Painter Charles Williams has exhibited works all across the United States, appeared in international magazines, and won awards from around the globe, but he never forgets how it all started: in a high school art classroom in Georgetown.

His work is extremely detailed and largely classical in execution, although many pieces slip into a more abstract representation toward the very bottom of the canvas. Now, Williams has found another passion besides painting: giving young, talented artists in middle and high school the same kind of support that he received growing up. To do this, he's formed the C.E. Williams Collaborative, which operates in both Charleston and Georgetown.

Williams attended the Savannah College of Art and Design with a portfolio scholarship and graduated with a degree in graphic design and advertising. Though he worked in advertising for several years, he eventually burned out and went back to painting the land and waterscapes that he's become known for. He continued his education by earning his Master's in Fine Art at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

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