Charles Bone PPRI (1926 - 2026)

Bio

We are sad to announce the passing of Charles Bone, on March 4, at the age of 99. Charles, who would have been 100 in September, was a talented and much-loved friend to many.

Charles was born in Farnham, Surrey in 1926 and studied at the Farnham School of Art and the Royal College of Art, being awarded a Traveling Scholarship to France and Italy in the late 1940s.

Charles exhibited early in his career at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition including works in oil and watercolour. He became a Council Member of the RI when the RI Gallery was in Piccadilly and was involved in the formation of the Federation of British Artists (FBA) at Mall Galleries.

He married sculptor, Sheila Mitchell (1926-2006), who was a Fellow of the Royal British Sculptors and President of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, both working in the village of Puttenham since 1950 and sharing many exhibitions together.

Charles staged over 50 one-man shows in London, Amsterdam, Pasadena in California and Malta and his artwork is housed in the National Collection. Having served as Vice President of the RI, he became President in 1979 serving for 10 years until 1989.

Charles lectured at Wimbledon School of Art and Brighton College of Art and featured on many television programmes over the years, including featuring watercolours of HM King Charles III, at the time when he was the Prince of Wales, on the BBC News.

He was Art Critic for the Arts Review and the author and illustrator of three books.