Charlie Mackesy – so much more than an artist – but a damned good artist!
Irreverent, brave, self-assured but then … he is also kind, understanding, a good listener and can be bloody funny; he also has a curious desire to get naked at the sight of anything he can swim in!
I have not seen Charlie in many years but have followed his artistic career and watched it grow, morph, grow and then morph and so on.
Collectors of interest include ; Whoopi Goldberg, Roger Waters, Richard Curtis, The Murdoch Freuds, Tim Bevan, M.Night Shyamalan, Bear Grylls, Howard Goodall, Harry Enfield and Sting.
He is in discussion with a curator from The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York about a bronze cast of the Prodigal Son, but this is still in the early stages.
The man is, though, so much more than his art.
As his website explains: He co-runs Mama Buci which is a social enterprise in the Zambian copperbelt. 7000 families are given beehives and training to be beekeepers. The honey is then bought from them and sold in the UK. They are now harvesting 250 tons of ethical organic raw honey a year. This provides an income for thousands of families.
Charlie is an atheist turned evangelist. He speaks to an audience as if you are in an intimate setting and it is just the two of you and, as he would put it, the promise of a loving Daddy, wanting to share your life as any doting father would.
I knew Charlie quite well when he was doing his series depicting the experiences and atmosphere he was so enamoured with in New Orleans. He faced some seriously painful stages as he felt he had to repetitively unlearn and then learn again; it was this process which gives the great depth which is a signature of his art.
This depth of feeling and passion he manages to exude are done scant justice on a computer screen.
I encourage you to meander through the archives of his work and see some of the richness of the man as well as his art.
All images are ©Charlie Mackesy. All right reserved.
Please visit the Charlie Mackesy website
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When you vote for witnesses, think about someone less obvious:
Listed at No. 53 is @timcliff, not even appearing on the list because you can only see to number 50. You have to write his name in the box! One for the scutineers. @timcliff is a really good steemmate of mine, a very trustworthy and dependable guy who thinks for himself and for you.
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What a powerful article, person and art! thank you so very much, I wasn't aware of his existence yet. It is going to be shared among my artists friends. The honey idea rings profoundly within me and it is great to read the description of how he developed the business. Awesome!!! All for one and one for all!!! Namaste :)
What kind words - I knew Charlie quite well and he is a lovely bloke who is very vulnerable to his artform. I am fortunate to have one of his monochrome watercolours from a while back.
Thank you for your comments and I hope to bring more of this ilk!
Namaste!
You are so blessed, not only far having had the chance of sharing time and space with him, but for having one of his piece in your "collection". All for one and one for all! Namaste :)
His work is amazing. This one blew me away:
I thought you might enjoy it! He is one of the most eminent artists in the UK today - his client list is pretty impressive. He is also a very nice guy! If the Metropolitan are considering that bronze, he must be up there!
Thank you for the kind remarks!
No problem. I love finding new art:)
Same here. The way he delivers light is total Caravaggio style. Amazing!
Yes:)
I just realized that you're the famous @cryptofriend ! The one and only :) Well it's about time I follow you, since you seem to like art. No art, no life. Period. Cheers mate!
:)
Great article Ed. Thank you for making me discover Charlie! Upvoted, resteemed and I am following you now.
Thank you so much @jankasparec - very kind words - I was actually in London when he was learning all the layering techniques - he was in Florence then Russia then the US and he was being torn from within as he wrestled with it all - the results speak for themselves - the paintings ar obviously quite different when you see the real thing with any artist but especially so with this layering - extraordinary - I do actually have one of his watercolours from that time!
Thanks again and have a great weekend
Lucky you @ebryans I'd love to have his original too. I'm a pro artist too, so I could not agree with you more- a picture of art can never depict the original truthfully. Also- an original HAS ENERGY coming from it, a real tangible field of living energy, reflecting the artist's intent besides other things. Picture has only infinite fraction of it. I like seeing that face and reaction of people when they walk in my studio for the first time, after only seeing photos :) The "wows" and smiles, even sometimes tears, speak volumes. So it looks like Charlie is your personal friend Ed! Lucky you bro! Yes layering is not easy but worth all the efforts. Never ending school of life, that's what painting is for me.
You have a new follower. I like you art :-)
Thank you so much for replying and your kind words - he is a very good man, as well as one of England's pre-eminent artists - in Oprah, Sting et al, he has a good following.
Have a great weekend
That is some beautiful work!