CHARLES WILDER Oakes

atwood Oakes Fine Art

This Old Place, Port Clyde, Maine - Early work by Charles Wilder Oakes - Circa 1980s

Watercolor and Wash on Heavy Watercolor Paper  20 x 15 - Frame Size 24 x 29

Early Pen & Ink and Wash on heavy watercolor paper - 1980's

Museum Quality Framing 2018

The Artist was born in Rockland, Maine on August 8th 1956, and raised in the nearby fishing village of Port Clyde, where generations of his family made their living from the sea. Located at the southern end of the St. George Peninsula, surrounded by the sea, with Monhegan Island a scant 9 miles offshore, Port Clyde has always been a world of it's own.

The likes of Robert Henri, Rockwell Kent and three generations of the Wyeth family have all passed through on their way to Monhegan or settled nearby. The fact that Andrew Wyeth was often in town was not lost on the young artist. His Uncle, Walter Anderson, was one of Wyeth's closest friends and one of his most notable models.

William Thon, a contemporary of Andrew Wyeth, who had settled here in the 1940s, recognized Oakes' ability at an early age and was a mentor.

Charles Oakes is seen as a poetic folk artist that paints what he loves, the symbols of his childhood home, heritage and family. He has steadfastly followed his muse for over 25 years. His work has consistently broken new ground, expanding both his range and his audience. His appeal is largely that his works are both naïve and sophisticated at the same time.

The Artist has exhibited his work extensively in Maine including with the Portland Museum of Art, Farnsworth Art Museum, Hobe Sound Gallery, The University of Maine, The State House In Augusta, Bowdoin College, Maine Coast Artists, Barn Gallery in Ogunquit, The Exhibitions: Significant Artist's In Maine and with many Fine Art Galleries in Maine.

The Artist's paintings are represented in many collections both private and corporate.

Port Clyde, Maine







Charles Wilder Oakes - Church Owls - 12 x 12 Oil on Board

Charles Wilder Oakes - CAT NAP
Watercolor on Paper 22 x 29 - Frame Size 31 x 38
Museum Quality Framing 2018

"Dead of Maine winter - wind blowing nor'east - a restless sea nearby.  Window pane rattles - snow dusts under the jamb. The old range sparks cheerful approval consuming last springs biscuit wood while a kerosene flame casts its flickering glow. Old friends peer into the night, sleepy-eyed, mindful of their own dreams - the moment soon passes, the evening, and the winter..

Images are copyright protected and all rights are reserved by the Artist