ART: Charles Burke
Written by Vy Pham
Sep 07
|13:58
Artist Charles Burke provides an imaginative escape for his viewers through his drawings. See these works at the next RAW showcase on Thursday, September 16th at the Elevate Lounge in Downtown Los Angeles.
How did you first get started making art?
I first got started making art my junior year in high school. Never really understood why students need a teacher if you're given a book, so I would use class time to draw and would do all my studying alone in the quiet of my room. Some of my best work was done on the back of homework sheets that never made it to the teacher's desk. I got scolded often for poor use of time in the classroom, but I always left with a work of art while everybody else staggered out with a headache and a deep rooted hatred for the Pythagorean theorem, so I stuck to my own curriculum.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Calm and quiet. I like to think of my art with a slight breeze behind it.
From where do you draw inspiration for your work?
Life. We live in a universe of swarming matter and energy thats constantly rearranging, forming what we see around us. I try to capture some of that flow in my art as it often features a large sense of movement and transference.
What do you love most about what you do?
The chance to bring a little peace and quiet into the lives of those who view it, even if it's only for an instant. We live in a stressful world, every little bit of rest is divine.
Do you engage in, or draw inspiration from, any other forms of art?
Music for one. I love playing guitar. So intangible, but so consuming. Surfing and skateboarding, as well. The state of concentration that the flow of the board induces, it just makes all else melt away.
From start to finish, explain your process; what does a typical art-making day look like for you?
I have to be feeling happy and in love with life, things just don't look the same when your down. When I am in a good mood and have decided to make a new piece, I just lay down and daydream. I just let the images flow through my mind, playing with every picture as it passes through and when I see something I just have to share, I create it. I draw the subject of the piece which is often more linear and concrete, then I just flow off of it. Every line is influenced by the one that proceeded it. I treat my art like my life, I know where I want to end up but let spontaneity decide the road that gets me there. After the creative part is done and I have a nice outline of the piece, the detail gets put in slow and steady with the help of some music.
Medium of choice?
My style is rooted from my days of using a pen to doodle while in class, so ultra fine point sharpies have treated me well. I am color blind so I am particularly fond of black and white illustration and allow detail to make up for the lack of color.
Are there any artists or art movements, past or present, that strongly inform and influence your work?
60's poster art
Any accomplishments/goals you hope to achieve as an artist in the future?
Showcasing with RAW exceeds anything I could have ever expected, so I am already ahead of my goals as an artist.
Why showcase at RAW?
Seemed like fun. Simple as that. Beautiful art. Beautiful People. Why not?
Favorite thing to do outside of your craft?
Skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, playing guitar, going to the beach, walking in the forest, star-gazing, dreaming.
Any current rising stars within the art arena that you would recommend we look out for?
Kelly Wolfe
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