CHARLES DAWE , Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Artist - 1923 - 2012
My husband, Arthur, and I first saw Dawe’s work when St. Francis Xavier University’s art department held an important exhibition of a roomful of Dawe’s wonderful paintings. — We were extremely impressed and bought three of his pictures. My husband, also a lifelong and dedicated artist decided to get in touch with Dawe and ask if he could travel to Sydney, Cape Breton and paint with him. Dawe said . . . “Sure, come on up”, so for quite a long time after that, Arthur would drive up to Cape Breton to spend the day with Charles Dawe. During that time he bought Charles Dawe paintings which we hung in our homes at Beaver Dam Farm in Pomquet, Antigonish County. — Many are still hanging in Hill House, The Cottage, and the Loft Apartment. They’re bright, vigorous, and earthy. In my kitchen alone I have 3 still lifes of vegetables and fruit. Small pictures, but dynamic. In my living room there’s a wonderful portrait of a child’s head. On another wall is a painting of a young boy playing street hockey, and in one of my bathrooms, there’s an absolutely charming picture of a child standing in front of a plaid curtain brushing his teeth (I think?) —
Dawe painted trees, coal mines, landscapes, and the human figure. He painted nudes. In Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia that was considered raidcal at the time, made much worse as the paintings were studies of his children. — I have several of these beautiful paintings and treasure them. Dawe also painted the city of Sydney and its coal mines rather than the more traditional Cabot Trail art
Bruce Campbell who is still, I believe, the curator of the university art gallery gave me a lot of information he had written and compiled on Dawe, the artist. It was Campbell who organized the fabulous Retrospective of Charles Dawe, Nova Scotia artist held at the Art Gallery, St. F.X. University November 30th to December 21st, 1999.
Charles Dawe was a bold and daring artist who during his long lifetime painted the people and landscape of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
Enjoy these pictures, and if you wish to talk with me about them, or to purchase, just email me at beaverdf@ns.sympatico.ca or call at 902-318-2304 (cell) —- 902-386-2304
Skagit River, B.C. - 1994
16 x 20” on canvas framed- Don’t know if oil or acrylic, but I believe it to be acrylic. — Gorgeous piece with drama, color and movement. That deep turquoise color is fantastic especially with the limited palette of black, greys and ochre. A gorgeous painting you’ll enjoy every day of your life.
$1500 CN Plus Shipping
British Columbia landscape - (year?)
Spectacular 35 x 43” B.C. landscape on canvas. Professionally framed by Lyghtsome Gallery. Wonderful colors, mood, and movement. It’s truly a beautiful and dramatic impressionistic landscape, and I hate to think of this superb painting gone from my walls.
$3200 CN Plus Shipping
KEY WEST - 1992
18 x 24”In my mind, Charles Dawe was a “master of wind” - He lived most of his life on Cape Breton Island where it’s most always windy, and Dawe captured that movement in his many works. — He took his inspiration from the French Impressionists adapted to the brilliant landscapes of Cape Breton. This painting is one of my favorites. Look at the color of the tree foliage and how it ties in so well with the barn roof and background. Magnificent!
$1500 CN Plus Shipping
No title on back of picture, but marked G-27 from exhibition
16 x 20” on board nicely framed. This is without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite Dawe paintings. I love everything about it - the greens, the blues, the ochre (one of my favorite colors) - The wind in the trees. - $1800. CN Plus Shipping
New Years Day Cape Breton - 1982
16 x 20” on canvas framed. Lovely painting that depicts a winter landscape. Can’t see the wind because the trees are bare, but Dawe reminds us with the drifts of blue and pink snow.
$1500 CN Plus Shipping
Charles Dawe at his easel - 1996
16 x 20” framed canvas - It’s said that Dawe painted two self portraits every year. I have two of them, and sold one. I absolutely admire and love the way Dawe puts so much life into his pictures using only a few colors - This one blues, ochre and greys. A Dynamite picture.
$1800 CN Plus Shipping
Green Mountains, B.C. (date?)
18 x 24” canvas unique framed - Soft yet vibrant colors - again with Dawe’s signature greens and ochre. We framed this piece ourselves at the farm using reclaimed spruce fence boards and peeled birch bark on a deep brown background. Quite successful we think. — $1500 CN Plus Shipping
Girl with Clouds (date?)
