Biography for Charles Bartlett RWS RE ARCA (1921 - 2014)

Background

Charles Bartlett (born 1921 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire) is widely recognised as one of Britain’s most accomplished watercolour artists and printmakers. For many years he has lived and worked in North Essex, a landscape that has profoundly shaped his artistic vision. He was married for many years to fellow artist Olwen Jones, and his early training as a painter‑etcher began at the Eastbourne School of Art before he progressed to the Royal School of Art.

Career

Bartlett’s career includes a distinguished record of teaching and professional recognition. In 1960 he became a lecturer at Harrow School of Art; in 1961 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter‑Printmakers; and in 1970 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Watercolour Society. From 1987 to 1992 he served as President of the Royal Watercolour Society, one of the most respected positions in British watercolour painting.

Exhibitions

His work has been exhibited widely, with solo shows at leading galleries including the Walker Gallery in London, Oldham Art Gallery, Bohun Gallery in Henley‑on‑Thames, and a major retrospective at Bankside Gallery, London. He has also been a featured artist at the Royal Watercolour Society. His paintings and prints are held in numerous public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, the Arts Council of Great Britain, and the National Gallery of South Australia, among many others.

Inspiration

Bartlett is celebrated for his masterful watercolours and expressive printmaking, a talent he has honed over nearly eight decades. From an early age he knew he wanted to be an artist, and throughout his long career he has remained true to his own artistic language, resisting trends and fashions in favour of a deeply personal response to the landscape.

When asked about the inspiration behind his work, Bartlett simply explains: “I love the light in East Anglia, the flat landscape and the estuaries which provide big skies and ever‑changing colours.” This fascination with the shifting moods of sea and sky permeates his paintings, giving them their distinctive freshness, boldness, and emotional resonance.

A keen sailor, Bartlett has a profound respect for the sea and an intimate understanding of its many forms. Drawn to river estuaries, reed‑beds, and the unique light of the Essex and Suffolk coastlines, he captures not just the appearance of these places but their poetry, atmosphere, and sense of space. His work reflects the dynamic interplay of land, water, and weather — elements that harmonise or collide in endlessly changing combinations.

Influenced by artists such as Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland, Walter Sickert, and Edgar Degas, Bartlett brings together a rich artistic heritage with his own distinctive vision. His paintings celebrate the drama and serenity of the natural world, offering viewers a powerful sense of place and a deep appreciation of the East Anglian landscape.