Biography
Charlie Frances, born in ’69, grew up on the coastlines of the Chesapeake Bay. He discovered watercolor painting later in life. In 2013, Charlie was encouraged by a friend to try painting as he was going through cancer treatments. It turned out to be the perfect therapeutic distraction from chemo and radiation. Painting continues to be part of his spiritual, physical, and mental healing.
He is a self-taught watercolor artist who has been fortunate enough to have won awards in state, national, and international competitions. His work is in private collections in Europe and U.S.
Frances is the president of C Art, LLC and a Signature Member of the Virginia Watercolor Society and Baltimore Watercolor Society. He also holds memberships with Southern Watercolor Society (exhibiting member) and Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists.
Charlie holds two degrees in geography: B.S., Old Dominion University (1991) and M.A., Kansas St. University (1994). He still does not know all of the state capitals. Charlie’s company, C Art, LLC. and studio are in Virginia Beach. When not there, you may find him by the salt water or on his yoga mat trying to keep balance.
LATEST NEWSLETTER - “A MYSTERIOUS COLLABORATION”
Noted AWARDS
2024
Silver Award, Door Dash, Kentucky Watercolor Society 2024 Aqueous USA, Louisville, KY
Best in Show, The Concrete Factory, PA Watercolor Society’s 45th Annual International Juried Exhibition, Lancaster, PA
Award of Excellence, When Decay Meets Rejuvenation, VA Watercolor Annual Exhibition, Lynchburg, VA
2023
Best in Show, Reflecting Inward, Virginia Beach Artists Gallery, What’s New Exhibition, Virginia Beach, VA
Honorable Mention, Strawberry Street Dancers, , Virginia Beach Artists Gallery, Name That Tune, Virginia Beach, VA
Honorable Mention, The Selection Committee, Show Off!, a national exhibition and Jack Richeson & Co. Award - Southern Watercolor Society, Panama City, FL
2022
Award of Distinction in Watercolor, Everything is All Right in the Grill, VA Artists Juried Exhibition, Hampton, VA
Most Creative Award, Here’s To Me Being Me, Going Rogue, VA Beach Artists Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA
Acceptance with Judge Solomon Isekeije
2021
Best in Show, Milkshaker, Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists, “AWASH in Color”, Gallery 21, Norfolk, VA.
Light Roast
Hillerson Award, Light Roast, Virginia Artists Juried Exhibition, Hampton, VA.
Pondering Rebirth
2020
Everett & Miriam Birdsong Award, Dark Roast and Pondering Rebirth, Suffolk Art League, Suffolk, VA.
Parksley Market
Award of Excellence, Parksley Market, Following the Light, Virginia Beach Art Center, Artists Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA.
Cuban Classic
Third Place, A Cuban Classic, Puzzlepalooza, Chesapeake Public Library, Chesapeake, VA.
2019
Red, White and Blue
Honorable Mention, Red, White and Blue, Small Works, Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center, Hampton, VA.
Next Customer Please.
Second Place, Next Customer Please, Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists, 2019 Winter Show, Virginia Beach, VA.
Stage Presence
Third Place, Stage Presence, Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists, Spring Exhibition, Virginia Beach, VA.
Facing Your Fear
Second Place, Facing Your Fear, Southside Artists Association Spring show. Chesapeake, VA.
2018
Award of Merit, Mojito!, Fork & The Cork Exhibition, Artists Gallery, VB, VA.
Crown of Thorns.
People’s Choice, Crown of Thorns, S.A.A., Spring show, Chesapeake, VA.
My Cherries Amour.
Second Place, Colored Admission, People’s Choice Award - My Cherries Amour and Wells Fargo Advisors Choice Award - Penguin Party Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists, Fall show, Norfolk, VA.
Arthur’s Country Store
Jane Butler Memorial Award - Arthur’s Country Store, Suffolk Art League's 2018 Annual Juried Exhibition, Suffolk, VA.
Charlie’s - Artist Statement
I am a watercolor artist who creates stimulating ways of looking at culture’s faces, places, and traces. I paint because I love the way the medium appears and mixes, allowing an introvert to scream with the joys of color. I believe art is an expression of the soul, not just mine, but also the soul of the subject and viewer. Painting with water has been a meditative release for a controlling perfectionist and brain cancer survivor because one never has total command, like juggling jellyfish. When the viewers says “that is different,” or “that is unique,” I feel successful.
Galleries and EXhibitionS (Current-Upcoming)
Lemontree Gallery, Cape Charles, VA 2024-2025
Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists “Beyond the Frost” Virginia Beach, VA, Jan-February 2025
Baltimore Watercolor Society, 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition, Gaithersburg, MD, Oct 2024-Jan 2025
Kentucky Watercolor Society, Aqueous, KMAC, Louisville, KY, Oct 2024-Jan 2025
NOTE: 10% of all ART SALES and award monies go to support community Outreach programs.
EVENTS & PRESS
Peninsula Watercolor Society, Demo ”Pouring Your Heart Out with Watercolors” Torggler Center, Newport, News, VA October 2024
Newly Remodeled Galax Walmart Supercenter Unveils New Features, The Carroll News, Nov 2023
Pouring Demo, Chrysler Museum, June 2023
Remodeled Chesapeake Walmart ‘Store of the Future’ Reopens to the Community, April 2023
Promotional Video of Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, Living Large Exhibition, Suffolk, VA
Featured artwork for promotion of Charles Taylor Visual Art Center, 2020 and 2022 catalogs and 2022 VA Artists Juried Exhibition, Hampton, VA
A Little Wiggle Room
Featured Artwork for Promotion of “Going Rogue” exhibition at the VB Artists Gallery, May 2022
Highlighted painting at the VA Museum of History and Culture - 41st Annual VWS Exhibition, Richmond, VA
Alison Johnson, ‘Letting Paintbrush Take Over’ The Virginian Pilot, November 18, 2019
“Become a Better Artist by Putting Down Your Brushes and Setting Goals” - Presentation to Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists, September 2019 and Southside Artists Association October 2019