Charles N. Pruitt, a West Texas native born in 1941 near the small farming and ranching community of Colorado City, Texas, enjoys painting primarily landscapes of the Southwest.

In fact, he considers himself an impressionist of the Southwest because of his devotion to working from life, painting in oils directly from nature using the "alla prima" or "plein air" method. Using close observation of nature, the effects of light, composition and interpretation of values based on intuition, emotion and his experience, has led to a style described as spontaneous and honest.

He has won over 40 awards, locally and nationally, but one of his most prized awards was the honor of representing West Texas at an art show inside the Capitol ...