2011 Highlights

In August, Charles was invited to by WTAE-TV anchorwoman and friend, Michelle Wright to feature his artwork on a new website called Pittsburgh Things.  The website is dedicated towards highlighting and sharing the talents of the people of Pittsburgh and promoting their business website.  Here is a link to Charles’ personal feature, http://pittsburghthings.com/2011/08/steel-city-artist/

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Charles was contacted by Mr. Serpe in July where he was featured in an artist spotlight on the Art Instruction Blog.  Charles’ exclusive interview with Mr. Serpe can be found here, http://bit.ly/qD6ooa

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In May, Charles was the featured artist on the very popular blog called Artsy Shark which was created by Carolyn Edlund.  It is a well respected blog amongst both emerging and established professional artists.  The blog features a wealth of beneficial resources and links for artists worldwide.  Here is Charles’ feature, http://www.artsyshark.com/2011/05/20/featured-artist-charles-ott/

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There are times when Charles is approached to license his artwork as was the case with two events in April.  First, he was contacted by the president and chair of the theology department at the University of Notre Dame.  The department was interested in using his illustration of the Notre Dame ‘Golden Dome’ as cover art for Spring graduation booklets for their Master of Arts graduates.  The second request of licensing was his image of Heinz Chapel for wedding invitations for the owner of Twelve 14 Studios.

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In March, Charles donated his illustration of the ‘Cinderella Castle’ for an art auction fundraiser for the company, Thank You Walt Disney, Inc. in Kansas City.  The non-profit group is working to restore Walt Disney’s original Laugh-O-Gram animation studio.  The studio will be transformed into an educational center and museum.  A story on the animation studio can be found on Charles’ blog at http://www.steelcityartist.wordpress.com or here on the website itself.
 

2010 Highlights

Earlier this year, I co-created and founded a charity foundation with a group of three very talented fine artists and myself.  The artists include Larry Klukaszewski (New Kensington, PA), Willie Hobbs (Butler, PA), Denny Karchner (North Port Richey, FL & Cody, Wyoming) and myself.  The brotherhood of artists mentioned feature their incredible portfolios both on Facebook, in addition to my Steel City Artist blog and they are some of the most genuine individuals I have ever met.  Our charity foundation is known as The Humanitarian Artists of Pittsburgh.  The purpose of the foundation will be to generate funds for local & regional non-profit charities in Pittsburgh and throughout western Pennsylvania.  We will be auctioning off our original and fine art prints which will greatly benefit humanitarian causes. 

We will be hosting our inaugural charity benefit on Sunday, August 8, 2010 between 3-8 pm in the Zappala College Center, La Roche College.  The suburban Pittsburgh campus is located in McCandless Township in the North Hills.  The event will called "Faces & Places of the Black & Gold" as most of the art that we create centers upon the people, places and landmarks of Pittsburgh and its championship sports teams.  Several prominent Pittsburghers and legendary athletes will be in attendance including Pittsburgh Steelers, Rocky Bleier, Franco Harris, John ‘Frenchy’ Fuqua, James Farrior, Nick Eason, Ted Toles (Pittsburgh Crawfords Negro Baseball League), along with Senator Jane Clare Orie who will serve as our keynote speaker.  Funds for this event will go towards The Homeless Childrens Education Fund of Pittsburgh.  This fund affords homeless children the same educational opportunities and experiences as their peers.

This special event will be family oriented and we welcome all Pittsburghers or fans of the Black & Gold.  If you have any questions or would like to purchase tickets for the event you may contact Larry Klukaszewski (724) 882-0756 or Willie Hobbs (724) 968-2474.  Come out and enjoy a great afternoon with some legendary athletes, collectible art and a fun-filled family atmosphere.

2009 Highlights

Charles received a very nice thank you letter from President Barack Obama & First Lady Michelle Obama which they both personally signed.   The artist presented the President with his detailed pen & ink illustration of the White House to celebrate his historic presidency. A story about the other artwork which the illustrator donated to the President & the First Lady is featured in the first section of his news column for 2009 here on the website.   Charles hopes to present each sitting President during his lifetime with the White House print which he created.

Charles recently formed a business partnership with The Pittsburgh Fan.   The Pittsburgh Fan which opened in November, 2005 is conveniently located in the city of Pittsburgh across the street from PNC Park.   They offer an impressive collection of Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, Panthers & PSU Nittany Lions officially licensed apparel and merchandise for yinz fans in the Steel City and across the country.   We all know what a great sports city Pittsburgh is and how passionate Pittsburghers are when it comes to sports, pride and family traditions.   The Pittsburgh Fan is the place to shop for all of your Christmas shopping with thousands of items to choose from for that die-hard fan or collector you know who bleeds black & gold.   Please click the link on the right to visit "The Pittsburgh Fan".

