Former resident loves to create works of art

By Jo Anne Efird, Lifestyles Editor

Sunday, January 13, 2008 January 14, 2008 11:02 am

— A former Stanly County resident, now living near New Bern, has become renowned for his paintings of lighthouses and other ocean scenes — so much so that he was chosen July Artist of the Month by the New Bern Craven County Library.
At that time he exhibited oils, watercolors, woodcuts and photography.
Charles Eakins “Chuck” Havens and his wife, Gloria, have lived at Fairfield Harbour since retiring to that area in 1999.
The waterways and lighthouses of Eastern North Carolina have inspired him and provided some of his favorite subjects.
Havens was born in New Jersey and grew up there until age 12, moving here with his parents, Louis and Mildred Eakins Havens in 1949, and attending school here. He is also the grandson of George and Josephine Eakins of New London.
He has been painting ever since he started school, but really got into it after his marriage.
A friend, the late John Trott, was involved in bird watching and Havens painted a number of bird pictures earlier in his career.
His mother was also an artist and did artwork for North Stanly High School as well as for Stanly Community College.
She won a blue ribbon for a painting she entered in the World’s Fair at Knoxville, Tenn., in 1982.
They are distant relatives of the early 19th century American painter Thomas Eakins, an example of whose work hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., having sold for a record $68 million.
Havens paints mostly as a hobby but does sell some of his work.
His travels have taken him to Hawaii, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, the eastern U.S., Canada, California and the western U.S., Alaska, Italy and Mediterranean countries and New Zealand.
“I always sketched as a child,” he said.
“I was inspired by my grandfather and mother, who both painted.”
Encouraged by Jack Tomaovich, a close friend and art teacher, he began painting in 1967 as a hobby.
“I attended classes at adult schools and studied privately with a local New Jersey artist, but was not really a formal student of art.”
Havens enjoys working with oils, watercolors, photography and experimenting with wood cuts.
His preferred subjects are water scenes, nature and animal life, especially scenes and subjects observed in their travels.
Now, of course, eastern North Caroliina with all its beauty, waterways and lighthouses has provided many more subjects to paint.
“I paint mainly for peace of mind and enjoyment and like to share my works with friends and relatives,” he said.

Contact Jo Anne Efird at (704) 982-2121 ext. 20 or snaplife@vnet.net.

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