Charles Burt (b. 1970) is from both Detroit, Michigan and Arlington, Texas. After high school he joined the Army to serve as an Armor Crewman where he crafted the Army Values and technical manuals into tools of self-expression. Charles served in several combat areas and as both a recruiter and a drill sergeant during his career.

After 20 years of active duty service Charles retired from the Army, but he had a tough time adjusting to an easygoing civilian culture. He picked up his pencils again and soon branched out into watercolors and acrylics. Seeking a way to connect with other disciplined and dedicated people, he found that many artists he met shared his work ethic and a strong drive to succeed. From this spark of connection with motivated artists, Charles started taking art courses at the local community college and then went on to complete five years of intensive fine art atelier training at Gage Academy of Art in Seattle. Under the instruction of Juliette Aristides and Tenaya Sims, he felt at home among disciplined artists who were dedicated to their craft. During his last two years of atelier training, Charles began his series of paintings titled “Seven Army Values.” These pieces are his invitation for civilians to find new ways of thinking about military service.

About a year after retiring from the Army, Charles developed a tremor in his dominant hand and was later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Painting fine art pieces while battling a tremor is another challenge that he faces head-on. Charles hopes his art and his life story inspire other veterans to work toward their own goals even after they leave the supportive structures of the military.

Charles currently serves as the Veterans Art Coordinator for Lakewold Gardens Veterans Art Center biweekly group painting sessions in Lakewood, Washington. To find out more, go to https://lakewoldgardens.org/veteransartcenter/

CV

Awards

2022

Third place, Monotheism (triptych oil on canvas), Invitational Group Exhibition, The Power of Realism: Stories from the soul - Students of the Aristides Atelier, Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA. https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/power-of-realism

Curator of Education Choice, Duty (oil on canvas), Invitational Group Exhibition, The Power of Realism: Stories from the soul - Students of the Aristides Atelier, Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA. https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/power-of-realism

Curator’s Invitation, Loyalty (oil on canvas), Invitational Group Exhibition, The Power of Realism: Stories from the soul - Students of the Aristides Atelier, Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA. https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/power-of-realism

2021

Bronze medal, Duty (oil on linen), Special Disabilities Category, National Veteran Creative Arts Competition, St Petersburg, FL

First place and Best of Show, Duty (oil on linen), Special Disabilities Category, VA Puget Sound Creative Arts Competition, Lakewood, WA

2020

Gold medal, Respect (oil on linen), Oil Painting Category, National Veteran Creative Arts Competition (virtual).

Gold medal, Nikita (oil on linen), Special Disabilities Category, National Veteran Creative Arts Competition (virtual).

First place, Sword and Shield (charcoal on toned paper), Monochromatic Category, VA Puget Sound Creative Arts Competition, Lakewood, WA

2019

Silver medal, Homecoming (oil on linen), Oil Painting Category, National Veteran Creative Arts Competition, Kalamazoo, Michigan

2018

Gamblin Painters Scholarship Award

2016

Cherry Tinker Art Award, Pierce College Foundation,
Lakewood, WA. https://www.pierce.ctc.edu/slam-awards

2015

Outstanding Student Award, Pierce College Arts and
Humanities Department, Lakewood, WA

2014

Honorable Mention, Juried Group Exhibition, Pierce
College, Lakewood, WA

Exhibitions

2023

Invitational Group Exhibition, Collector’s Cabinet, Tacoma Community College Art Gallery, Tacoma, WA. https://www.tacomacc.edu/tcc-life/arts-culture/the-art-gallery

2022

Invitational Group Exhibition, Best of Gage Annual Student Exhibition: Socially Engaged Category, Gage Academy of Art - Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA. https://gageacademy.org/exhibition-details.php?id=30

Invitational Group Exhibition, The Power of Realism: Stories from the soul - Students of the Aristides Atelier, Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA. https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/power-of-realism

2021

Invitational Group Exhibition, Searching for beauty: artist views through the lens of 2020/2021, Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA. https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/searching-for-beauty

