Charles is a 13 year old artist and seventh grader from Los Angeles. He began painting landscapes and seascapes at the age of 7. His current work, 3D presentations of replica guns mounted and treated with various techniques, inspires the viewer to consider gun violence, its impact on our children and the poignant voice they raise. 

“My feelings about guns are that they are scary and dangerous. When I make one of my pieces, I create a background and then I camouflage the gun to make it almost invisible. The gun is still there but it’s hard to see, or you don’t see it for what it really is. Hopefully, my art will get people talking about guns, gun safety and gun violence. I wish that guns were only in an art gallery.”

- Charles Gitnick, June 2012 (Age 10)