Charles Bayer was born in Germany in 1945 and migrated to Australia with his mother five years later. He attended Carrum State School then Bonbeach High School. 

While studying at BHS his painting ‘Conscription’ was a finalist in the 1965 Goya Art Award; Australia’s only national art competition for artists under 21 and was included in the group exhibition at the Adelaide Festival of Arts. 

After completing Year 11 he enrolled at Prahran Technical College and gained a Certificate of Art and Design which enabled him to secure employment as a layout artist with Myer Branch Stores. 

It was during this time that his passion for fine art was rekindled and he was accepted as a part time student at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School (now VCA) studying drawing under Ian Armstrong. 

In his second year at the gallery school, which at that time was headed by John Brack, he was awarded a scholarship to study full time and ended the year by winning the highly coveted ‘Print of the Year’ award.  

Unfortunately due to limited financial resources Charles was forced to retreat to the advertising industry where he worked as a Creative Director and later Managing Director of his own boutique design/advertising studio. 

Charles left the corporate world in 2015 to concentrate full time on his first love which is fine art. 

To date he has exhibited at the Firestation Print Studio “That’s Life’ exhibition, the Sydney Contemporary Art Fair and a number of high profile group shows.