Press Articles about Charles Burns
A selection of press and media coverage spanning television, radio and print.
The episode of QI which featured me is currently still available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
2024
Tuesday 23rd July 2024
Forbes featured the One Aldwych silhouette cutting experience in “These Unique Travel Experiences Bring Out Your Inner Artist,” describing me as “the UK’s premier silhouette portraitist.”
Tuesday 14th May 2024
Travelweek profiled the One Aldwych Curator Programme, describing me as “renowned for revitalizing the traditional English art of silhouette cutting,” with an interview about Covent Garden and my early career.
2023
Wednesday 6th September 2023
Country Life – Cutting it fine by Claire Jackson.
A three-page feature on the history and revival of silhouette portraiture, including an interview about cutting the late Queen’s silhouette at her 80th birthday (“I cut it and handed it to the Queen — she went around the room showing it to people”) and a look at Charles’s own archive of over 250,000 silhouettes.
2022
Sunday 31st July 2022
Nation.Cymru – Shadows from the past – sometimes it takes a Nation to solve a mystery. A feature tracing the history of a mystery silhouette artist from Llandudno Pier, featuring Charles as “professional profilist and silhouette historian,” with an excerpt from Silhouette Secrets showing Charles and fellow artist Steve Abbott discussing the pier’s silhouette history.
2021
Saturday 18th December 2021
The Week Magazine featured a snippet about the Online Portrait Studio in “And for those who have everything…” [ PDF file ]
Wednesday 1st December 2021
Country Life Magazine published a photo Emma Hartland Mahon with her silhouette.
Sunday 28th November 2021
Wokingham Today published a short article “Your silhouette in a snip” about the launch of the Online Portrait Studio [ PDF file ]
Saturday 27th November 2021
Reading Today wrote about the Online Portrait Studio in “Going for a snip” [ PDF file ]
Wednesday 24th November 2021
Country Life featured two mentions of the Online Portrait Studio describing it as “A cut above” in the run-up to Christmas on page 131 and page 150.
Thursday 23rd September 2021
Appearance on the QI ‘Shady & Shaky’ episode (series S, episode 3) on BBC2 to cut silhouettes of Sandi Toksvig, Alan Davies and the team [watch on BBC iPlayer.] This episode has been repeated several times on various channels.
Wednesday 22nd September 2021
Get Reading. Short article about the evening’s appearance on QI.
Monday 20th July 2021
Interview with Sarah Walker on BBC Radio Berkshire to speak about the July Open Studio event (7′ 40″).
Sunday 18th July 2021
Appearance on Antiques Roadshow (Series 43) from Kenilworth Castle, cutting a silhouette of Fiona Bruce. No longer available on BBC iPlayer.
Sunday 27th June 2021
Manchester Evening News. Meet the artist who can create pet portraits in 10 minutes with just a pair of scissors.
Tuesday 22nd June 2021
Team Dogs. Meet the artist who can create silhouette pet portraits in 10 minutes with just a pair of scissors.
Monday 3rd May 2021
BBC Radio Berkshire interview with Phil Kennedy, who asked about QI and “why silhouettes?” (7′ 50″).
Thursday 29th April 2021
Interview and video with Hugh Fort at Berkshire Live, who asked about the Queen’s silhouette and the new virtual studio.
Thursday 11th March 2021
Appearance on the Dressed Podcast – a history of fashion – including silhouettes of presenters April and Cassidy. Listen on iHeart Radio or Apple Podcasts (33 mins).
2014
29th October 2014
ITV News (Channel) — Silhouette artist visits Guernsey (October 2014) — broadcast feature, described by ITV’s Helena Carter as having “performed for the Queen, Nelson Mandela and Cliff Richard.”
2012
Monday 18th June 2012
Hello! Magazine (issue 1229, Diamond Jubilee souvenir edition) published photographs of Charles cutting Queen Elizabeth II’s silhouette at her 80th birthday party at the Ritz in 2006 — released to the press by the Palace as a thank-you for his work at a separate Diamond Jubilee lunch at Coworth Park. Event organiser Lady Elizabeth Anson wrote: “I love the way the Queen takes off her glasses, then happily shows everyone the silhouette at the end of it.” Full story on the blog.
