Charles G. Donovan was born in Santa Monica, California. His father
had risen to prominence as a railroad administrator in Texas for
rail lines near Fort Worth. His success as an an administrator led
to a position of general manager and President of
the Fort Worth Stockyards, a job he held some two decades. His
son was to be a life long artist and while growing up in Fort Worth,
Donovan studied art with artist Blanche McVeigh. He was later
to continue art studies with Robert E. Wood, Ed Whitney, Arthur
Beaumont, and Dong Kingman. After high he obtained a degree in
Aeronautical Engineering
in California where he worked
save for time in the service as a marine in the Pacific 1944 –
1946. He moved back to Fort Worth to work for General Dynamics in
1950. He joined the Texas Fine Arts Association and exhibited in the
1950's and 1960's with the TFAA, Southwest Watercolor Society, and
Texas Watercolor Society. He later returned to California to finish
his career as an engineer and begin full time as an artist at age
sixty-one. He was elected President of the Southwest
Watercolor Society, President of the San Diego Watercolor
Society, and was a signature member of the American Watercolor
Society and National Watercolor Society.