Charles Hawes, known as Bud by his friends, was born in Huntington, West Virginia in 1909. Throughout his life Bud's great loves were art and people. These loves are palpably visible in all of his work. His work during his first career (32 years as a nationally recognized illustrator) focussed on magazines, newspapers, advertising agencies, cartoons and children's books. During this time he became a member of both the National Society of Illustrators and the American Watercolor Society. In 1964 Bud visited St. John in the U.S.V.I. and fell in love with the West Indies and her people. In 1965 he moved to St. Croix, U.S.V.I. where he began his prolific second career, that of a watercolor artist. Bud spent the next 28 years capturing his deep love for these islands and their people through his dynamic watercolors. Most of these paintings now hang throughout the world in the homes and offices of patrons who also shared that same love.

This gallery displays the remaining collection of Bud's oils, inks and watercolors. The majority of this collection is of Caribbean Watercolors but also includes work from the east coast of the United States and his visits to Spain and Portugal. Included here are 15 inks, 7 watercolors from Spain and Portugal, 15 watercolors from the east coast of the U.S., 5 still lifes from still life classes Bud taught on St. Croix, 14 watercolors of animals, 13 watercolors of people, 4 oils, 1 lithograph and 147 watercolors from the West Indies. (Please note that paintings with US noted next to their titles are unsigned.)

Bud often described his style of painting as being loose, impressionistic and realistic. He used a technique called 'forcing color' to capture the ever-moving vibrancy of life in the West Indies, making many of his watercolors seem alive. Bud stopped painting in 1993 and in 1999 his creative and brilliant life ended.

We hope you enjoy your visit to this gallery. If you are interested in inquiring about or purchasing any paintings from this collection, please e-mail Kim Burnham at CHawesGallery@hotmail.com

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