[02-22-2006] Remembering Charlie Dougherty
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I’m reposting this image as a memorial to Charlie Dougherty, a well known and loved sidewalk artist in Greenwhich Village. Most of his ink drawings of Village scenes had a little cat in them. I wanted to give this photo to him but he passed away before I had the chance. We’ll miss you Charlie!
Charlie Dougherty, Bleecker St. sidewalk artist [Obituary from The Villager] |
20 Responses to “[02-22-2006] Remembering Charlie Dougherty”
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beautiful as an image or poignant social commentary. i love that you can only see the cats eyes staring at you from across the street:)love it
That cat is just perfectly placed, how much did you have to pay for that???
a beautiful memorial.
The star, the love, the cat. An amazing collage. You breath so much life into black and white.
Hi Trevor,
Thank you for your website dedication. Do you know if it is possible to purchase some of Charlie’s drawings or are they gone with him. I really liked him and loved his drawings and talked to him a few times and I smile when i think of him.
Dear Trevor,
my name is Sean Thomas Dougherty and Charlie was my father. He and my mom split up when I was barely a year old. Since then we had no contact with him though for years I looked for him but my mother wouldn’t talk about him to me.
I didn’t even have a photo from him. All I had was a small procelain painting he made for me when I was born.
I didn’t even know he was dead until I found your blog yesterday. I had been punching his name into google for years and then I thought to punch in Charlie Dougherty instead of Charles and add artist.
If you or anyone knew my father or can tell me where he is buried or have any information please write to me,
with gratitude for your time,
Sean
Sean Thomas Dougherty
Coordinator for Foundations Writing
Case Western Reserve University
2009 Fulbright Poet Macedonia
I have a lot of info about Charlie and I sent you an email at the college – please – check it and I would be happy to tell you all I know – Please reply to me.
DD
Sean – please post your email here thanks
Hi DD and Roger,
Please email me at trevor@trevorlittle.com. I took this picture and have been corresponding with Sean and can provide his email address.
Thanks,
Trevor
Check your email Trevor
Sean we sent ou an eamil about Charlie did u get it. Please respond.
Just browsing the web and saw this site.
Met Charlie many times at Bleeker/7th Ave. Bought 2 of his great pictures and he was so nice. He gave me another for free at a later time. Always paid him than asked more as he was truly talented and in need. Sad he drank so much but was always happy & in control.
Not only was the cat in all of them but a balloon was too.
He would explain how they were chosen and the scenes of the ones I have.
Have them in my kitchen and admire them always.
Rest easy charlie and you were loved!
I am so happy to have found this little memorial to Charlie. This is going back a bunch of years, but at least once a week, I’d go to, I think it was figaro cafe at the time, buy 2 coffees, and stroll on over to where Charlie did his thing. He’d see me coming, a smile would appear on his face, and from there, for me, the night would begin. I grew up in NJ (about 15 minutes outside Manhattan) and because of all the jazz and blues clubs in the area (Terra blues, the blue note, Visiones at the time, etc.) I was there quite often, as I love this music. It first started out with a few infrequent visits. I’d check out his art, buy a few, make small talk, then roll on over to , most of the time, it was Terra blues. As time went on, I noticed I was spending less time at the music clubs and more time with Charlie. It was mostly a weekday( usually a tuesday ), as I didnt really dig the crowd on weekends, except when I had a friend visiting, or I was dating someone who I wanted to meet Charlie during a night out on the town. And even then, I noticed I’d rather be hanging out with Charlie then wasting time and money going out. lol. So, from there, it became a regular thing for me. I’d stop at the cafe, grab 2 coffees, and spend the night (often till 2 or 3 in the morning) talking to Charlie. I gotta say, though, most of the time I spent just listening. This man was brilliant, creative, and a true artist, which was certainly hidden throughout his artwork. He’d always tell me stories about his life (some spent in California, boston, if I remember correctly, and NYC) He’d tell me about other people’s lives he found interesting, mostly musicians, as this I think was are greatest affinity, a love for music. He’d tell me stories of his childhood…about sneaking in behind the kitchen of a jazz club to catch a show , or swimming out to erol flynns yacht when he was a kid in California. The stories were endless. he’d tell me about the great lives of people he found amazing. I recall PT barnum as being one, and his interest in the artwork related to the circus. But the most amazing thing was his ability to tie it all up together at the end and make it somehow relate to something in my life at the time. I think I was teaching autistic kids at the time and going to school, and I remember always telling myself, here I am paying to go to college, yet my real education is every tuesday night with Charlie. He would tell me,”see ya, kid” as a joke, in reference to one of his favorite people, Charlie Chaplin. Charlie would tell me, “Never lose the “kid” in you”. and I think this is how he lived his life. He never seemed to forget to see life like a kid would, and always see those great things we as adults often miss and forget. I remember this being one of the most important things I learned from him. As a teacher, it made me more in touch with my students. And in life, it just made me see so many things I would probably never have seen. I believe this is the true beauty of the artist, as well as it was with Charlie. To this day, I’ll often get caught up in all the BS, and I have to remind myself (it always seems to play out in my head in Charlie’s voice) “never lose the kid in you”…words I will take to my grave. Another thing I remember, that seemed to be a repeated theme in a lot of the people he told me about. Some of the greatest things people have done in life, were usually for the simplest reasons, from the heart. And again, another thing he’d say that would always stick with me…”have heart, and keep grace”. To me, it meant if you put you heart into what you do and do it with grace, the world is pretty much yours. I really think Charlie lived his life like this. As for me, I think we go through life coming up with our own philosophy, picking up things from experience and people and things we hold dear, constantly changing how we see the world. And there are those things that will become a permenent fixture of who we are, by the people who have touched us and the things they have taught us. For charlie, it was simple and from the heart and with grace, the things I would walk away with every night I hung out with him. I think it started around 1992 or so(around when I graduated highschool…lol. man, how time flies). till when I found out he passed away. I went one night to see him, and he wasn’t there. tried a few times after that, and still no Charlie. Finally walked into the music shop a few stores from where he set up shop, and ask the owner, and he told me that Charlie passed away. I won’t say I wasn’t sad, but if anyone could have left this world knowing they left a legacy behind them, it was charlie. He became immortal the moment he made his first drawing and sent it out into the world, for us to enjoy. And looking back on his life, I can only be honored that I had the pleasure of knowing such an amazing person. I only wish I had a better memory of all the great stories he shared with me. And as for all his artwork I collected over the years (probably hundreds), I sometimes wish I had kept more of them for myself. (I think I have left maybe 20 or 30 of his sketches) I gave most of them away. And everyone I gave away was for a reason, I suppose. I hated to give them away. I wanted to keep them for myself. But knowing what charlie would have done, I felt like here was this guy with such a great energy, and his artwork wasn’t meant to be owned, it was meant to be spread out into the world. Every sketch I gave away was to someone who I knew got the point. I told many about Charlie, and I can vouch for the fact that some of his artwork of his I owned is out in california, in europe, and several other far off places. But I guess I never really owned it. I guess that was the point. I think the final thing I ever got from him was a drawing I asked him to do of louis armstrong (who I am a big fan of his music) and I think I’m gonna keep this one for myself. But I just wanted to write on this post to share my story of one of my greatest experiences in life and one of the greatest people I had the pleasure of knowing. I know it’s been a while since charlie passed away, but I can’t help believing a part of him is still alive, in my heart, and the countless others he probably touched along the way that now and will forever see the world in a different way.
Dear M. Trevor Little,
Thank you for this. Unfortunately I just found out that my late friend departed this Earth in 2006…
He and I spent countless hours talking to one-another.
One of our favourite places was Lanterna Di Vittorio. I have a wonderful little original he created for me while we sat there one fine night.
I missed him when I had to move out of NYC at the end of the 80s and I will always miss his sweet, bright-minded, and compassionate person.
Best,
JP
The Original New York City Free Advice Man (see The New Yorker, Aug. 17, 1987).
I may be Charlie Doughertys sister. I have been looking for him for years. I live out in California. Please RSVP email. I know his son was named Sean. Thank you. Today is January 4, 2011 3:43pm I know Seans mothers name. If I am right about her name that may be of some help. Sincerely, Mary Lou
Breathtaking..
I am saddened to find out the passing of Chuck.I was in my basement today admiring some of Chucks drawings I have.I decided to do a google search and unfortunately found out this sad news.I spent many Village evenings talking with Chuck on Bleeker St.getting him a coffee and just soaking in his wonderful stories and giving generous spirit.He actually designed a biz card for me.I will see if there is a way to post up these pics I have or createa site
Thanks Rick
I was Charlie’s girlfriend and we lived together for 2 1/2 years in Greenwich Village in the seventies. He always spoke very lovingly of his sister. We remained friends and when he passed away the hospital called me. He had given them my name. I told the doctor that I thought he had a sister in California but I had no idea how to find her. Please let me know if I may contact you.
Sincerely Deirdre
His drawing made the cover of the first “Black & Sparrow ” CD, we were playing at the Back Fence on corner of Thompson and Bleecker Street in 1991, he just walked up to me and handed me a sketch of us. There was also a great sketch he did of the outside of the Back Fence, it was behind the bar, don’t know if it still there…..JS
hi .i see your memorial when i searching informations on the 2 inks,i loose one of them (in my cartoon )i search for her ,we come from paris (FRANCE)with my brother & a friend ;A early in night we speaking a little moment with the artist and we joke a moment with him, i like his funny buildings and peoples on pictures (on mine 1998 there’s black cat,charlie chaplin ,marx brothers betty boops)he’s very happy to speak and his art is now overseas ,not in the MoMa or in the LOUVRE museum or tate gallery but in MY house i don’t remember his face but just a nice moment in a day.thanks .when i have time & my scann works i send you a copy of my drawing i try to find my other .bye & thanks ,i love your town