GRAND BOHEMIAN GALLERY
Avid art collector Richard Kessler opened his first gallery in Orlando, Florida 14 years ago, six years after launching the Kessler Collection’s first property, Orlando’s Castle Hotel. This series of hotels incorporates art galleries into the properties, celebrating the works of countless artists in addition to design, food and wine.
In August, the Collection made its Charleston debut at the corner of Meeting and Wentworth streets with the Grand Bohemian Hotel, where gallery director Dayna Caldwell plans to hold monthly artist events. “Each gallery’s vision is to showcase eclectic styles of art—from contemporary to classic French impressionism, sculptors, glass and jewelry,” she says. “Each gallery’s collections are specific to its location.”
In October, Kristen Baird’s sculptural jewelry will be on view, while November’s exhibits include Marilyn Sparks’ Life’s Vibrancy. “Her paintings jump off the wall and are so calming,” Caldwell says. In addition, guests can dine with French expressionist colorist painter Jean Claude Roy on November 13, or join him and the hotel’s sommelier in a wine-blending workshop followed by a public reception for the artist on November 14.
Grand Bohemian Gallery
grandbohemiancharleston.com
NANCY RUSHING
A native of Wisconsin, Nancy Rushing moved south at the young age of seven. She attended school and college in South Carolina. Shortly after college, she married and moved to Charleston with her husband who came to teach chemistry at The Citadel. She earned a master’s degree in learning disabilities at night and taught during the day.
Rushing has been involved in drawing and painting as long as she can remember. When she was young, her mother drew paper dolls and made clothes for them. Rushing gradually began creating her own and has since spent many years in self-study, especially in the areas of color and value. She has enjoyed working in both watercolor and pastel.
Rushing says that the feeling she gets when painting has little to do with words. When using watercolor, it’s all about the delicious feel when one color is dropped into another. With pastels, it’s the soft, buttery texture of her favorite pastels combined with the intensity of pure pigment layered together or juxtaposed next to one another that lead to a feeling of delight as she works.
Nancy Rushing
843-810-9123
PRINCIPLE GALLERY
Michele Ward opened the first Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1994 and decided to give the gallery a Charleston presence over two years ago. With Frank Conrad Russen recently established as the new director, the gallery consistently ushers in new works of contemporary and classical realism from established artists the world over.
The sunny space currently showcases pieces from over 60 artists, including Rett Ashby, Jeff Erickson, Nancy Bush, Kevin Fitzgerald, Douglas Fryer, Barbara Flowers, Jane Chapin, Jorge Alberto, Gene Costanza, Greg Gandy, Frank Gardner and David Hettinger. Several times a year, visitors can attend a live painting demo, with a recent event featuring artist Teresa Oaxaca from Washington, D.C.
This fall, Principle Gallery will host its second annual Women Painting Women, a juried exhibition highlighting female artists portraying female subjects.
Principle Gallery
843-727-4500
principlegallery.com/charleston
CHARLESTON ARTIST GUILD
The Charleston Artist Guild (CAG) was founded well over half a century ago by a small group of local artists—including Anne Worsham Richardson, Alfred Heber Hutty and Elizabeth O’Neill Verner—who sought a way not only to display their own works, but to network with other artists in the city and to become more involved with the community. Today, over 70 artists are featured in the extensive gallery, now at 160 East Bay St., all of whom contribute to the organization’s outreach programs. A non-profit organization, CAG is constantly busy fulfilling the wishes of its founders. To that end, the Guild works with Arts for Alzheimer’s by providing awards for their high school scholarship program, and it works with Extraordinary Arts and Pattison’s Academy. Beginning in September, new exhibiting members will be juried in to the gallery. September is also when CAG’s monthly meetings with art demonstrations—always open to the public—will resume. The Guild now has nearly 700 members, many of whom will be featured at CAG’s annual Members’ Exhibition at the Charleston Visitor Center in February.
