Charles C. Bigelow

Charles C. Bigelow was an illustrator, commercial artist and painter. He was born February 20, 1891 in Buffalo, NY. He studied art at Lafayette High School and went on to further his studies at the Art Students League of Buffalo, under Ernest Fosbury. Bigelow also studied at the Fine Arts College at Syracuse University as well as the Fine Arts School at the Albright Art Gallery.[1]

Bigelow worked primarily as a commercial artist, illustrating for a number of publications including Sunday Magazine, Everybody’s Delineator, Designer, Scribners, Colliersand Good Housekeeping.[2]He began exhibiting his decorative designs in 1915 at the Society of Artists of Buffalo.[3] He exhibited his piece, The Three Wise Men, at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1922 and the Arts Club of Buffalo’s exhibition in 1925. His fiction illustrations were also featured in the Society of Artists exhibition in 1923.[4]

In 1930, Bigelow, in collaboration with Ernest Davenport, painted the mural in the lobby of the newly opened Courier-Express building on the corner of Main St. and Goodell St. The mural represented Buffalo’s growth, and its evolution from a small village to the Queen City of the Lakes, as well as the fusion of The Courier and The Express publications.[5]

Bigelow was featured in the Albright Art Gallery’s Annual Exhibition by Artists of Western New York for three consecutive years: 1934, 1935 and 1936.[6]

During his career he was also an active member and supporter of multiple artist organizations. He was a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists and won their Bronze Medal in 1957.[7] He was also a member of the Fine Arts League. He designed a medallion for the organization, which went on to become its official symbol.[8]

It wasn’t until 1961 that Bigelow hosted his own one-man exhibition, held at the Sisti Galleries. The exhibition encompassed 40-50 works, paintings and illustrations spanning his entire artistic career.[9]

Bigelow died in Buffalo, NY in 1963 after a short illness.