Charlene Collins Freeman

Watercolor & Mixed Media

Charlene was raised between Italy and the US, the new world and the old. She began painting and photographing in high school, and received her BFA in 1987. Since then, her artwork and photography have been exhibited in national competitions and received national awards, including several Best in Show honors. Charlene teaches drawing, painting, and the joy of sketchbooking locally and around the world. 

“I am a watercolorist, sketchbook addict, teacher and traveler. I have been painting and photographing for most of my life. I have intertwined photography and painting as ways of exploring and capturing the world around me. Both my photography and my painting are the result of the language of photorealism and the intrinsic qualities of watercolors. Intuitive choices, spontaneous gestures and detailed planning all need to come together to create fresh, interesting and technically strong work.

While my subjects and colors tend to be contemporary, the tone of my work is still and introspective. My work focuses on the pauses between our words and the scenes between our actions, as these represent the threads that connect us.

I have loved to create things with my hands as far back as I can remember. I have been a full-time artist ever since I realized that I could actually create a life doing what I love. That took some time to learn.”