The Art of Conversation

7/20/2026

Some time back, in fact, many years ago now, I had the task of wrangling in three of my daughter’s children, our ‘grands,’ at the dinner table. All was bedlam, with everyone talking over each other. So it was time to introduce the “Art of Conversation”: one talks while the others listen, and in time, all can express their opinions and feelings. It seemed to impress them, and 15 years later, they still mostly honor the “art,” as it serves them well (especially the listening part).

Being an American Literature major and Political Science minor in college, I learned to read, think for myself, write some theory, and mostly talk! So, I find myself, late in life, beginning to teach. On subjects that interest me, I have held a number of “The Art of” classes, including fine art collecting, the art of food, the art of entertainment, and, most recently, “Narrative Painting.” I encourage my students, who are of all talent levels, from novice to professional, to think outside the box, using new and different mediums to express their ideas and feelings, to tell their stories and perspectives. It seems to have caught on, and we have a lot of fun!

Teaching Narrative Painting at the Providence Art Club

Consider following me on Instagram @charleshwharton and visit the Providence Art Club and consider taking one or more of the numerous classes offered.

C.H.W. 7/20/26

On Life

6/15/2026

Some of the things that help sustain me in my old age are grounded in my upbringing, youth, education, and general experiences. I was always verbal, but learning to read and write was more difficult. I loved being outside in nature; the woods, the beach, and on Quonnie Pond, just trying to figure things out. Sports were fun, and I was “OK” at them until high school. Starting at home, my dad taught me some things about cooking, and I really had to learn more as a young married man; bartending and waiting tables at some of “South County’s best” taught me a lot!

Now life seems to be a full-time job of staying healthy and happy: cooking, reading, painting, exercising, sharing good times with friends, even golf can go a long way to keep me “in the game.”

My time painting and teaching at the Providence Art Club has been invaluable. After years on numerous boards of directors for many great organizations, including the Art Club, I find value in a little less “leadership” and a little more “naptime.” That said, I was recently the very proud and unexpected recipient of the rare and very special Providence Art Club Medal. This rare bird flew into my life after some 25 years of service, including a blockbuster auction to raise funds to sustain and curate the Art Club’s permanent collection. It reminds me of something my brother once said to me: “You’re good at the long game.”

My Providence Art Club Medal

Bartending at PAC

Here’s to hoping I still have some longevity!

C.H.W. 6/15/26

Abstract Painting

9/3/2026

For over 50 years, my wife Joy and I have collected American fine art paintings, mostly from the early to mid-20th century, and more recently, a smattering of contemporary paintings. For whatever reason, I have fallen in love with mid-century American abstract and expressionist artists: Pollock, de Kooning, Rothko, Still, and Avery, to name a few. Of course, their work is out of our price range as collectors, but a grain of an idea has been germinating in my mind for some time: maybe I could become a credible abstract painter.

So, after 30 years of painting classes, I feel that I may be breaking through as an abstract expressionist. That doesn’t mean I’m accomplished yet, or that I ever will be. This type of painting is extremely difficult to get “right.” My recent work will be in an upcoming show at the Providence Art Club from September 13th to October 1st. It’s a three-person show titled Elemental Conversations. I hope you can come to the opening on the 13th, or visit in the following weeks while it’s still up. I will be very interested in your comments, if any, good or bad!

C.H.W. 9/3/26

Life Since the Pandemic

It has been quite a while since I have updated this website. Most of my commentary and activity gets posted on Instagram @charleshwharton.

During the last year and a half, much has changed in my world as with everybody! From the depths of despair last March, with the global Covid pandemic, a collapsing economy, unknown mortality, total disruption to daily lives, we have emerged strong. With multiple vaccines and other cutting edge medicines being discovered and produced to fight the pandemic. Much has changed about how we now live our lives, a new normal, I think.

In the time of isolation, I got back to cooking meals, mixing cocktails, and after a six month hiatus, painting pictures.

My “Covid Selfies” and other mind bending paintings, got put aside as I moved back to more representational works such as “Kids in the Park”, and “Sun Worshipers” (below).

