Born in 1950, Charles Thysell grew up in Hawley, Minnesota, a small town of some 1,400 people. His father was a country doctor and his mother an accomplished singer and housewife who nourished his interest in a life of... art. His hometown helped shape his appreciation for nature and the basic values people hold dear. After studying art in Minneapolis, he concluded that school was not for him. He struck out as a song writer-performer in the turbulent seventies, and when that ran its course, dedicated ten years to working with non- profit artist organizations as a widely recognized advocate and teacher. All the while he continued to draw and paint. His work – ranging from still lifes to landscapes to “Heads” – inevitably found its way to museum exhibits and gallery shows. Its warm-hearted, unpretentious style and quiet integrity has won a national following. Known for his simple yet inviting paintings, Thysell’s goal is to pull people into the eye of the storm where it’s quiet. Of his art, he says, “My work is just there. Inviting, I hope, but not the kind of thing you have to struggle with to have that ‘aha’. The ‘aha’ is right there. At hand. Understood.”