Welcome, I am Charlie Rees, an artist with a studio in Saugatuck, Michigan. For many years, I had a studio in the Flat Iron Arts Building in Chicago, painting and working in stained glass.
My work in Chicago was done inside the studio, blessed with tall windows, where I was quite comfortable and relaxed. However, the move to Saugatuck and my work with stained glass has forced me to ask questions. Can I see? Do I understand color and light? Do I have the right skills? Do I need to learn new tricks? And can an old dog learn new tricks?
These questions forced me to go outdoors, to draw and paint. Saugatuck, on Lake Michigan, is a perfect place to draw, paint and study light and color. The town is surrounded by rivers, lakes, woods, dunes, marshes and open fields. It is blessed with an abundance of natural light through all the seasons. I would be a fool not to take advantage of this natural setting.
I am in a new environment, working with new mediums, techniques and styles. This is a journey, short or long, to learn how to see and create visual compositions of color and light. Mistakes will be made and hopefully, a few successes will occur.
While on this journey, I am guided by a quote from Pablo Picasso: “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”