News:
December 18th, 2008
>The new year is almost upon us and I am slowing down again. No new shows on the horizon and nothing I've got in the works. My City Pages cover comes out for the new year and I'll have art on the inside also. Just painting little bits at a time and re discovering new interests with colors and mediums.
Bio:
> Once considered a national icon and one of the worlds greatest discoveries Charlie Alan Kraft now resides in Portland Oregon living a quiet much more civilized life then that of his past. Found nestled in the branches of a large fir tree in a dense unpopulated region of Southern Canada, Charlie was the world’s first Wild Man. Much like the legends of Tarzan and others before him his life started out simple. The newborn babe of a preacher and his wife heading north on a mission to save the heathens of foreign countries from the depths of hell. When their party was savagely dismembered by a tribe of anti-Christian faith Charlie’s mother whisked him into the woods and hid him in the dark warmth of a large deep hole. Soon after her rescue attempt she was swooped away and never to be heard of again.
Charlie, A wee babe at the time knew nothing of what had happened yet he found himself comfortable resting up against what he would soon call his mother, the large furry body of a grizzly bear. Suckling on the bear’s tit through out the winter and slowly fine-tuning his motor skills Charlie grew larger and quicker then the average child. When spring came the bear had come to accept Charlie as her cub and so then started his long educational journey into the wild life of forest living. It was dangerous, cold and rough but Charlie soon adapted to the waters of the Northern Rivers and became quite familiar with the ways of the forest. From Salmon fishing to wrestling other Bear cubs Charlie was part of a family again. In June of 1983 two hunters on a camping trip discovered Charlie scratching himself against a birch tree with a dead deer in his arms. Astounded at the site they ran but not soon after they arrived back in town did there begin a nation wide search for Charlie Alan Kraft, the legend, the mystery, a wild man of sorts, a savage living amongst the animals like he was one of them… 14 days later Charlie was captured, drugged and taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation and research. Soon after scientists studied him, poked at him and felt satisfied with finding nothing out about him that differed from normal man and were convinced he was not the missing link they introduced him to society as it is now. Culture, as he has never seen it and life beyond the woods.
Frightened at first, but curious Charlie rapidly adjusted to his new existence. Living a life of pure nutrition and survival made Charlie’s mind abnormally healthy. Allowing him in a short time to evolve to modern civilization while his frontal lobe increased in size dramatically. Early on in his transition Charlie was fascinated by pencils, crayons, paint, chalk, and anything that made marks on a surface. He began using them to describe through pictures in a primitive manner what his life was like in the woods and he also helped remind himself of the peace and tranquility the forest brought him. Slowly his drawings and markings became pictures, at times horrific vivid images of strange creatures and violent scenes of death and blood, they remained in form warm and inviting full of color and imagination. He would speak without words of bright colored monsters and strange lands where the sun would melt into the hills while tiny creatures with horns and teeth bobbed around in fancy dresses holding pitch forks in their hands.
Not a stranger to the idea of challenge and danger Charlie set out to become an artist. A word he heard many times from teachers and scientists who looked over his drawings with intrigue. “ What is this artist?” he asked one day. In response from a team of professionals they all pointed to something he had just finished painting. “ An artist is you.” One person said and from then on Charlie has dedicated his new life to painting.
Missing his past and wild childhood Charlie received several tattoos, some of them on his face, in answer to many questions about them he simply replies “ I will eat you like a deer carcass I spent hours fighting off a pack of wolves to keep for my own.” Now a functioning member of society Charlie has since added a middle and last name to his first Calling himself Charlie Alan Kraft. “Alan” meaning “A land” which he considers his home in Northern Canada and “Kraft” meaning “Crate” which he was brought here in during his capture. Frightening at first glance but honest and gentle when spoken to, Charlie posses a quality of creative genius still considered by the world as one of the finest discoveries of all time.
