The Art of Charles Bukowski

Bukowski paintings

"The difference between life and art is art is more bearable."
     - Charles Bukowski

While not generally remembered for his artistic skills, Bukowski created many interesting paintings. Of course he was primarily a writer, not a painter, so for every gem there were also average pieces and some that were just filler. The work presented here is a fair representation of his artistic output.

He produced over one thousand of these paintings. Most of them painted on 6 X 9 inch paper with thick layers of acrylics, oil paint, watercolors, pastels, crayons, pens - whatever was at hand. They were sent to Black Sparrow where they were bound into special hardcover first editions of his books.

Bukowski also made many other paintings that were not intended for books. In the early 1980's he stopped making original paintings for the books, commenting in letters that the assembly line aspect took the joy out of the process.

Bukowski painting No. 195 Bukowski painting No. 194 (1974) Bukowski painting No. 193 Bukowski painting No. 192 (1974) Bukowski painting No. 191 (1973) Bukowski painting No. 190 (1969) Bukowski painting No. 189 (1981) Bukowski painting No. 188 (1982) Bukowski painting No. 187 (1983) Bukowski painting No. 186 Bukowski painting No. 185 Bukowski painting No. 184 Bukowski painting No. 183 Bukowski painting No. 182 Bukowski painting No. 181 Bukowski painting No. 180 Bukowski painting No. 179 Bukowski painting No. 178 Bukowski painting No. 177 Bukowski painting No. 176 Bukowski painting No. 175 Bukowski painting No. 174 Bukowski painting No. 173 Bukowski painting No. 172 Bukowski painting No. 171 Bukowski painting No. 170 Bukowski painting No. 169 Bukowski painting No. 168 Bukowski painting No. 167 Bukowski painting No. 166 Bukowski painting No. 165 Bukowski painting No. 164 Bukowski painting No. 163 Bukowski painting No. 162 Bukowski painting No. 161 Bukowski painting No. 160 Bukowski 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Photo of Bukowski courtesy of Sam Cherry.