Charles Munn

Sketching people and places is a natural, childlike thing. Yet, unlike most children, I couldn't give it up. I was captured by the form of a thing, which may explain an early interest in sculpting. A high school art teacher entered one of my pieces in a state art contest. To my great surprise, that poor little alabaster sculpt won a blue ribbon as well as a ticket to a traveling Van Gogh exhibit.
I was overwhelmed by Vincent's intense color and became driven to learn to paint. Although I didn't try to sell anything until my late twenties, the struggle was a wonderful, consuming obsession. The first painting I sold probably covered 5 or 6 less successful pieces. Even today if you buy one of my paintings, you may be getting layers of multiple works.
Early on I made a living doing other things, but the need to paint was always there. I even sold a few pieces while reluctantly flying with the 19th Air Commando's in Vietnam. Later in London I showed a few pieces in Wynn-Morgan's Master/Student exhibit in Earl's Court, London. Wynn-Morgan's patron, the Duchess of Bedford, opened the show, insuring good exposure. But most importantly, Wynn-Morgan, R.A. taught me how to avoid making mud. My color became purer and I moved on. At ...

Ball High School '52

University of Maryland `67