THE CW PORTFOLIO
About Charlie Westbrook
As an art professional for over 20 years, Charlie Westbrook (he/him) primarily invites viewers to feel power in a calm space.
As an American artist in the discipline of painting, Westbrook’s artistic blossoming may have been subconsciously planted by his late wife. (Name) being the mother of his two children, studied art voraciously and showered her family with this energy until her death over a short and unexpected diagnosis of cancer. During this time, Westbrook found himself having to readjust not only his physical life to support his family in ways he never expected to think about, he also had to find new ways to support his nervous system and groundedness.
This period of recalibration on various levels led him to develop his own relationship with painting and grounding through art. What started as art therapy for a spouse in the midst of losing his partner and a father showing up for two young beings navigating this unfortunate inevitably, evolved into a deeper exploration of his emotional resilience which led him to understand how painting helped him to transmute dense internal energy into powerful contemplations of what brings one a sense of self-actualized vitality through what we perceive as challenge.
When (name), passed into her next transition of life, Westbrook’s art naturally became darker as he explored his own grief surrounding this devastating loss. As Westbrook explored his feelings through various techniques such as impastos of paint, Westbrook found a particular voice by exploring what we are able to find in what appears to be “mess”.
“I LIKE ACTION and the EXPRESSION AND MESS. FROM THOSE, MY ART IS FOUND, LOST AND THEN FOUND AGAIN.”
For Westbrook, the magic of his paintings reveals itself through the process of exploration, and when viewing his paintings he aims to provide a mental space for viewers to embark on their own sifting of the “mess” that is presented. Being that Westbrook possesses a serene, easy going, and contemplative nature, we wants to people to receive their own sense of power, but without force, allowing the images to sink in on subconscious levels that allows latent emotions to surface, take up space, integrate, and transmute, which corresponds with divine order and our primal cyclic nature.
The evolution of paintings through time offered fertile ground for him to recognize the universal principles of divine timing and divine creation—especailly the act of allowing and pacing. Now remarried, his most concrete inspiration comes from this new connection to love, the growth of his daughters, and actively practicing grace as he raises them without their biological mother. His pride in their resolve after their loss, and the way they show up as well-rounded young people, is a reflection of his practice of grace, and being patient in the unfolding of events as opposed to tight-laced control.
He started showing his art in group exhibitions and has won awards at local Art Shows. Since 2017 he has shown consistent collection presentations at the Manchester Contemporary Gallery in Richmond, VA. With sights set on exploring emotions less through things and more through concepts, he looks forward to expanding his reach to inspire wider collective contemplation on themes surrounding, stewardship of life, developing our capacity for empathy, and exercising more grace as our global community seeks unity and peace.
Solo Exhibitions
World Wide Zoo, Manchester Contemporary Gallery
Richmond, VA 2025
App Store, Manchester Contemporary Gallery
Richmond, VA 2023
Station Identification, Manchester Contemporary Gallery
Richmond, VA 2021
Adverse Reaction, Manchester Contemporary Gallery
Richmond, VA 2017
Come and Get It, Gallery 251
Warrenton, VA 2010
All Things Bovine, Youngblood Art Studio
The Plains, VA 2008
Group Exhibitions
Piedmont Regional Art Show
Award Winner Painting Category 2016
Piedmont Regional Art Show
Award Winner Painting Category 2014
Art of the Piedmont,
Middleburg Community Center, Middleburg VA 2012
Satire & Despair, Youngblood Art Studio,
The Plains, VA 2008
Soul Food, Highland School
Warrenton, VA 2008