THOM 1 | Fall / Winter 2013

tastemaker
the colors are saturated. The works are mostly scenes
from life in Thomasville. The self-taught artist has
sold about 40 of his works through his antiques shop
where every minute detail has been well-curated. He’s
an avid collector and seller of 18th century antiques.
“The shop supports my habit,” he says.
In C.H. Whitney you will find a wolf hide, $875. The
ivory tag reads “For the woman who runs with wolves”
in Charlie’s tiny cursive handwriting. Dutch Delft
Chargers, circa 1760–1780, $1375. Queen Anne Maple
Chest, $4,800. “It’s pretty amazing once you think
about it. Some of these have been around for 200
years. They’re masterpieces.” His shop has become
a go-to for fabulous finds. “Thomasville is a big art
community,” Charlie says. “A community that is open
to art is generally more accepting of new ideas.”
Later, I will discover that Charlie seems to know
everyone by first and family name. Part of his vast
reach into the community is tied to two things:
he’s the fourth generation of his family to live in
Thomasville and he is on the board of directors for
Thomasville Landmarks. From street to street, he can
point out homes the organization has worked hard to
save and provide a little history on the Victorian and
antebellum style homes from Thomasville to Boston,
Georgia. I am impressed I’ve spent 25 years just south
of here, in Tallahassee, and could not tell anyone a
thing about the architecture or the history of the
place. I do have a pretty good eye for anything new
or innovative. Maybe that says something about my
generation.
Charlie’s vision can be seen at the private properties
of his clients and friends, as well as in public buildings
from courthouses to clock towers. He explains to
me the work that went into each building to unveil
its innate beauty. He does so with the enthusiasm
of a shy boy showing off a model airplane; Charlie
seems to be both proud of his work and in awe of
his creations. “In the latter part of my life, I decided
to do what I really wanted to do. I am kind of a late
bloomer.”
Although, it often makes him uncomfortable to
talk about himself, his friends take no issue with
describing Charlie’s genteel nature. “That’s a good guy
you’re with,” says Dwayne Hoven. Charlie and Dwayne
became fast friends while shooting quail together.
Dwayne shows me the custom case that houses his
guns during hunting season. Charlie restored an
old service station counter and reworked it into a
towering gun case. This is the genius of Charlie. He
can see the beauty in the discarded.
Charlie has become a reflection of the city itself. He’s
a man who can be lured by the history of the area, but
he is also a supporter of art and revitalization. Simply
put, he knows something of value when he sees it.
He has long loved Savannah, and his two sons have
planted their roots in Atlanta, but Thomasville is the
best fit for him. “I like the sense of community and
being wherever you want to be in 5 to 10 minutes,”
Charlie says.
You can find Charlie partaking in the wave of
businesses budding downtown. After hours you may
see him having a glass of wine with his wife Carol at
Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop. People constantly
interrupt him to say “hi,” and you can’t miss that
unmistakable quack coming from his phone. Charlie
is entertaining to watch. He enjoys conversation, but
most people don’t notice that they are talking more
than he is. He never interrupts in a conversation and
answers each and every question with care, filling
awkward moments with a raspy laugh.
His phone’s quack reminds me of the Chattahoochee
River. It whips through the South with grace and ease.
People are drawn to the serenity of it. It’s peaceful, but
people are attracted to its wildness of spirit. I think
the same can be said of Charlie. What he brings to
Thomasville is a worldview that’s filled with heritage
and a constantly renewed spirit. Much like Paul
Newman said to Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid, “Boy, I got vision, and the rest of
the world wears bifocals.” In our last conversation he
says that many women describe him as a “renaissance
man.” I would describe him as the consummate
southern gentleman. When I ask him to describe
himself, he says, “just a little bit of a rascal.”
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