Charles Newman is a fine artist and craftsman whose passion for plein air painting is deeply rooted in his formal training and lifelong love of the outdoors. He earned his Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2008, after receiving a BFA in Painting from Rowan University in 2002. His studies also took him to Florence, Italy, where he explored painting and photography at the Scuola Lorenzo de’ Medici in 2001. Charles paints en plein air year-round, capturing fleeting light and atmosphere with a distinct sensitivity to place. Alongside his painting practice, he is a skilled artisan, working at Provenance in Philadelphia, where he specializes in architectural salvage and antique materials. He is widely recognized for his hand-crafted frames—many made from salvaged wood—and for his custom home restorations, blending creativity with craftsmanship. Newman’s work has been honored at plein air festivals across the East Coast. His recent accolades include First Place at Cape Ann Plein Air (2022), Second Place at Plein Air Easton (2019), and Best in Show at the Philadelphia Sketch Club’s 150th Annual Small Oil Painting Exhibition. His paintings were also featured in the August/September 2018 issue of Plein Air Magazine.Charles brings a unique perspective to plein air painting—where fine art and fine woodworking meet—offering viewers not only a window into a landscape, but also into the materials and soul of a place.