Dennis
18 x 24 in.
Oil on panel
Available through the artist
A love of travel takes Charles David Alexander, his wife Suzanne, and dog Harley, out on the road several times every year. Hiking outdoors, wandering through old town streets, or camping in the middle of the desert provide fuel for his creative mind. Near the end of the day on a family outing to watch for feeding dolphins, Charles snapped a photo that reflected the leisurely feeling onboard the boat. With ideas of painting always on his mind, he captured the subject of this portrait, Dennis, with a trademark grin reflecting both the energy of the afternoon sun and the general joviality of the group.
Painting is one of many creative endeavors Charles enjoys. Before he picked up a paintbrush however, he was a successful musician and pilot who eventually retired as a police detective. As a musician, he performed as a side man on the Grand Ole Opry stage in the 1970s and won the Walnut Valley Festival National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship in 1992. His flying résumé includes everything from crop duster to airline pilot, and as detective, he became an expert in the field of computer forensics. While these diverse career choices may seem incongruent, the common denominator is a desire to become expert in each pursuit.
Primarily self-taught, Charles enjoys painting still life and landscapes but he particularly enjoys capturing that special something that uniquely identifies his portrait subjects. Dennis was featured at ArtFields 2020 in Lake City, SC, and another portrait, Cheers!, was accepted into the Oil Painters of America 2020 National Juried Exhibition. His paintings are in many private residences throughout the U.S. and current works can frequently be seen at The PAPA Gallery in Paducah, KY. He is a member of the Paducah Area Painters Alliance, Oil Painters of America and the Portrait Society of America.
See more of Charles’ work at his website, Facebook or Instagram pages, or contact him at 901.517.6001 or [email protected].