Left Image: “Kids in the Park”, Right Image: “Sun Worshipers”

I have just completed about thirty works based on the city of Providence, many of which will appear at my upcoming show and sale at the Providence Art Club, opening this coming Sunday, October 10th. I produced a catalouge with the help of my friend Abba Cudney for the show, which you can view here.

The exhibit was curated and hung by my good friend and Gallerist Catherine Little Bert, of Bert Gallery in Providence. Cathy has been a great supporter and she also produced an Adobe Spark to compliment the show, which I greatly appreciate as well.

I hope this message finds you well and in good spirits. Go buy some art, visit a museum, have fun, hug your loved ones and friends. Live!

Until Next Time,

Charlie

Good Friday

04/10/2020 Providence RI

Today is Good Friday and we are in the week of Passover, the most important religious time for Christians and Jews. Yet churches and synagogues are closed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. So as we sit at home and miss the kisses, hugs, and the soft touch of friendship, I spend time contemplating the human condition while I miss my family and friends. In examining the stream of my mind, I think about what is important, our valued relationships, and how we might improve them through communication and thoughtful acts.

Our society is under attack on many levels so we need to stay healthy, engaged, and to help the less fortunate. We need to participate in our communities. And many individuals are contributing in so many ways, large and small, especially in fighting the healthcare challenge brought on by the virus. To paraphrase Charles Dickens “ it is the worst of times, it is the best of times”. Many people need our help so do whatever you can no matter how small. Many are inspirational in their outreach.

So love, be healthy, and create.

Charles H Wharton 

Reflections Continued

As we enter the new year, my thoughts turn to the past year and what will be forthcoming. 2019 brought a lot of personal growth but my family and I also experienced loss of friends and relatives which bring with it a recognition of our mortality. So, I had decided to try and make a book including my artwork produced in 2019 accompanied by some of my personal writing and descriptions. Not quite sure how this will get done as the challenge is to bring together the writing more than the images. That said, I think this is a decent idea in that it will help my children and grandchildren and future generations know a little about me, Joy, and our family. I will keep you posted.

I am very pleased and proud to be exhibiting in the new exhibiting Member Show having been admitted in the last year as an Exhibiting Artist Member of the Providence Art Club. Currently I am working on some socially conscious painting primarily having to do with human destruction and forced migration. There will be a very short pop up show entitled “Art Speaks Out” February 1st and 2nd at the PAC Mill Gallery, 560 Mineral Spring Ave. Pawtucket, RI. Please contact them for details. I hope to have at least one work in this show emphasizing the migration theme. I also intend to include a different migration series painting in the upcoming Providence Art Club Winter Members show this February.

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you want to chat about my work, or things in general. I wish you all a happy and healthy 2020.

Best Regards,

Charlie

Reflections

This time of year can be stressful and difficult. That said, I wish all heath, wellness, and prosperity, as we move to year end and the New Year.

The website has been updated with more figurative works and a new category of “social commentary works” that I have recently begun concentrating on the human condition and especially forces migration due to social change throughout the world. Least we forget, it is always a good time to reach out to people in need, no matter who they are or what their needs may be. Seasons Greetings and Peace to All!

Charlie

Musings

I, if not most or all of the Exhibiting Artist Members the Providence Art Club, have been working diligently at creating small works of art for the upcoming 115th Annual Little Pictures Show, the longest continually running little picture show in the country. We are all very proud to be participants. Check the related page on the menu bar that says “Little Pictures”. Also be sure to check the Providence Art Club’s home website www.providenceartclub.org for more information.

I am also very pleased to say that my painting, Flow II, sold at the recent Fall Members’ Show at the Providence Art Club. Flow II is typical of my mid sized, 30 x 40 in, mixed media works. Also, I am pleased to say that I sold South of Commons at the Little Compton Community Center Annual Art Show & Sale.

