A Life in Landscapes and Light Born in Gravesend, Kent, in 1859, Charles James Adams grew up as the second child of Charles Adams, a journeyman pastrycook, and Sarah. His early years in England provided the foundation for a life dedicated to observing the natural world. He sought formal training at the Leicester School of Art under Wilmot Pilsbury, a period that proved foundational to his technical skill. It was during this time that he earned the Mulready Gold Medal for Life Drawing from the Society of Arts in London, an achievement that marked him as a talent to watch. His path took him t…