The Art of Charles Bukowski

"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.