CHARMING BAKER
Biography
Art Lounge international are delighted to be representing the intimate works of Charming Baker. Baker was born in Hampshire 1964.
Charming endured most of his earliest days of life travelling around the globe following his dad, a Commando in the British Army.
It was at the age of twelve that he and his family finally settled down in Ripon, North Yorkshire.
Charming Baker left school at sixteen and worked various labour jobs.In 1985 having gone back to work at college, he was accepted onto a major course at the prestigious Central Saint Martin’s, where he was to later return as a lecturer.
It was at this point after graduating Baker worked for many years as an specialist commercial artist as well as developing his personal style and genre of work.
Although Charming Baker has produced and created sculpture pieces in a diverse and varied choice of materials as well as many larger scale and detailed drawings.
Baker remains at heart a painter with an interest in image narrative and a sound understanding of the tradition of illustration.
He is now renowned by his ability to purposefully damage his work by drilling,cutting and even shooting it.Baker intentionally puts in to question the preciousness of art and the definition of its beauty, adding to the emotive charge of the work he produces. Indeed Edward Lucie-Smith has described Baker’s paintings as having “something more, a kind of romantic melancholy that is very British" and "sometimes the melancholy turns out to have sharp claws."The pictures make you sit up and examine your own conscience.”
Charming Baker now lives and works in London.
Charming has exhibited around the world in prestigious events and private collections.
Solo exhibitions include the Truman Brewery London 2007, Red church Street Gallery London 2009, New York Studio Gallery NYC 2010, Mercer Street London 2011, Milk Studios LA 2013, Sotheby’s S2 Gallery London 2016, Soho Beach House Miami and The Vinyl Factory 2018. Baker has also exhibited with the Fine Art Society and collaborated with Sir Paul Smith for a sculpture entitled ‘Triumph in the Face of Absurdity’ which was displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He was the Guest Editor for The Big Issue’s Art Special, continues to be committed to creating work to raise money for many charities and is presenter on Sky Art’s ‘The Art Show’. His work is in many international collections.