Charles Knecht

Valley Glen artist Charles Knecht was born in New York City in 1945. Growing up in an artistic family, Knecht gravitated to art at an early age. Graduating from the prestigious High School of Art and Design in Manhattan, he went on to the School of Visual Arts where he studied with Byrne Hogarth and John Gundelfinger.

Growing up in the dynamic art world of New York in the early 1960s, Knecht was drawn to the work of the ascendant Abstract Expressionists early in his career. However, under the Gundelfinger's mentorship, Knecht came to believe that there was still a great deal of latitude for creativity within the pre-abstract European tradition, particularly in the timeless style of the Impressionists.

A stint in the United States Navy during the height of the Vietnam War landed the artist in Spain. He took advantage of this European posting to explore the continent following his discharge from the Navy. Knecht paid for his European travels by selling the canvases he painted along the way. He also took time to visit museums to study firsthand the masterworks of the French Impressionists and Spain's great classical artists. These experiences led to a lasting change in the direction of his work.

You can view other works at Mr. Knecht's studio, where he also gives classes in oil and watercolor painting. Mr. Knecht will also be participating in the Valley Artists Studio Tour on October 1 and 2, 2005. Please call the San Fernando Valley Arts Council at 818-572-3150 or call Mr. Knecht at 818-762-6860.

"My subjects rarely change, only how I handle them. Mostly they come from the immediate area where I live. I never tire of it. A single tree can be rendered a dozen times, in a dozen different ways. Painting on various size canvases gives me the freedom to play with color, form and composition. Working on three or four at a time keeps them fresh and spontaneous."

Returning from Europe, Knecht began spending time painting en plein air. He continues to find inspiration in California, recently teaching drawing and watercolor classes at the Skirball Cultural Center.

Accomplishments:

• High School of Art and Design, New York, NY 1960-1963;
• School of Visual Arts, New York 1964-1965, including studies with Byrne Hogarth and John Gundelfinger;
• Studies in Europe, with a focus on Spain and France, 1966-1968.
• Professional Selected Group Exhibitions In 2000: California Art Club 90th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, Pasadena, also in 1998;
• First Annual California Spring Salon, Edenhurst Gallery and Morseburg Galleries, Beverly Hills.
• In 1997: 6th Annual Fall Landscape Exhibition, Morseburg Galleries, West Hollywood, CA.
• Selected Solo Exhibitions: Brand Art Galleries, Glendale, 1983; Descanso Gardens, La Canada, 1981; Poulsen Galleries, Pasadena, 1997.

Collections:

• Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA
• DuPont Plaza Hotel, Washington, D.C.
• Exxon, Johnson & Johnson, UNOCAL, Morgan Trust Company, Beverly Hills Country Club, Dime Savings Bank, Progressive Savings & Loan, Lloyds Bank in California, First Federal Savings & Loan.

Societies:

• Artist Member, California Art Club; The Conservancy Painters.