Charlene Will, Artist Statement

Charlene’s paintings inhabit her love of wilderness areas of California and the west. Here, she finds something bigger than herself, and an endless source of wisdom, beauty, and awe. Her paintings reflect these experiences, and her passion for painting color, light, and form.

A lifelong oil painter and artist, she blends traditional oil painting methods with a loose, spontaneous hand acquired over the years. Strong brush and palette knife work lay a foundation for a lively surface, with transparent glazes and unexpected use of color revealing qualities of light specific to the day.

Her process begins in the field, creating sketches and taking photos. Returning to her studio, she works on recalling the day, her memory and perceptions of her experience. Her paintings are intimate and familiar to her audience, often stirring their own life experiences. 

Charlene began painting full-time again in 2022, after leaving a long and fulfilling career in graphic design and art direction. She and her family spend a good deal of time traveling, hiking and exploring remote places in and out of the state. She lives with her husband, dog, and cat, in Oakland, California, and works in her backyard studio amongst a bevy of birds, trees, and squirrels.