Obituary: Charles Abbott

February 11, 1948 – June 25, 2022

Charles Abbot, 74, died on June 25 2022, in Grand Junction, Colorado. Charlie, as he was known by friends, was born in Waterville, Maine on February 11, 1948.
Music was always important to Charlie. He played trumpet in high school and studied classical guitar, at Colby College, from where he graduated in 1972. He went on to study Russian and Chinese at Columbia University and later found meaningful work translating these languages.
Charlie discovered photography of performance and of musicians at work and play, He became a staff photographer for Gidon Kremer’s Lochenhaus festival in Austria as well as for the Aspen Music Festival, from which his acclaimed book of photographs, Reflections of Music, was produced.
In Aspen, with his friend and colleague Michael Stranahan, he established Digital Arts Aspen, which produced archival digital prints and presented public lectures and photo workshops. Through DAA, Abbott, contributed to the work of the Shining Stars organization, dedicated to ministering to children with cancer.
From Aspen he made many several trips to Russia to make photos and prints for the Dostoevsky Museum in Saint Petersburg.
Abbott, had great interest in spirituality, and frequently attended prayer breakfasts, Alcoholics Anonymous and events at the Aspen Chapel.
In 2016, beset with health and financial issues Charles was admitted to the Palisades Living Center in Palisade Colorado. At nearby St. Mary’s Hospital he was diagnosed with invasive prostate cancer. With effective, but debilitating medication, Charles survived, bed bound, for several years while aspiring to eventually return to attend the Aspen Music Festival.
A graveside service is being planned for Waterville, Maine, where he will be interred alongside his parents and sister.