Charleston Artist Guild
843-722-2425
charlestonartistguild.com
ELLA WALTON RICHARDSON
You no longer have to board a plane for Paris to find luxurious French interiors, as artist Lindsay Goodwin brings them directly to Charleston’s doorstep. Her exquisitely detailed paintings invite viewers inside pristine cathedrals, hotels and dining rooms filled with velvet cushions, white linens, flowing curtains and sparkling wine glasses. A California native, Goodwin learned about classical painting methods at Katie O’Neill’s Fine Art Studio in Pacific Palisades before studying under Craig Nelson at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University. She paints alla prima,, or wet-on-wet, which has taught Goodwin to work to strict deadlines. “I tend to over-explain things in my life but never in my paintings,” she says. “That time limit gives me more confidence in my work, and I make every move count.” Goodwin’s most recent collection, Meet Me in Paris, is inspired by her most recent trip to the city. The collection reveals the artist’s favorite Parisian spots—from charming cafés to glamorous ballrooms— and will be shown at Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art at 58 Broad St., from November 6 through the holiday season.
Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art
843-722-3660
ellarichardson.com
CHERYL NEWBY GALLERY
There aren’t many galleries where you can browse both antique and contemporary art in a single visit. At the Cheryl Newby Gallery in Pawleys Island, however, you can—owner Cheryl Newby maintains an extensive selection of contemporary paintings and sculpture alongside an equally extensive, selective inventory of antique maps and prints—mainly natural history prints.
A quick look around the antique side of the gallery will turn up works by the likes of John James Audubon, George Edwards, Mark Catesby and John Gould. If those don’t satisfy, Newby will gladly try to find something more to your taste or hunt down prints by a particular artist should you have one in mind.
When it comes to contemporary artists, Newby represents 16 painters, sculptors and ceramic artists. “We offer so many different styles,” Newby says. “What we emphasize here is quality and diversity—our artists are from all over the country.” The late Ray Ellis, Martha dePoo, the late Quita Brodhead and Paula B. Holtzclaw are among the artists whose work you’ll see hanging in the gallery.
Cheryl Newby Gallery
843-979-0149
cherylnewbygallery.com
GAYE SANDERS FISHER
Gaye Sanders Fisher grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her passion clearly lies in the Lowcountry, where she opened her gallery in Charleston more than 20 years ago. Situated amongst the pastel, picturesque homes on Church Street, the pale yellow house is where Fisher displays all of her watercolors and prints of Lowcountry scenery. From spring flowers and Holy City steeples to firehouse fronts and marshland fowl, Fisher finds plenty of inspiration from her immediate surroundings. She’s even painted and penned a bit of prose about the gallery’s neighborhood cat. The book, Daily, the Gallery Cat, is about a yellow feline that gets into all kinds of adventures behind the walls and down the alleyways of beautiful downtown Charleston. Published in 2003, the 30-page illustrated book remains a charming way to remember Daily, a special old friend. The gallery regularly participates in the French Quarter Art Walks and is open to the public seven days a week.
Gaye Sanders Fisher
Fine Arts Gallery
843-958-0010
gayesandersfisher.com
LEPRINCE FINE ART
Kevin LePrince opened LePrince Fine Art on King Street nearly five years ago, and in April moved the gallery to its new space across the street. The gallery doubles as a studio, so LePrince paints there six days a week, encouraging guests to watch him work and to ask questions about the process. He likes to feature numerous works from a limited number of artists, rather than one or two pieces from a slew of different people. “I’m trying to encourage artists to be creative and go out on a limb by giving them a good bit of wall space,” he says. “That way, they’re not restricted, and they can get outside of their comfort zones, push the envelope a little.” The gallery walls are currently shared by LePrince, landscape artist Vicki Robinson, Bulgaria native Ignat Ignatov and Mark Bailey. While Bailey makes indoor scenes come to life, Ignatov gets inspiration from the outdoors, which is why the two will share an exhibit this fall called Charleston Inside and Out. The show is set to open the first Friday in November.
