. He was awarded Best in Show at the Philadelphia Sketch Club’s 150th Annual Small Oil Painting Exhibition.
I am a representational painter. I seek to capture an experience or sensation in my artwork, so that the painting is felt. Painting on site, en plein air(outdoors), I strive to understand the effects of light and the moods and emotions it evokes from my surroundings. Many of my works are done alla prima, which means wet into wet, mostly completed in one session to achieve a fresh and harmonious representation of light. The subject matter of my paintings ranges from overlooked industrial neighborhoods to the privacy of the home. Whether painting a landscape, an interior, or a still life, I strive to express the integrity of my personal touch, as I bear witness to the moment and changing conditions of my surroundings. Translating these elements onto the surface makes the painting process both challenging and exciting.
