Designer Profile: Charles Wysocki (by son, Matt Wysocki)

Charles Wysocki was born in 1928 in Detroit, Michigan. From the time he was a little tot, he always wanted to be an artist. For a time he worked as an apprentice in Detroit art studios. After completing a stint in the Army, Charles attended the Art Center in Los Angeles, majoring in design and advertising illustration. He then formed an advertising agency with three other artists called “Group West” and was very successful doing freelance commercial artwork. Then he met my mother, Elizabeth, and she unleashed the primitive artist that was buried within him.

In the early 1960’s, my father worked as a commercial artist by day, but his heart was in the primitive style. At night and on the weekends, he worked on his Americana/primitive paintings. Finally, he decided to leave commercial art for good and just focus on his Americana art. In 1972 my father started his relationship with AMCAL and together they published the first Americana Calendar. In 1979, Charles published his first limited edition print “Fox Run” with The Greenwich Workshop. He produced numerous prints with them from 1979-1993. Charles won many awards for his work including one he is most proud of, receiving the medal of honor from the Daughters of the American Revolution, the society’s highest national honor. He also published two books during this time, “An American Celebration” in 1985 and “Heartland” in 1993. 

From 1994-1999, Charles produced some of his most treasured pieces: four in the cat series (Mabel, Maggie, Max and Elmer and Loretta) as well as such pieces as Olde Bucks County and Hound of the Baskervilles. Charles painted his whole life, and up to his death at the age of 73 in 2002. His last paintings are true masterpieces in every sense.

PaintWorks is proud to include two of Charles’ designs in our line: Too Pooped (right) and Frederick the Literate (above).