Charles Curtis
Artist Statement
Charles Curtis is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores thought, vulnerability, identity, emotional honesty, and human connection through expressive abstraction. Using fragmented figures, layered textures, handwritten phrases, color, symbolism, and improvisational mark-making, he creates what he describes as “Purpose Art” — intentional work designed to speak to people in deeply personal and reflective ways. His creative process balances structure with spontaneity. While many pieces begin with a conceptual idea, Charles Curtis embraces “happy accidents” as an essential part of creation, allowing unexpected marks, colors, splatters, and shifts in direction to shape the final work. This tension between control and release mirrors the emotional themes present throughout his art. Rooted in influences ranging from graffiti, poetry, hip-hop culture, cartoons, comedy, and 80s/90s visual aesthetics to everyday conversations and internal reflection, his work invites viewers to confront the thoughts, fears, hopes, and emotional contradictions that quietly shape their lives. His current series, Thoughts That Make Sense (JUSTBe Part 1), examines the power of internal dialogue and the ways people wrestle with self-worth, healing, growth, fear, and becoming. Through emotionally intentional storytelling and symbolic visual language, Charles Curtis aims to create experiences where audiences feel seen, challenged, inspired, and connected — not only to the work itself, but also to themselves.
Venues
