Charles Clark Reid (August12,1937 June1,2019) was an American painter, illustrator, and teacher, notable for his watercolor style. He has won numerous national and international awards for both his watercolor and oil works, and also hosted many workshops in the US and abroad. He has had numerous books published, instructional DVDs and created a postage stamp and an iconic ad campaign with his watercolor depictions. His watercolor works and oil paintings are in private and college museum collections.
Early life
Reid became interested in painting at the age of 14 when his parents encouraged him by letting him use a room in the family home for his art. His father gave him illustrated history books and books about Charles Marion Russell and Frederic Remington, both known for their paintings of the American Old West. Reid's father enrolled him in a correspondence course at the Famous Artists School, when he was 16 years old. Reid also attended South Kent School and the University of Vermont (1955-1957).
Disillusioned while at the University of Vermont he enrolled in the Art Students League of New York, while in Manhattan from 1957 to 1959. He met Frank J. Reilly there, who became his teacher.
He was invited to exhibit in New York City at the ROKO Gallery and at the FAR Gallery during 10 years in the 70s until its closure in 1979.
Recognition and honors
Although not a member of the American Watercolor Society, they exhibited Reid's work four times: in 1973 with Sleeping Girl, in 1975 with Miss Goodman, in 1978 with Narda, and in 1984 with Mary. Reid won the Samuel J. Bloomingdale Memorial Award with Miss Goodman and the High Winds Award with Narda.
In 1975, he won the American Academy of Arts and Letters' Childe Hassam, Speicher, Betts, and Symons Purchase Fund Award with Wally. He won the same award again in 1976 with In the Studio.
In 1975, he was admitted as an Associate at the American National Academy of Design, and in 1983 he became an Academician.
In 1971, he won the Julius Hallgarten award, Debbie, for the one of three best Oil paintings of the year, by an artist from the United States, under 35 years of age. 2nd Altman prize (figure) 1972, Thursday Morning. 1st Altman prize (figure) 1974. Thomas B. Clarke prize 1978, Sarah, for the best annual American figure composition. Salmagundi Club award, 1975. Henry Ward Ranger fund, 1974, Friends. Emil Carlsen and Dines Carlsen award for the best annual still life paining. Adolph and Clara Obrig for the best oil painting by an American artist.
He joined the National Academy of Design in 1980.
In 1983, he was awarded a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators.
In 1988 he joined the Century Association.
In 2013, he won a gold medal at the annual Portrait Society of America, The Art of The Portrait International Conference. The Gold Medal is awarded to "individuals whose work has revolutionized the practice and influenced others". Reid also won The Purchase Award at the second Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolor Biennial Exhibition (also called Shanghai International Biennial Exhibition) in 2013.
He has been exhibited in major institutions including The Butler Institute of Fine Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Public collections
Reid's works are found:
Smith College, Friends gift of Ranger Fund
Brigham Young University Museum of Art (Utah) Yellowstone Art Museum Century Association Marketing Corp. of America National Academy of Design
Influences
Charles Reid was a pupil of Frank Reilly who was tutored by professor of drawing George Bridgman and by Franck-Vincent DuMond, both of whom were influenced and connected to the French academic style of the late 19th century. Reilly passed on these influences to Reid. Both Bridgman and DuMond had studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris and at the Académie Julian.
Reid received teachings based on the contributions of the great pictorial movements and his art is influenced by French impressionists like Edouard Manet, whose simplification of forms he appreciated. As Amanda Apostol said he also refers to the Nabis and particularly Edouard Vuillard, Pierre Bonnard, and Toulouse Lautrec, who Reid also counts among his favorite painters. He took from them the use of pure colors for half and midtones values, and the absence of a center of interest.
Reid was also influenced by American post-impressionists such as John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer and the more contemporary Fairfield Porter, Andrew Wyeth and Joan Mitchell.