With over forty years experience in graphic design and advertising communications Charles Hively's beginnings were in studio art. Graduating with a degree in fine art from the University of Texas at Austin, Charles was already working in the communication field as an illustrator and designer. He founded his first advertising agency in Austin, Texas followed by a series of art director positions at a number of advertising agencies before founding his second ad agency in Houston, Texas in 1985.  In 1999, he moved to New York and worked at B2B agency until 9/11 before starting a publication focusing on international illustration. In the meantime, Charles began using photography to document his travels in the city, later concentrating on the underground world of subway posters. He has been honored as being included in the Laurence King release "100 Classic Graphic Design Journals" of all-time while his photography was documented in "The Graphic Eye: Photographs by Graphic Designers Around the Globe" by Chronicle Books. His photographic work has been exhibited in Los Angeles LACDA, 2019 Applied Arts Photography Awards, Midwest Center for Photography 2018-2025 including Hot Pix winner, People's Choice award and Focus Wall awardee; Gray Cube Gallery; SE Center for Photography; 2025 Exposure One Award winner.