Charles Casnel
Fascinating, vibrant, and colorful are the words that best describe the artwork of Atlanta-based fine artist Charles Casnel. Whether it is watercolors, acrylics, or charcoals, Casnel creates art from his soul that he describes as life sketches. Much like photography, Casnel likes to capture scenes from life and re-create them using color and depth to give them movement and feeling. Some of his favorite artists include Charles White, Henry O'Tanner, Michelangelo, and Salvador Dali. Even as a child, Casnel has always been passionate about art. Traveling with his family all over the United States and Europe, his childhood was filled with many experiences and cultures. His love of drawing and painting grew into a true passion after visiting major museums in Europe. As a budding artist, he won several awards even before graduating from high school.
College exposed Casnel to a broader world of art. After graduating from the Atlanta College of Art with a degree in fine art, Casnel worked closely with a designer who created home accents, which enabled Casnel to learn how a successful fine craft business operates. Since then, he has been commissioned for several pieces and sold many of his original watercolor and charcoal works.
Casnel has developed a unique style as an artist. Much of his body of work consists of children, adults, commissioned portraits, and scenes of everyday life. His use of intense color and layering is impressive. When asked how he chooses his palette, he says, "My use of color is completely spontaneous. There are so many colors in just the human face, there isn't white or black, there are reds, yellows, oranges...I use color by feeling."