Meet Charles Cole | Artist / writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Charles Cole and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Charles, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
Being an artist or a creator/writer can have its rough solitary moments. You can be doing the work, you can be getting your work out there to be seen, you can be doing as much as you can at the time and it will seem to go nowhere. And there you are, alone with your creation with (seemingly) no one to share it with. During these times you will ask yourself, should I keep going, is it even worth it? Part of being an artist is failure. Failure to create what we envisioned, or to connect with an audience. It’s like being a scientist. Some things will produce results and others will fail. Matthew McConaughey said it best in an acceptance speech. He talked about what hero he chases, and he said that hero was him in 10 years. Then when 10 years come, they ask him who is hero is and he says the man he will be in 10 years. He says he will never be that perfect hero, but it gives him something to strive for. That speaks volumes to me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always been a painter/drawer. I am a landscape artist at heart. Recently a lot of my paintings have some odd themes or content. I have done paintings about local houses at night. I have done several studies of sculpted heads or bodies like they were huge structures made from barn wood and deteriorated the same way. I have also done several paintings inspired by rock musicians. But in the last few years I have challenged myself to write. I have created a short story series called The Moonspell. I have also created my own comic and self-published both of these. I did these things because I also have an active imagination and these published entities give that mindset a place to roam free. In the future I hope to continue in all these fascinations, but we shall see, there is only so much time in the day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Nashville. I used to give golf cart tours of lower broad. I would defiantly show them the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Maybe Lower Broad with its Honkey Tonks. I love scoreboards, Cock of the walk, and Caney Fork River Valley Grille near the Opryland Hotel. If it would be possible maybe see a show at the grand ole Opry house, or at the Ryman auditorium. or the Nashville Symphony Schermerhorn Symphony Center. A visit to The Parthenon during spring time is optimum.

I also love the town I live in. Lavergne. I would show them Hurricane Creek Recreation Area for lovely sunset views in late spring and summertime. Then Long Hunter State Park has a great trail around a pond. There is also another lovely walk across the street from Long Hunter called Volunteer Trail You can catch a good meal by the lake at Four Corners Resort and Marina.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to start with my education at M.T.S.U. in the art department in early 1990’s. So many great instructors with such valuable instruction that I will keep for a lifetime. My art friends that I made from that experience, Especially Jenny Penuel who is an art teacher in Smith County and curator at the Carthage Junction Depot. Lindsey Shultz who is owner to the Spine bookshop who has been a great supporter for my self-publishing career. Ben and Theresa of Trellis and Vine Gallery for letting me have my own one man show since forever. And of course, all the people I’ve met through the Smyrna Artist Cooperative.

Website: https://linktr.ee/mothman4414

Instagram: charlescole8859

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Other: TikTok – ccole4414
Substack@cecoleuniverse