Charles Palmer

Charles Palmer, Sarah Palmer’s father, died on April 13, 2025 at the age of 99 years. He was a retired plastic surgeon who loved to paint and draw.

He was 18 years old when he enlisted in the Canadian Army and was sent to Europe where he saw the aftermath of World War II. He used art to help him deal with the stress of his war experience and the stress of his medical career working with burn victims and children with birth defects. When he retired, art became his passion.

Click the PAINTINGS button to see some of his art.

When he retired, Charles and his wife Mary moved to a hobby farm outside of Toronto where he painted the interior of a barn. Charles used a scaffold to allow him to paint both levels of the barn from floor to roof. The Palmer family called Charles’ magnum opus, The Sistine Barn. The property on which the barn stands is now a working farm and the paintings on the walls are fading away. Click the SISTINE BARN button to see some of Charles’ amazing barn paintings.

After viewing some of his art and visiting the Sistine Barn, click on the ARTICLES button to find out more about Charles and his art.