2020

Solo Exhibition, Corina Bakery, Tacoma, WA

Solo Exhibition, Mystic Sanctuary, Lakewood, WA

Online Juried Exhibition, Exploring the Influence of Women, Maryhill Museum of Art,
https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/the-influence-of-women-with-aristides-atelier

Invitational Group Exhibition, Spitting Image, Gage Academy of Art, Seattle, WA

2019

Solo Exhibition, Puget Sound Revels, Pantages Theatre, Tacoma, WA

Group Exhibition, Holidaze Art Market­­­, Steele Gallery, Seattle, WA

Invitational Group Exhibition, Works on Paper: Drawing Reality, Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA

Group Exhibition, Post-Gage Society, Caffe Vita, Capitol Hill Seattle, WA

Group Exhibition, Aristides Atelier Annual Exhibition, Steele Gallery, Seattle, WA

2018

Invitational Group Exhibition, Atelier Process & Painting, Maryhill Museum of Art, Goldendale, WA

Group Exhibition, Aristides Atelier Annual Exhibition, Steele Gallery, Seattle, WA

2017

Group Exhibition, Aristides Atelier Annual Exhibition, Steele Gallery, Seattle, WA

2016

Juried Group Exhibition, Pierce College, Lakewood, WA

Juried Group Exhibition, Sugar & Spice, Tacoma Community College Art Gallery, Tacoma, WA

Student Literary Arts Magazine (SLAM), Medusa (watercolor on paper), Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, WA

Student Literary Arts Magazine (SLAM), Eastern State Penitentiary (acrylic on canvas), Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, WA

2015

Student Literary Arts Magazine (SLAM), Baltimore Flowers (acrylic on canvas), Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, WA

Student Literary Arts Magazine (SLAM), Buster (graphite on paper), Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, Lakewood, WA

Media

2022

Begasse, Tami. “VA Puget Sound Veteran artists continue streak as national medal winners!” VA Puget Sound Health Care System Public Affairs, February 16, 2022. https://www.va.gov/puget-sound-health-care/stories/va-puget-sound-veteran-artists-continue-streak-as-national-medal-winners/

2021

Begasse, Tami. “VA Puget Sound announces 2021 Arts Competition winners and interactive, virtual artist gallery,” VA Puget Sound Health Care System Public Affairs, December 14, 2021. https://www.va.gov/puget-sound-health-care/stories/va-puget-sound-announces-2021-arts-competition-winners-and-interactive-virtual-artist-gallery/

Burt, Charles and Laura. StoryCorps Military Voices Interview. May 10, 2021. https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/charles-burt-and-laura-burt/

“Bravo Section on Patrol.” From the Green Notebook, March 19, 2021. https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/03/19/bravo-section-on-patrol/

“Respect.” From the Green Notebook, January 29, 2021.
https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/01/29/respect/

2020

Artist Showcase – 2020 NVCA Competition Gold Medal Artwork. National Veterans Creative Arts Festival At Home. 1 Dec, 2020.

Hinton, Nick, and Sellick, Ryan. “Charles Burt.” Forging Flame podcast, Episode 21, 11 Oct 2020. https://www.forgingflame.com/ep-21-charles-burt/

Clapp, Nicole. American Legion Auxiliary National Presidential Note Card Artwork, “Respect,” 2020-2021.

Begasse, Tami. “VA Puget Sound Veterans take 11 medals
in national.” VA Puget Sound Health Care System Public Affairs, July 10, 2020.
https://www.pugetsound.va.gov/features/VA_Puget_Sound_Veterans_take_11_medals_in_national.asp

2019

Heuer, Friderike. “A soldier’s journey.” Oregon Artswatch, November 25, 2019.
https://www.orartswatch.org/a-soldiers-journey/

2016

Hensin, Caleb. “Combating disease with art.” Pierce Pioneer News, June 8, 2016.

Education

2021-2022

Tenaya Sims Imaginative Realism Atelier, Gage Academy of Art, Seattle, WA

2016-2020

Juliette Aristides Classical Atelier, Gage Academy of Art, Seattle, WA

2014-2015

Associate of Arts, Pierce College, Lakewood, WA