Gallery Artist John Charles
Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
Southport’s gaining a brand new art gallery: Gallery Artist John Charles does what the name suggests, showcasing Charles’ paintings under his very own brand.
The local artist’s paintings often feature pop culture subjects: celebrities, superheroes and animals on dark backgrounds, while his style is characterised by gold-colour outlines and the use of a palette knife to apply and manipulate paint.
Charles’ brightly coloured website cites Andy Warhol’s words: “Don’t think about making art, just get it done.” hinting at his passion for making and the difficult path into art, which he found as a means of recovering from years of drug and alcohol addiction. While he previously had an interest in drawing and painting, it became a crucial outlet for his creativity and a way out of substance abuse.
The artist has even been dubbed ‘the Scouse van Gogh’ by his following, referring to his personal story: his love for painting and the difficulties he’s been through. Charles’ career breakthrough came when Liverpudlian comedian Paul Smith purchased his painting of the Joker, providing both exposure and motivation to keep creating and sharing his work.
Today, John Charles is a full-time artist who also offers support to individuals and their families dealing with addiction in his role as an ambassador at a local charity, the Owen McVeigh Foundation. His own gallery, designed with the help of his wife and business manager Jen, allows him to showcase his work and offers a designated space to communicate with collectors face to face. In Charles’ words: “I’ve been lucky enough to work with galleries before and they’ve really boosted my profile and career, but I’m now excited to do things my own way with Gallery Artist John Charles.”
His plans for the gallery go beyond art displays too as the space can be used for the artist’s work with kids and young adults with disabilities, in collaboration with local councils and the charity Motiv8. He also wants to offer painting classes to families and couples in the near future so check his website or reach out for more information.
