Charlie Beil was an artist in Banff, Alberta who pursued his interest in art after meeting artist Charlie Russell in Glacier Park, Montana. Prior to that, he worked as a cowboy and served in the U.S. Cavalry. Beil came to Banff in 1930 and settled there permanently in 1934. He established a studio at his Banff Cave Avenue house and began to produce murals, dioramas and bronze sculptures. Beil was well known for the lost wax casting method, the process by which a duplicate metal sculpture (often silver, gold, brass or bronze) is cast from an original sculpture. Beil married Banff resident Olive Luxton, the daughter of taxidermist Lou Luxton and the niece of Norman Luxton. She was a helpful hand in the studio and foundry. Beil was a recipient of many honours and awards over the years, including being made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1973. He also received the Canada Medal, an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Alberta and the Alberta Achievement Award in 1974. He was also made an Honorary Associate Director of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede and an Honorary Member of the Cowboy Artists of America. His work is found in numerous private and public collections worldwide, including Buckingham Palace.