"When we speak of Nature it is wrong to forget that we are ourselves a part of Nature. We ought to view ourselves with the same curiosity and openness with which we study a tree, the sky or a thought, because we too are linked to the entire universe". (Henri Matisse)

This story begins far from the world of Henri Matisse, but remains deeply connected to it.　 When we published the first edition of Bassman Magazine last June, we began to receive mail. Tons of it. We received pictures of bass, pictures of people catching bass, pictures of boats, and hundreds of letters of support.　 One package stood out, however. It was a thick, brown envelope and the address was handwritten. Was it a lure? Was it a hat? No. It was a note from Charles or Chuck Weiss (see photo), a local Canadian artist whose art ranges from beautiful paintings of bass, walleye and other species, to wood carvings of large and small mouth bass. He has even immortalized Bob Izumi as a wooden bass (see photo). "I've always been interested in creating and expressing fish in some kind of painting or carving.　 The fish as a subject are a source of many images in my mind", says Weiss.

His unique skills and talent are evident in the work he does, in its attention to detail and blending of colours and textures.　 But where does one acquire a love and knack for both the artistic media of carving and painting, and fishing?　 Is it nature (inherited) or nurture (learned from his background and upbringing)? 　Nature or nurture? What makes the artists of our time? It’s both, of course. 　As with any artist, one begins to peel back the layers of creativity by looking to his formative years and his genetic background.　 As to "nature", Charles grew up the son of a carpenter, a trade which blends the creative and the constructive. As Weiss explains, "My father is a retired carpenter, and he introduced me to a variety of tools for carving and what wood to select to easily carve fish".

However, while Weiss was introduced to the medium of wood by his father and comes by his inherent artistic talents naturally, his upbringing and the environment played a key role as well.　 "Of course as a young boy , I went fishing with my family. The Kawartha Lakes and Georgian Bay was the place where I discovered ways to catch bass or panfish"..　 Weiss continues, "My experiences while fishing are a great thing for me as an artist. It allows me to make accurate observations. This is where my ideas for most paintings begin. Also, snorkelling in clear waters with a waterproof camera allows me to record the underwater environment".

Throughout high school and later college Charles honed his artistic interests and talents. For example, in high school he worked on a largemouth bass sculpture of 30 inches in length.　 Around that time he also started a part-time fish taxidermy business.　 With Styrofoam he would carve accurate forms of the fish’s bodies preserving the fishes shape.　 He later graduated from Sheridan College with a diploma in Illustration. He entered and won several first place ribbons, including in the Chrysler Search for Canadian Wildlife Artist Contest.　 That contest was sponsored by Ontario Out of Doors magazine which soon began publishing some of his sport fish drawings. In 1990 his artwork graced the cover of the Summer issue of Canadian Sport fishing, his first full colour cover.

All of this does not come easy. His attention to detail is impeccable.　 An example is his acrylic painting titled "Easy Pick-up", featuring a crayfish being chased by a smallmouth bass (see photo).　 Charles remembers taking endless reference photographs of bass and crayfish at the Toronto Sportsman Show fishing water tank display. 　This focus epitomizes Weiss’s work. "Accuracy is very important when creating sport fish artwork. During the past 15 years several art directors at magazines would express delight with my paintings. They liked the accurate fin ray count and quality of colouration and markings." Count Bassman Magazine among his growing fan base.

So what does the future hold for Charles (Chuck) Weiss? Well, check out the two cartoons in Bassman Magazine this month. And stay tuned, Charles has certainly got our attention.　 To borrow from Matisse, we need to remember that we are ourselves a part of Nature. Whether a tree, the sky or a largemouth bass, we too are linked to the entire universe, perhaps now more than ever. Charles Weiss can be contacted at: www.charlesweissart.com/contact.html

By Angela Kane

Charles Weiss
34 Hughey Crescent
Toronto Ontario
M1K 2V4

416 752 4363

charlesweiss@mail2chuck.com
www.charlesweisart.com
www.caricature.org

 

WORK HISTORY
1993 to present: self-employed freelance artist
1990 to 1993: Autotrader Magazine 

EDUCATION
1986 to 1989: Sheridan College A.A.T.

 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2005-2009: painted Muskoka chairs in support of the annual Garden Art Auction fundraiser for Neilson Park Creative Centre
2008: Artist-in-residence at Sandbanks Provincial Park (Summer)
2006-2008: painted fish images on break wall at Vermilion Bay Town Dock (August each year)
2005: organized and contributed to a three-person show at Neilson Park Art Centre
2003-2005: helped organize Muskies Canada events and exhibits
2000/2001: Artist-in-residence at the HarbourKids Creative Arts Camp (Summer)
2000: designed and painted two moose for Toronto’s Outdoor Art Moose-eum
1999: short listed for the City of Waterloo’s Millennium Legacy Mural Project
1998/1999: sidewalk promotional painting for Royal Ontario Museum and British Airways
1998-2000: published, designed, and solicited advertisers for The Roncesvalles Voice and the West Mall Banner, community newspapers

RECENT CLIENTS

Magazines and Newspapers
Bassman, Ontario Out of Doors, The Canadian Fly Fisher, Gray’s Sporting Journal, Musky Hunter, Real Fishing, Dogs in Canada, Storyteller, Vallum, Cottage Life, United Church Observer, Ryerson Review of Journalism, The Toronto Star, Globe and Mail

 Corporate
P C O Services Inc., Gage Learning Corporation, International African Mining Gold Corporation, Fairmont Hotels, Honda Canada, Nelson Education Canada

 Other
American Fisheries Association, Kawartha Fisheries Association, Muskies Canada, Heavy Metal Lures, Canadian Peregrine Foundation, Quinte Conservation Authority

 EXHIBITIONS
2009 Solo Exhibit, Framing Dames, Toronto
2008 Muskoka Place Gallery, Port Carling
2007/2008 Solo Exhibit, Reba’s Café, Toronto
2006-2009 Jimmy Hatz Cookhouse, Raymond
2001 to 2009: Spring Fishing and BoatShow, Toronto
2005 Nature of Spring at Neilson Park Creative Centre, Toronto
2002: Art in the Park, Oakville
2001: Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto
2000/2001: Bon Echo Art Exhibition and Sale, Bon Echo Provincial Park