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Charles’ pen & ink illustrations will now be featured on display in time for the Christmas holiday season at Miss Scarlett’s Gift Parlor.  The owner, Michelle Peace and her business is located in the quaint and peaceful Amish country setting of Volant, Pennsylvania.  The town which is located in northwestern Pennsylvania is reminiscent of Michael Landon’s, "Little House On the Prairie" with a variety of unique shops and boutiques.  The parlor which features an array of varied hand-crafted and home-decor gifts is located on the main street near the Shoppes of Volant in the town’s old post office.  For more information please visit her website at http://www.missscarlettsgiftparlor.com

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Charles was invited to display his illustrations at a local community event taking place at Harmony Ridge (former Ambridge Country Club) on October 24th & 25th.   The name of the event taking place is called Zanafest and it will be the 1st annual Richard D. Zana Memorial Fund.   Mr. Zana was a former music education teacher in the Ambridge Area School District.   During his tenure with the Ambridge Area High School Marching Band, he contributed to their overall success on a regional and national level.   Their solid and precision-like performances earned them countless awards and recognition as one of the nation’s finest.   Mr. Zana founded and established the steel drum ensemble of the band, which is a very unique section of the high school band.   Mr. Zana inspired the lives of countless students, not only through his musical talents, but through his simple acts of encouragement, kindness and decency.   The memorial fund will provide music scholarships for talented area students, in addition to benefiting the need for further medical advancements in the cure for cancer research.   For more information about the event visit their website at www.zanafest.com

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Wendell August Forge located in Grove City, Pennsylvania has now featured Charles’ pen & ink illustrations onto their company website’s links page at www.wendellaugust.com   Wendell August is a world-renowned company known for their hand-made metal gifts and has been in existence since 1923.   The gifts which they produce are appropriate for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, baptisms, retirements or any particular occasion.   A link to Wendell August may be found at the bottom right main page of the illustrator’s website.

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In August, Charles was commissioned by the Baden Lions Club to design a license plate.   The license plate will soon be made available for sale to the residents of the artists’ hometown of Baden, Pennsylvania.

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Charles submitted his illustration of the "Greater Pittsburgh International Airport" for the Art Exhibition Showcase G-20 Summit at the Pittsburgh International Airport.   The Pittsburgh Arts Council is accepting artwork from regional artists and will be on display to the public until January 1st.   In September, presidents and dignitaries from around the world including President Barack Obama will converge on Pittsburgh at the Convention Center for the global event.

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Charles’ illustration of the "Sewickley Bridge" will be featured on commemorative plaques for the annual Jaguar & Rolls Royce in Sewickley antique and collectors show on August 15th.   Charles’ illustration was chosen by Scott Drab who is the coordinator of the event taking place on Beaver Road in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.  Mr. Drab is the Assistant Professor of Pharmacy & Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh and the Director of the University Diabetes Care Association.

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Charles, along with local artist Gary Means, will display their artwork at the official unveiling of the new Ambridge Boro Building on August 20th.   Last Summer, Charles donated a series of illustrations depicting landmarks of Ambridge to the boro which are on display in the front office.   The event is being sponsored by the Ambridge Area Chamber of Commerce.

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In July, State Representative, Robert F. Matzie (16th Lgislative District) whose office is located on Merchant Street in Ambridge, PA purchased several illustrations depicting scenes of Ambridge landmarks.   Representative Matzie plans on displaying Charles’ illustrations at his office in the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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In early February, Charles sent a series of his illustrations to the White House to present to President Barack Obama and the First Lady, Michelle Obama.   It was a gesture of good will on behalf of the artist to honor the President and commemorate him on his historic momentous occasion.   Charles included his illustration of the "White House", the executive mansion of the President of the United States of America.    In addition, the illustrator sent an illustration of the "City of Pittsburgh".   A third illustration depicted the "Dexter Avenue Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Church" located in Birmingham, Alabama.   February symbolically marks Black History Month and honors the legacy of the leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement.   It was from this church that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. served as pastor from 1954-60 and organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott with Rosa Parks and other notable African-Americans.   This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the NAACP.   Finally, the last illustration was a gift to the president’s two daughters, Malia & Sasha of the "Cinderella Castle" located at Walt Disney World.

2008 Highlights

In November, Charles’ illustration of the "City of Pittsburgh" was chosen for use in the DVD release of the film, "My Tale of Two Cities".   The image of the city was chosen by Jim DiSpirito (former percussionist of Rusted Root/The Gathering Field) who scored the soundtrack for the film.   "My Tale of Two Cities" is a new film by "St. Elmo’s Fire" screenwriter and Steeltown Entertainment Project co-founder, Carl Kurlander.   The film is a cinematic homecoming for Pittsburghers everywhere and celebrates the city and its people.   The film stars beloved icons such as Fred Rogers, Mayor Bob O’Connor and Franco Harris along with others and traces the city’s storied history.    The film will re-energize your belief that you can go home and that Pittsburgh really is someplace special.   I highly recommend that you take a few minutes out of your day to watch this video trailer of the film.   Yunz all know the words to "Won’t You Be My Neighbor", feel free to sing along!

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There is a nice story about Charles’ trip to Washington DC to honor our WWII soldiers. Be sure to check out Northern Connections‘ article detailing the trip and describing the events at the Memorial. Here is a snippet (by Paula Green):

"Recently, Charles Ott, a local illustrator from Baden, completed an illustration of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.  “It was after seeing Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers that I gained a true understanding of just what these veterans had to endure, and that inspired me to create this latest illustration." 

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The SteelCityArtist.com website, featuring the work of Charles R. Ott, Jr., was recognized on the WPXI Channel 11 news feature, 11Clicks in May. We are proud to have been honored by Carly and Jessica’s coverage. They have a great show highlighting noteworthy local (and national) websites. We hope you will find their show interesting and watch it often.

Click the picture to view the coverage.