Despite a lifelong interest in art, Bell never received any formal art training.[4] He claimed inspiration from Richard Diebenkorn and Wayne Thiebaud. He also worked in the San Francisco studio of Donald Timothy Flores, where he painted mostly small-scale landscapes and still lifes. He was given the Society of Western Artists Award in 1968. After moving to New York, Bell created his paintings by photographing a subject in still life.[4]
His primary subject matter was vintage toys, pinball machines, gumball machines, and dolls and action figures. By recreating Classical myths like the Judgement of Paris with action figures, Bell sought to bring pictorial majesty and wonder to the mundane.[5] Bell's work, created in his New York loft studio on West Broadway, is noted not only for the glass-like surface of his works, done largely in oil, but also for their significant scale. In 1995 he was included in the exhibition 'American Masters', curated by Michael McKenzie for the Museu d'Arte Moderne in São Paulo, along with Robert Indiana and Andy Warhol, two artists Bell admired. For the exhibit, Bell created a silkscreen print titled "The Viking" largely regarded as a masterpiece of the medium which required 51 plates, 11 proofings and 10 months to produce. Bell was featured in several solo exhibitions at the Louis K. Meisel Gallery in New York and the Hokin/Kaufman Gallery in Chicago.[5]
Personal lifeedit
Bell was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he graduated from Will Rogers High School in 1953. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1957, then served for two years in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant.[6] Bell lived in the San Francisco Bay Area after leaving the navy, and began his artistic activity in San Francisco. He moved to New York City in 1967 and set up his own studio.[4] Bell worked as an accountant and served as comptroller of the International Nickel Corporation until 1980. Thereafter, he was a full-time artist. He had exhibited his works as early as 1969 at the gallery owned by Louis K. Meisel.
Bell died in Manhattan, New York of lymphoma on April 1, 1995, at age 59. He had AIDS at the time of his death.[6] His partner of 22 years, interior decorator Willard K.H. Ching (1942 – January 14, 1992), had died of an AIDS-related illness three years earlier, in 1992.[7] They are buried alongside each other at Diamond Head Memorial Park, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, U.S.[8]
Legacyedit
After Bell's death, Louis K. Meisel of the Louis K. Meisel Gallery became the owner of all intellectual property rights to the body of art created by Charles Bell.[9]
According to art critic and historian, Henry Geldzaler, Bell's best works were in the pinball series. The New York Times quoted Geldzaler as saying, "...the artist's greatest achievement – visually, technically and technologically."[6]
^. Louis K. Meisel Gallery. Archived from the original on June 30, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
^. Meisel Gallery. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
External linksedit
Guggenheim article about Charles Bell
List of exhibits
Charles Bell, at wikiart.org
Wikiquote has quotations related to Charles Bell (painter).
Charles Bell June 30, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, at the Louis K. Meisel Gallery
April 04, 2024
charles, bell, painter, charles, bell, june, 1935, april, 1995, american, photorealist, created, large, scale, still, lifes, charles, bellcharles, bell, circus, silkscreen, paper, smithsonian, american, museum, 1995born, 1935, june, 1935, tulsa, oklahoma, unit. Charles Bell June 11 1935 April 1 1995 was an American photorealist who created large scale still lifes Charles BellCharles Bell Circus Act Silkscreen on Paper Smithsonian American Art Museum 1995Born 1935 06 11 June 11 1935 1 Tulsa Oklahoma United StatesDiedApril 1 1995 1995 04 01 aged 59 2 Manhattan New York City United StatesResting placeDiamond Head Memorial Park Honolulu Honolulu County Hawaii U S 3 EducationUniversity of Oklahoma Contents 1 Artistic career 2 Personal life 3 Legacy 4 Books 5 References 6 External linksArtistic career editDespite a lifelong interest in art Bell never received any formal art training 4 He claimed inspiration from Richard Diebenkorn and Wayne Thiebaud He also worked in the San Francisco studio of Donald Timothy Flores where he painted mostly small scale landscapes and still lifes He was given the Society of Western Artists Award in 1968 After moving to New York Bell created his paintings by photographing a subject in still life 4 His primary subject matter was vintage toys pinball machines gumball machines and dolls and action figures By recreating Classical myths like the Judgement of Paris with action figures Bell sought to bring pictorial majesty and wonder to the mundane 5 Bell s work created in his New York loft studio on West Broadway is noted not only for the glass like surface of his works done largely in oil but also for their significant scale In 1995 he was included in the exhibition American Masters curated by Michael McKenzie for the Museu d Arte Moderne in Sao Paulo along with Robert Indiana and Andy Warhol two artists Bell admired For the exhibit Bell created a silkscreen print titled The Viking largely regarded as a masterpiece of the medium which required 51 plates 11 proofings and 10 months to produce Bell was featured in several solo exhibitions at the Louis K Meisel Gallery in New York and the Hokin Kaufman Gallery in Chicago 5 Personal life editBell was born and raised in Tulsa Oklahoma where he graduated from Will Rogers High School in 1953 He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1957 then served for two years in the U S Navy as a lieutenant 6 Bell lived in the San Francisco Bay Area after leaving the navy and began his artistic activity in San Francisco He moved to New York City in 1967 and set up his own studio 4 Bell worked as an accountant and served as comptroller of the International Nickel Corporation until 1980 Thereafter he was a full time artist He had exhibited his works as early as 1969 at the gallery owned by Louis K Meisel Bell died in Manhattan New York of lymphoma on April 1 1995 at age 59 He had AIDS at the time of his death 6 His partner of 22 years interior decorator Willard K H Ching 1942 January 14 1992 had died of an AIDS related illness three years earlier in 1992 7 They are buried alongside each other at Diamond Head Memorial Park Honolulu Honolulu County Hawaii U S 8 Legacy editAfter Bell s death Louis K Meisel of the Louis K Meisel Gallery became the owner of all intellectual property rights to the body of art created by Charles Bell 9 Bell s works are housed in the collections of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont Texas The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum in New York the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D C and the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan among others 10 According to art critic and historian Henry Geldzaler Bell s best works were in the pinball series The New York Times quoted Geldzaler as saying the artist s greatest achievement visually technically and technologically 6 Books editHenry Geldzahler Charles Bell The Complete Works 1970 1990 1991 ISBN 0810931141 References edit Charles Bell geb 1935 RKD Retrieved March 25 2021 Charles Bell 60 Photo Realist Artist The New York Times April 8 1995 Retrieved March 25 2021 Property Map Diamond Head Memorial Park Retrieved March 25 2021 a b c Charles Bell Guggenheim Collection Online Retrieved March 25 2021 a b Charles S Bell Biography Charles S Bell on artnet artnet com Retrieved June 15 2019 a b c Charles Bell 60 Photo Realist Artist The New York Times April 8 1995 Retrieved March 25 2021 Willard Ching 50 A National Leader Of Interior Designers The New York Times January 16 1992 Retrieved March 25 2021 Diamond Head Memorial Park Charles Bell Louis K Meisel Gallery Archived from the original on June 30 2010 Retrieved March 25 2021 Charles Bell Meisel Gallery Archived from the original on January 16 2011 Retrieved July 7 2010 External links editGuggenheim article about Charles Bell List of exhibits Charles Bell at wikiart org nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Charles Bell painter Charles Bell Archived June 30 2019 at the Wayback Machine at the Louis K Meisel Gallery Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Bell painter amp oldid 1191195405, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
