Charles Simmons, one of eleven children, lived in North Carolina throughout his life. He left school after ninth grade and worked with his family to grow crop tobacco, going on to work for the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company for 35 years.

Simmons started carving wood in the 1970s, typically in the form of dolls given as gifts. After retirement, he became a dedicated artist, painting and carving a large number of works, and was later displayed in The Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Asked about his inspirations, Simmons simply replied, “I carve whatever comes into my mind.”

A friend and neighbor of Raymond Coins, the two artists often worked together with Simmons carving sculptures out of wood, and Coins with stone. Eventually Coins, a sort of mentor, taught Simmons how to work with stone, and as his motor functions declined with age he adopted this medium exclusively.

Simmons was unfortunately in a truck accident later in life, and due to brain damage was no longer able to continue creating art.