20 24” on canvas professionally framed - I’ve always loved this charming and lively painting. My God, he was good with clouds and children. Dawe had 5 daughters. This one may have been a granddaughter. It has all the charm, invention, and exuberance of childhood
$1800 CN Plus Shipping
Still Life - floral with apples
16 x 20” framed painting. This is one of the few still life pictures we acquired from Charles. The three others I have hang in my kitchen and are fruits and vegetables. Dawe did everything - portraits of adults and children, historical pieces, watercolors and much more. — $1200 CN Plus Shipping
Artist with Blank Canvas - self portrait - 2009
20 x 24” acrylic canvas - Lovely, lively & interesting picture. Blues, ochre & red roses. Dawe’s use of clear bright colors is so Cape Breton. I mean, that’s what you see when you visit the island and most places in Nova Scotia. - Dawe painted his entire life. He never stopped, and when he couldn’t afford a new canvas, he painted over older ones. - My husband and I bought a lot of paintings from Charles Dawe, and I never saw one I didn’t like. $1900 CN Plus Shipping
Cloudy Day in August, Cape Breton - 1997
16 x 20: canvas framed - Another windy day in Cape Breton and Dawe knows how to capture the movement. If this was an abstract rather than an impressionistic landscape, that little bit of red on the roof would have been added to make the painting “pop”. Look at those familiar colors - the teal green of the trees, the pink blue of the sky and the ochre (always the ochre. A supre painting. $1800 CN Plus Shipping
Girl in Yellow Sweater - 1973
artist: Charles Dawe
22 x 19” on canvas
A picture that compels the viewer to linger and contemplate. Wonderful colors, shading, texture, and even movement. It seems the pink background is swirling around the girl.
$1,050. CN Plus Shipping
Resting Woman
artist: Charles Dawe
24x19” acrylic on canvas -
The description of this wonderful canvas — The subject is a lady who cleaned Dawe’s little house, and he told us she’d been upset he painted her in her working clothes. However it’s a beautiful painting with interest, color, great composition, empathy, and even “motion” in the background colors - rather cool in a painting of a resting woman
$1,050.00 plus shipping
Backyard Tree
artist: Charles Dawe - 27x23 acrylic on canvas.
This is a vibrant, rather “knock your socks off” painting. So simple yet so much to see. As an artist, myself, and a colorist, I love the shades and tones of blue/greens, enhanced by the ochres and small touches of red that you hardly notice, but if they weren’t there . . . . . .
$1,800.00 CN + shipping
Hope Mountain Creek
artist: Charles Dawe - 24x35 acrylic on canvas
Impressive large painting by master artist, Charles Daswe done during his few years spent in British Columbia. What an exciting painting with all of Dawe’s characteristic color, awesome composition, shapes, and movement. This masterpiece has it all!
The turquoise of the rushing water, along with the wonderful colors in the foreground and touches of yellow, greens, and red ochres in the background make this picture an exciting harmony of all the aspects one looks for in a great painting.
$2,800 CN + shipping
The Pier
artist: Charles Dawe - 28x25” acrylic on canvas
I absolutely love this picture and had it in my bedroom for many years. Dawe was infamous for his nudes, which is kind of a shame although all of them were excellent paintings, but in the scheme of things (Charlie’s life work), the nudes were few and far between. His landscapes were, in my humble opinion, his best work. What distinguishes a master painter over the others? Use of color and contrast, I’d say. Then add in the other requisites such as shapes, sizes, lines, and movement . . . well, you can see that this painting has them all. $1,850.00 CN + shipping
Boy in Blue
artist: Charles Dawe - date unknown
26x18
This is another fabulous Dawe painting I have in my house and I offer for sale - only, I might add, because I’m getting old and have to consider the future (or lack of it for me) — Well, I am super healthy, but one does have to think ahead.
$2500 CN Plus Shipping
Smoking Eagle
artist: Charles Dawe
13 x 16” oil on masonite board
I have this funky Dawe painting hanging in my kitchen along with four other Dawes. All of them including the cool eagle are paintings I loved when they were first hung years ago, and ones I still enjoy every single day. — That, in my mind, is the way you should buy art. Only buy what you really love, and you’ll have an investment for a lifetime.
$450.00 CN
Street Hockey
artist: Charles Dawe - 16x24 acrylic on canvas
This is an extremely appealing painting full of interest in the subject, the boy playing hockey, — I am always impressed and attracted b color, and in this painting it’s perfect . . . Blue and Orange with a touch or red and green. How perfect is that? Blue & Orange, Red & Green are opposites on the color wheel and guaranteed to work in a painting.
This painting is hanging in my living room, and I’ll miss it mightily when it sells.
$1,800.00 CN + shipping
Boy at Window
artist: Charles Dawe - 18 x 24” acrylic on canvas.
professionally framed in black with gold trim.
This appealing painting is also hanging in my house, and I love it. The simplicity and calmness of the figures is wonderfully contrasted against all the pattern in the background. — Dawe was a genius.
I love the way he captured the tender curves of the young boy and the youthfully relaxed pose of the figure.
A superb Dawe painting - This artist was so diverse in his work - Everything from steel mills to tender portraits.
$2,500.00 CN + shipping
Woman in Woods
artist: Charles Dawe - 23x28 acrylic on canvas.
This striking painting which you might think of as an “Amazon” because of the staff — I don’t know . . . perhaps an Amazon, but more likely a free spirit, a natural woman in nature. — The frame sets off the painting perfect, and was made right here at the farm out of weathered boards.
$2,200.00 CN + shipping
Discovery
artist: Charles Dawe - 20x26” acrylic on canvas framed in simple antique gold frame.
This is another masterpiece from Charles Dawe, and was no doubt one of Dawe’s paintings that earned him the neglect he experienced for including some nudes in his immense body of diverse work.
This is a truly beautiful painting. The young girl set against the rough cliffs and cold, turbulent ocean of Cape Breton Island. Nova Scotia
$2,500.00 CN + shipping