Charles Knecht was born in New York City in 1945. Knecht grew up in an artistic family and developed an interest in art at a young age. After graduating from the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan, Knecht went on to attend the School of Visual Arts where he studied under Byrne Hogarth, and John Gundelfinger. Coming of age in the 1960's, Knecht developed an attraction to the work of the abstract expressionists. It was Gundelfinger's mentorship that brought Knecht to the realization that there was a great deal of room for creativity within the pre abstract European Impressionistic Style. A brief stint in the United States Navy during the peak of the Vietnam war landed Knecht in Spain. He made the most of his European posting by exploring the continent after being discharged from the navy. Knecht paid for his travels through Europe by selling canvases he painted along the way. He also took time to visit museums to get a firsthand look at the works of the classic Impressionists of France and Spain, which led to a lasting shift in the direction of his work.