Charmaine West

The arts have been a part of Charmaine's life as long as she can remember, but only after retirement have circumstances allowed her to focus her energy so intensely. Having attended classes at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Illinois State University and various workshops around the country allowed her to develop her skills. She began the pursuit of a lifetime dream on a parttime basis. A few years after giving up her nursing career altogether she put her efforts toward her art work.

Charmaine had her paintings displayed at the McLean County Art Center and was in partnership with a group of artists who opened the Waterfront Art Gallery of Peoria, Illinois. She has participated in many shows, including the Lexington Taste of Country Art Show, and Sugar Creek Art Festival in Normal, Illinois. She was a member of the Illinois Art League for many years and participated in many of the Illinois Art League sponsored shows including, the Metro Centre Art Show in Peoria Illinois. She has received several awards in artistic competition. Charmaine works in pastel, oil, and watercolor, but her love of pastel drives her in that direction most of the time.

She now resides in Savannah, Georgia where she has fallen in love with the landscape. In Savannah she has had her works represented and sold at the gallery in The Landings on Skidaway Island and in the Savannah Art Association Gallery,. Her areas of specialty include portraiture and landscape, but she also does commission work of the client's choice.