Evan Charlton was born in London and studied at London University in 1923-27; then at the Slade School of Fine Arts in 1930-33. He began teaching in Bristol in 1935 and became head of Cardiff School of Art in 1938-45. He was an official war artist in the Second World War. He took part in a number of group exhibitions, mainly in Wales, including Royal National Eisteddfod, WAC and National Library of Wales in Aberstwyth. He held a series of one man shows, including The Welsh Gallery in Abergavenny in 1973.A memorial show was held in 1985 by the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. His work is represented in Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea and National Museum of Wales.