Sam Charles paintings illustrate majestic moments in time where nature, wildness and raw beauty come together as one. The art is pure, harmonious and engaging, drawing the viewer into the present moment and their own space of calm.

Every painting incorporates geometric precision, colour theory, and aesthetic ubeity masterfully intertwined. Oil paint is masterfully applied using organic and fluid brushstrokes, exploring the relationship between movement, anatomy, shape, colour and form.

Sam Charles’ objective is to make the viewer feel energised, joyful and alive. He is renowned as an artist with a vibrantly unique painting style having created his own visual language; simplified, then amplified.

Inspiration and Influences

Andy Warhol - Colour, shape and form defines every Warhol painting; there is elegance in this simplicity. By basing his work on photographs, he achieved crisp hard-edged results. Paint layers were built up in ever increasing precision to develop depth and substance. In recreating this effect, Sam Charles paintings purposely differ in that they are hand-painted, yet recreate the bold colours and lines produced in a screen print style.

Vincent Van Gogh - The fluidity of his brushstrokes with the patterns and shapes that form his interpretation of the sky and trees is hypnotic. His paintings "Wheat Field with Cypress" and "Champ D'Olive" have so much movement and vibrancy through the use of defined, hard-edged brush strokes and contrasting colours. This fluidity of brushstrokes is utilised in Sam Charles paintings to convey a sense of movement and energy which is present in nature.

Bridget Riley - Riley's colour curve paintings display a great understanding of the relation between colour and light. Construction is precise and calculated with every colour considered in its relation to another, painted in a curvilinear style which echo the movement of water. It is this ability to depict a rhythm and frequency found in the natural world that is ultimately inspiring - Sam Charles creates shapes akin to these as the basis for each work.

Frank Stephenson - A genius in his field of automotive design, he has designed and created some of the world's most iconic cars of the modern era. The shape of his cars were themselves inspired by nature - shrink wrapped bodywork revealing defined features and flowing lines, reminiscent of an animal at speed. By using this bio-mimicry, he has been able to incorporate these attributes into his sports cars where every line and feature in his designs is purposeful. Sam Charles applies these principles; every line and colour created with intent.

Greyhounds - Shrink-wrapped in appearance, with taught skin layered over toned muscle, sinew and bone, Greyhounds are perhaps the first domesticated dog to have been depicted in art over 7000 years ago. They have been celebrated as dogs of the nobility; King Canute, King Louis XI and Queen Victoria having all owned one. Greyhound features are so very defined that they are instantly recognisable - deep chests, long faces and limbs with a tapered waistline. From the long haired Afghan Hound to the diminutive Italian Grey, the observation and study of sighthounds have helped characterise and define Sam Charles artwork.

“I have to say that your work just dazzles me all over again each time I see it. Hudson’s piece is just such a joy to behold.”

Charles, Charleston SC

“Beyond the anatomical perfection, your work is so captivating because every line and color has a reason for being. It’s scientific, precise, and whimsical all at the same time.”

Director of Galleries, The Kessler Collection

Nature

Nature has evolved to create stunning imagery, an example of which coined the mathematical term; the Fibonacci Spiral. It can be seen here in mathematical form as a logarithmic spiral and also as the distribution of seeds in a sunflower head, known as Phyllotaxis. This arrangement subsequently inspired the design of a Sam Charles spot painting entitled Phyllotaxis.

The principles of the Fibonacci Spiral can be applied to the composition of any image to make it aesthetically pleasing. This use is widespread in film and photography where the focal point is not the absolute centre of an image, but emanates in a spiral from a off-centre point. Applying this shape to the painting of the leopard below has the eye as the focal point, where it then sweeps around the face, down the spine and along the tail.

Anatomy

Every painting is rooted in anatomical study, using a combination of grid reference and mathematical measurement. This is the solid foundation from which the rest of the painting flows; limbs, muscles, ligaments and skin all in unity. The fur of a mammal and the feathers of a bird have both evolved over millions of years to be perfect in their function - true symbiosis of warmth, protection, and movement, all the while possessing unique and vibrant colours.

The observation that the movement of a long dog at speed (be it a Greyhound, Saluki or Irish Wolfhound) shares the same double-suspension gallop as a cheetah (where they are off the ground twice during one phase of their running stride) is an example of the attention to detail that sets a Sam Charles painting apart from his contemporaries.

Sighthounds share the same shaped skull as a wolf, where their field of vision is much broader than a dog with a flatter face, eg. a Pug or French Bulldog. Jack Russell terriers have evolved short legs and torsos for subterranean hunting, whereas the long legs and torsos of a Greyhound allow pursuit over land at great speed.

Rigorously researched, these functional and anatomical differences are examples of the knowledge gained by Sam Charles over the years which help produce highly accurate representations of every painted subject.