LePrince Fine Art
843-442-1664
leprince.com
CAROLINA FINE ART FRAMING
After years of creating his own art, Wilfred Spoon decided to frame his own works as well. That eventually led the artist to purchase Carolina Fine Art Framing more than five years ago, a company that’s been around since the 1950s. These days, it’s where Spoon, an art school graduate, happily hides away crafting handmade, museum-quality frames used by everyone from private enthusiasts to the Gibbes Museum of Art. Situated in a house upstairs on Spring Street, Spoon’s shop walls are filled with samples representing styles that range from Oriental and Gothic tabernacle to Art Deco. The craftsman prides himself on using techniques that date back several centuries, including hand carving. Carolina Fine Art Framing does custom frames not only for works of art, but also for things like flat-screen TVs, plus Spoon is glad to personally install a frame, offer advice at your home or restore an antique. Customers are welcome to stop into the workshop or studio for private visits and to discuss specific framing needs.
Carolina Fine Art Framing
843-723-2266
carolinaframes.com
BEN HAM IMAGES
Ben Ham has been making the connection between his camera and the South Carolina coast for most of his life. A photographer since childhood, Ham now depicts the Lowcountry’s distinct landscape in his large-format photography. Though living in Hilton Head, S.C., has lent the photographer plenty of scenes to immortalize on film, he also loves traveling to the top of the Rockies, to Southwestern deserts and through Pacific vineyards, all the while using a wooden field camera to capture his stunning images. Located on King Street, Ham’s new, expanded gallery comprises over 2,000 square feet of space in which to absorb the artist’s enormous detail-rich works. His gallery on Hilton Head Island is twice the size and is also the site of Ham’s fully equipped studio, complete with a darkroom and a frame shop. In 2009, he published Vanishing Light, a 144-page book filled with nearly 70 images printed on heavy LumiSilk paper. The photographs are complemented by stories about each adventure, written by Ham. Apart from the book, Ham only sells framed, limited-edition fine art pieces.
Ben Ham Images
843-410-1495
benhamimages.com
CHARLESTON ART BROKERS
Charleston Art Brokers (CAB) represent both well-established and up-and-coming fine artists and photographers. Currently featuring 11 artists—Mary Frances Bishop, Gary Bodner, Ed Boudolf, Victoria Guglielmi, Laura Melonas Dargan, John Gaulden, Hilarie Lambert, Cami Hutchinson, Caroline Trickey, Carla Johannesmeyer and Margie Luttrell—CAB showcases everything from abstract and non-objective paintings to figurative and landscape art, creating a vibrant, cohesive collection. With owners Carol Williams and Mary Frances Bishop at the helm, the virtual gallery helps architects, interior designers and more fill their spaces with stunning local art, while also offering fine-art services like art consultation, framing recommendations, artwork delivery and art installation. Charleston Art Brokers also displays works in places like Collective Coffee in Mount Pleasant and is currently offering workshops with the artists. The next one is an expressionistic painting workshop with “Atlanta’s renaissance man,” Gary Bodner, on Saturday, October 24 in Mount Pleasant. For more details, visit charlestonartbrokers.com.
Charleston Art Brokers
charlestonartbrokers.com
JOHN CARROLL DOYLE GALLERY
Seven years ago, local artist Margaret Petterson began sharing her gallery walls at 125 Church St., with the new owner, the now late John Carroll Doyle. Doyle’s works continue to hang at the John C. Doyle Gallery, as does the art of Petterson, who is as prolific as ever. Now that she’s been showing her work in the space for more than 20 years, she continually creates works inspired by beautiful, oak-shaded Lowcountry roads, marsh waters, old Charleston homes and the natural color she finds in every scene. She calls herself an intuitive painter, who uses sudden spurts of energy when she paints. Petterson says, “Nature is bursting with color, and one of my goals is to share it with others.” Though she began her career in oils and watercolors, the artist now focuses on oils and monotypes, and has become one of the premier monotypists in the community. She has appeared on national television, in countless books and on magazine covers, and in 2002, Petterson painted the official poster for the famous Cooper River Bridge Run.
