This biography from the Archives of AskART:
|  Out of the struggles of the Great Depression, Charles W. Thwaites
(1904-2002) rose to prominence as a muralist and leading portraitist in
Wisconsin. An active exhibitor in hundreds of local, regional, and
national art exhibitions, he won awards and critical acclaim from New
York to California.
Thwaites began his career straddling the cultural demands for a truly
American art while being lured to the formalism of European modernism
and the freedom of expression it espoused. When he moved to New Mexico
in the 1950s, he found camaraderie with the Taos Moderns, going on to
create sophisticated abstractions that synthesized his personal
response with universal emotions.
In this first examination of Thwaites' biography and oeuvre, examples
of his Wisconsin and New Mexico paintings are put into the context of
American art. Also included are numerous excerpts from his writings,
which are profound observations on the meaning of art and the goals of
an artist who authentically responds to his inner spirit.
Freedom of expression, underpinned by a disciplined study of nature,
art history, and the self, were the raison d'etre of this artist who
disdained being labeled or placed in a category. As he noted, "There
are 1,000 ways to paint, why limit yourself to one manner? It is of no
importance whether a picture is 'modern,' 'academic,' or what have you.
Is it good art, is it bad painting, or is it just indifferent? To
understand yourself--to understand your personal philosophy--is to
understand your likes and dislikes in an organized way."
Source:
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Charles-W-Thwaites-Expression/
The Art of Charles W. Thwaites by Susan Hallsten McGarry
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