Charlotte's artistic inspirations come from Greek mythology, Cezanne, Leger's modern abstractionism, and neo-Primitivist representations of the people of Papua New Guinea

Cezanne, Apples, and Léger

Charlotte Gilbertson - My Biography

Post WWII, Paris and the GI Bill, and New York:
I enlisted in the Armed Forces during WWII as a psychiatric social worker, stationed in New York and in Georgia. After the war, I had access to the G.I. Bill of Rights, as did many of the brave men and women of my generation. I used it to promote my education. I graduated from Boston University’s School of Fine Arts in 1948 and then moved to New York to be among notable artists. New York City was brimming over with abstract expressionist painters at the time, but I was more interested in a "constructive design" not found in America. I needed to develop a stronger sense of "design" in my work, to engage "the new" and "the modern".

I went off to Paris in 1949 on an artistic quest, fascinated by Cezanne's rendering of the Provençal apple. I studied "le dessin" under the French artist Fernand Léger at his Paris atelier. My study with Léger was important. I found a master and what I sought in Léger. (1) (He jokingly referred to me as "la petite marine", or "the little sailor", because I wore dungarees, which was unusual for women at the time). Before studying with him, I could not imagine how Cézanne had painted an object that looked like an apple but was unlike any apple that I had ever seen. After working with him, I developed the insight needed to bring "design" to a canvas.

Once I had begun to master the thought patterns I desired for my own work, I returned to New York City in 1951, where I lived for several years. I found employment in an array of diverse positions to sustain myself through many years in New York City. During the winters, I worked; during the summers, I painted. This seasonal cycle of employment and painting lasted from 1951 to 1974 and again from 1977 to 1979. From 1962 to 1974, I most notably worked as an assistant director and, later, as director of The Alexander Iolas Gallery in New York City. (The gallery no longer exists in Manhattan, but it was primarily known for showing Max Ernst, René Magritte and other Surrealists (2).) Through the Iolas Gallery, I met and befriended Andy Warhol and appeared in his 1964 film, "Kiss").

World Travel and my Travels, Interrupted:
In 1976, I took a polar route around the world, following the sun, and spent over a year traveling the world, visiting Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Bali, Burma, India, Nepal, the Middle East, Turkey and Greece. I also revisited much of Europe, including a special trip to the North Cape and a tour of Finland, Sweden and Norway. My excursions were curtailed in 1980, when I returned home to take care of my parents until their natural deaths.

World Travels Resumed, New Artistic Influences:
In 1990, I resumed my travels to many other countries, including Belize and
Tikal. I also spent a considerable amount of time in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Australia, as well as Bali, India and Nepal. My explorations in Nepal include treks of the Annapurna Circuit and safaris by elephant in Nepal's Chitwan National Park. I spent time in Tibet, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, ending my journeys in Western Europe with extended time in Paris and London before returning home.

Charlotte Now:
I am still an active painter, working with mixed media and doing small works on paper and canvas. I have done a number of line drawings and a number of series of works on paper. I completed a series of work of my memory-impressions of Papua New Guinea, 50" x 72". I have also completed a series of work on wood panels, employing gold leaf and other mixed media.

Associations and Clubs:

Literary Pursuits:
In October 1998, I wrote a book, "Papua New Guinea: Lik Lik Hap" about my excursions with the Maori people of Papua New Guinea. I am presently revising of a book of my impressions of Japan as a woman traveling on her own. I also have started another book titled, "P.K" (preacher's kid), which will be a biography of my own formative experiences.

Contact: BCGFineArt@aol.com

1. In 1952, a pair of Léger murals was installed in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations headquarters in New York, New York. Some of Léger's works are found at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City. In November of 2003, his painting, La femme en rouge et vert sold for $22,407,500 USD, and his sculptures have been selling in excess of 8 million dollars.

2. Opened by the French artist himself, the Alexander Iolas Gallery was located near 15 E. 55th Street in Manhattan, New York City. A host of international expatriate artists and avant-garde artists of the '60s and early '70s were invited to display their work there. Some of these artists include William Copley, Robert Matta, Edward Ruscha, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Harold Stevenson, a friend of Andy Warhol.