Born in Edinburgh, Charles is a graduate of Glasgow School of Art. He has been paintings since he was a youngster – he says it’s in his blood.
His grandfather was an accomplished artist who won prizes for his art in 1897 from the Glasgow Master Painters Association and family legend has it that he hung out in Montmartre, Paris in the early 1900s.
Not surprisingly perhaps, Charles claims these prize books and a couple of his grandfather’s paintings to be his most valuable possessions.
John Cunningham who, in later life, became a friend.
“I very much admired John’s paintings, said Charles. “In fact the first serious painting I bought was one of his. What was remarkable was that when you counted the number of actual brushstrokes there might have been only thirty or forty. No overworking, no fussy statements, no clever tricks, just simple and straightforward skill – someone who knows what they are doing.”
The aim of ‘less is more’ is the journey that Charles is on as his painting style evolves and he explores the interpretation of Scotland’s ‘land, sea and sky-scapes’ as he calls them.
“I set out to capture real places and moments in time – creating a window to another place which the viewer will find uplifting and be able to return to for a visual, mental or spiritual ‘refresh’ I do believe that we are ‘hardwired’ in our genes to receive a calming energy from sky, sea and beaches. My wife and I regularly visit our favourite beach(and even sometimes swim of it as we are instinctively drawn to it for a regular recharge.”
Charles uses his base in mid Argyll to island hop and seek out unspoilt locations or grand views. He changes his painting style depending on the subject and thinks that it is important as an artist to continue developing new approaches to his painting.
“For me, it’s essential to evolve and not stick with the same style – it’s part of the journey and also, to be honest, I would get bored just continually doing the same kind of work all of the time.”
Charles’s work is on show at various galleries in the UK and in private collections. Naturally the inherent attraction of Scotland’s West Coast has caught the eye of the USA, resulting in his work being exported to New York, Texas, Connecticut and California.
Visit The Lillie Art Gallery, Station Road, Milngavie, Glasgow G62 8BZ
Opening times Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 5pm
Click here for details https://www.edlc.co.uk/heritage-arts/exhibitions/lillie-art-gallery/
Visit Charles Randak’s website here www.charlesrandak-art.com