Flow II hanging at the Providence Art Club’s Fall Members’ Exhibit

South of Commons

We who live in Rhode Island are fortunate to be in a hot bed of artistic creativity. There are many wonderful local art centers, associations, and collaboratives that have ongoing art shows and exhibitions. In addition, there are many theater venues including the venerable Trinity Repertory Theater, one of the most acclaimed regional acting venues in the country. There are many other smaller venues that offer a wide variety of plays and performances as well as Providence Performing Art Center, the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, and numerous other organizations such as the Westerly Community Chorus to mention just a few. Least we not forget all of the music festivals in Newport and the wonderful museums including RISD. In addition to these venerable institutions there are all kinds of weekly opportunities to participate in the cultural scene. To say nothing of the outstanding culinary/foodie/restaurant mania that is greater Rhode Island. We are blessed with an overabundance of quality of life opportunity, so get out there and enjoy!

Check out this newsletter from the Providence Art Club as an example of what’s going on in the Rhode Island neighborhood:

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/October-Artist-News-Galore-.html?soid=1116681909542&aid=aNtz0tnkOOY

A Busy Summer

This summer I had the privilege of taking several workshops at the Providence Art Club, the first of which was with a brilliant young painter by the name of Sam Allerton Green. Sam beat us up from 9-4 for three days, with all kinds of exercises. Putting paint on, taking paint off, re painting it over again, painting pictures in only ten strokes. Below, is some work I created during this workshop.

The second workshop was with Theresa Girard in conceptual drawing and abstract painting. Theresa is a highly successful painter exhibiting in Florida and New England, among other places, and she is a great, engaging, enthusiastic, encouraging teacher. Three studies from her workshop are below.

The third workshop was with Nick Paciorek. Nick is an incredible teacher and a master of color. He sells his work nationally and internationally in over 25 galleries. He bends your mind over color, and it hurts. A change of pallet was not easy for me at all, but it opened my vision to new ideas. You will know which slides are from Nick’s workshop.

The final workshop was with my friend and mentor, Kevin Gilmore. Kevin is a gifted artist in collage, paint and abstraction. Much of his work is based on his musical theory. He had us drawing on old sheet music paper connecting the notes that are similar to create a basis for a painting, among other methods of entering the work. One fun thing was cutting a page from a magazine and then using what was on that page to recreate the same message. Hence, Bar Charlie. This led to Block Island Bar Opening, in addition to the abstract works.

From June, July, and August, these instructors and others have been at the Providence Art Club, and many of them did additional workshops at other venues. As artists and students of fine art, we are very fortunate to have such wonderful instructors.

Other than the classes and a little family time on Block Island, lots of time at the Art Club, and time with friends, all in all it has been a great summer.

Providence Art Club's National Open Juried Exhibition

I encourage every one to stop by the Providence Art Club to see their Nation Open Juried Exhibition. There is a wide variety of talented artists and pieces. This show will be on view through July 19th.

Also visit the Dodge House Gallery-see information below.

Franken Frame and Other News

To all of my fellow artists, if you don’t know about Franken Frame, take a look at their website. My contact there is Roger, who has given me excellent service. Roger provided me with frame samples and corner samples, which were extremely helpful in figuring out the best options for my paintings (see photo below).

Visit their website here to see all of their options:

http://www.frankenframes.com/

I am extremely pleased with the final product.

In Providence news, there is a great show hanging at the Providence Art Club and will be shown through June 22.

I strongly recommend stopping by to view all of the amazing work on view in the Maxwell Mays Gallery, Mary Castelnovo Gallery, and Dodge House Gallery.

Current Show

Welcome to Charles H. Wharton Fine Art!

I will periodically be making posts to this blog, regarding my work and the work of other artists and art events in and around the state of Rhode Island.

Currently, I have a solo show at Reliable Gold Ltd. See the News/Updates page for the specifics. Reliable Gold is a fine jewelry store that has been in business for over 75 years and is owned and managed by Rena Abeles where she offers an array of fine contemporary and estate jewelry. Rina also loves fine art and offers her business as a venue to artists in the Rhode Island area. Please stop by and visit, as the show runs through June 24th. Thank you for your interest!