Shows and Events:
- 2008
> December - January
Destroy Clothing ( Portland, Oregon ) Group show
> November - December
The Press Club ( Portland, Oregon ) Solo show
> September - October
The Goodfoot ( Portland, Oregon ) Duo show with Klutch
> August 28th - 30th
Pacific Art Collective ( San Jose, California ) Art in the park and PAC session
> August - September
Manette Gallery ( Portland, Oregon ) Face Melting Double Attack Group Show
> August - September
The Goodfoot ( Portland, Oregon ) "I think, there for I am" Group show
> July - August
The Goodfoot ( Portland, Oregon ) Invision2 Group show
> July - August
LimeLight ( Portland, Oregon ) Solo show
> June - July
O'Malley's ( Portland, Oregon ) Solo show
> June - July
Urban Grind ( Portland, Oregon ) group show
> May 29th - June 25th
The Nest (Portland, Oregon) Solo show
> May 16th - May 24th
Mile post 5 (Portland, Oregon) 30 Rooms group show
> May 2nd - June
Olympic Mills Commerce Center ( Portland, Oregon ) Group show of Portland Muralists
> May 10th
Club 6 ( San Francisco, California ) Juxtapoz release party group show
> April 29th
Evergreen Middle School ( Hillsboro, Oregon ) Art assmebly with students, guest speaker Chris Haberman
> April - May
Opposable Thumb ( Poartland, Oregon ) Solo show
> February - April
Vendetta ( Portland, Oregon ) Solo show
- 2007
> January - February
Olympic Mills commerce center ( Portland, Oregon ) - Group show
> January - February
Destroy clothing store ( Portland, Oregon ) - Solo show
> December - January
Lucas Salon ( Los Angeles, California ) - Solo show
> December - January
Brian Marki Fine art Gallery ( Portland, Oregon ) - Group toy and art show
> November - December
Vendetta ( Portland, Oregon ) - solo show
> November
Invision: A full color book featuring some of the best Portland Artists.
( I have a spread of work in this great book. ) You can preorder a copy at
anotherskypress.org.
Invision book Release Party + Exhibition
featuring pieces from the book.
Thurs, Sept. 6th from 6-10pm
Crude Things Gallery
625 NW Everett Street #104
Portland, OR
> August 10th - 12th
San Jose Jazz Festival ( San Jose, California ) - Live painting
> August - September
Tiny's Cafe ( MLK location: Portland, Oreogn ) - Solo show
> August - September
Vendetta ( North Williams and Skidmore: Portland, Oregon ) - Solo Hanging
> July 30th
Billy Ray's neighborhood dive. ( NE MLK: Portland, Oregon ) -
Finished mural in the pool area.
> June 28th
The Best of the Bay ( San Francisco, California ) - Live painting
> June
> Winner of the " Widmere thirsty artist contest " ( Portland, Oregon )
Look for me this summer
First Thursday and buy some beer glasses with my art on them.
> June 2nd - 17th
Artifact Unmundane ( Aniheim, California ) - Custom toy show
> May – June
Goodfoot lounge ( Portland, Oregon ) - Group show
> May 12th
" The Wandering Hare Salon" ( 7327 N. Charleston St. Johns, Oregon ) -
parade and art fest
> May - June
Space gallery ( San Francisco ) - Pacific art collective event
> May 2nd – 7th
Hot spot skate shop ( Blaine, Minnesota ) - Mural painting
> April 28th
Secret headquarters ( Denton, Texas ) - “Everybody sqwerts” custom toy show
> March - May
Akemi Salon ( Portland, Oregon ) - solo show
- 2006
> July - August
Compound ( Portland, Oregon ) - “Sug show” ( custom toy show by UNKL)
> May - June
The Goodfoot ( Portland, Oregon ) - "Manifestation"
( black market culture event )
> April - May
Missing Link ( Portland, Oregon ) - “ a symphony of prostetic possibilities”
( custom toy show )
> March - April
Goldrush Coffee bar ( Portland, Oregon ) - Solo show
- 2005
> November 19th
Pac session ( Portland, Oregon ) - Live painting
> October 4th
Pac session ( San Jose Museum of Art ) - Live painting
> August 19th
Pac session ( San Jose Museum of Art ) - live painting
- 2004
> June - May
Spot Art Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - North East Art-A-Whirl - Group show
> March - April
Gallery Shmallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - “Broken Down, Up again” -
Grand opening group show
> March 17th
Mina Gallery ( San Francisco, California ) - ( A single evening event with DJs ) -
Group live painting performance
> February - March
Pizza Luce ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - Solo show
> February - March
Moxie Hair Salon & Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - Solo show
> New Years Eve ( December 30th – January 4th )
Rogue Buddha Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) -
Solo show
- 2003
> November - December
Art Trujillo Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - “ Cartoonists and Others ” -
Group show
> September - October
Rogue Buddha Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - Group show
> August 27th - 30th
Minnesota Fringe Festival ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - Group show -
( Voted artists pick for best artist. )
> August - September
Rogue Buddha Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - “ The Sick Future ” -
Group show
> June - July
Rogue Buddha Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - Group show
> May 29th - 30th
Spot Art Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - North East Art A Whirl - group show
> March - April
Spot Art Gallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - “ Tattoo ”
( A collection of art from known tattooists. ) - Group show
- 2002
> May - June
Gallery Shmallery ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) -
“ Half way up from no where ” - North East Art A Whirl - solo show
- 2000
> December - January
Liquid Café ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - Solo show
- 1998
> September - October
HardTimes Café ( Minneapolis, Minnesota ) - Solo show
Press:
