Ohio University Southern Art Gallery is featuring an exhibition of Portsmouth artist Charlie Haskins’ paintings.

Haskins received a Master of Fine Arts in painting from East Tennessee State University.

In his artwork, he uses a mixture of illustration and caricature to create a whimsical fantasy world full of word play, puns and riddles.

“I try to paint scenes that everybody will know, kind of like a collective consciousness,” Haskins said. “I paint things that everybody knows like River Days, and quintessential Portsmouth moments, things, or people.”

This exhibition will feature a collection of paintings that will be on display in Dingus Technology Center located on the OUS campus.

Haskins paintings have been on display throughout Southern Ohio, including an exhibition at OUS in 2019, the Geer Museum, Southern Ohio Museum, as well as events like Comic Con, Nelsonville Music Festival and the Irving Halloween Festival.

Haskins House is the name of his art studio located in Portsmouth’s historic Boney Fiddle district.

Part art gallery, part museum, part store, it is a space that celebrates a plethora of creative sights and sounds where Haskins can show his artwork, take commissions and contribute to the area’s artistic community.

The exhibition started yesterday and runs through Oct. 14 with a closing reception at 5 p.m. on Oct. 13.

The Ohio University Southern Art Gallery is open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.