Charles C. McKim

born South Bristol, Maine, 1862; died Portland, Oregon, 1939

BiographyC. C. McKim worked as a clerk and grocer in Portland, Maine before deciding to pursue a career as a professional artist. His training included lessons from a local painter, Charles Lewis Fox (1854-1927), and membership in an outdoor sketching group called the Brushians where he was exposed to a variety of artistic styles.

McKim relocated to Portland, Oregon in late 1910. The first exhibition of his work there in 1911 established his reputation as an artist of note. He continued to pursue an active exhibition schedule through the 1910s and 1920s while playing a key part in the local art community. He helped found several art organizations including the Society of Oregon Artists (1912) and the Portland Palette Club (1916), and served as a teacher and mentor. McKim helped popularize the impressionist style in Oregon through his own work, his students, and his arts writing. He is considered one of the masters of impressionist painting in the Northwest. TAM organized an exhibition and catalogue on McKim in 2016.

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