John Carroll Doyle Art Gallery
843-577-7344
johncdoyle.com
ATELIER GALLERY
Beauty abounds in the light-filled space of Atelier Gallery. Nestled among King Street’s antique shops, the gallery’s surroundings suit its mission to mingle classics with modern pieces. Established in Asheville, North Carolina, by Gabrielle Egan in 2008, Atelier found a home in Charleston four years ago. Egan, who also owns and sells her handcrafted pieces at Peyton William both downtown and on Kiawah Island, curates every inch of space on the gallery walls, choosing artists for their individual approaches and innovative techniques. Though artists from all over the world fill the space, like Patti Zeigler, Dana Johns, Eric Zener, Kathy Cousart, Gina Strumpf, Alicia Armstrong, Augusta Wilson, Christy Kinard, Tony Gill and Sarah Atkinson, the gallery’s overall aesthetic remains firmly in the Lowcountry. Since July, the gallery has featured several new Atelier artists—including Charleston’s Chris Dotson and abstract artists Laura Park and Wan Marsh—at its pop-up shop inside the Shops at Charleston Place.
Atelier Gallery
843-722-5668
theateliergalleries.com
TOM POTOCKI
Anything can inspire Tom Potocki. “Everything around me has a possibility of becoming art,” he says. This free-spirited approach can be attributed to the artist’s experiences during the pop art movement in 1960s New York, where he spent time after getting his fine art degree from Pennsylvania’s Carnegie Mellon University. But then again, Potocki also grew up with art—his father was an artist and professional sign painter. As his father’s helper, Potocki saw his handiwork on the sides of buildings and large billboards from an early age. These days, his own individual style involves large acrylic poured paintings on canvas, which is sometimes described as refined graffiti. Potocki also creates brilliant, sculptural folk-art pieces that evolve from found objects. “I basically look for throw-away pieces until I find something unique,” he explains. “I like the idea that you give them new life and they can continue on.” Potocki’s work can be seen online and at Mitchell Hill Gallery at 438 King St. His most recent creations, the Divergence series, will be showcased this fall at the gallery.
Tom Potocki
843-763-2481
tompotocki.com
ROBERT LANGE STUDIOS
Megan and Robert Lange opened Robert Lange Studios a decade ago, and it has since expanded into the spacious 6,000-square-foot creative hub it is today. Inside, exposed brick and beautifully imperfect hardwood floors frame the space that houses works from over 20 artists, including Lange himself, Nathan Durfee, Karen Ann Myers, Kerry Brooks and Mia Bergeron. Uncrowded walls and comfortable places to relax lend the gallery an atmosphere that welcomes folks to come, clear the mind and stay awhile. With a focus on contemporary American realism and abstraction, the studio regularly hosts international and national artists in its residency program, where artists can actually stay at the gallery’s renovated two-bedroom space inside the centuries- old building. Constantly cultivating art from the area and beyond, Robert Lange Studios regularly works with the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art and Redux Contemporary Art Center to house their visiting artists, too. Last year, the studio began curating works inside the exhibition space at the nearby boutique hotel, The Vendue.
Robert Lange Studios
843-805-8052
robertlangestudios.com
MITCHELL HILL GALLERY
Michael Mitchell and Tyler Hill of Mitchell Hill are so much more than interior designers. Not only can they design your space, they can also design the furniture and lighting fixtures to fill it, not to mention select the art that hangs on the walls. And it doesn’t matter whether you want to go very traditional or totally contemporary—they’ll work with you wherever your style lies.
“Each one of our projects is tailored to the client, so no two ever look same,” Mitchell says. “I tend to like a clean, modern, traditional look fused with contemporary art.”
Mitchell’s name might be best known in Charleston for the Michael Mitchell Gallery, the impressively high-ceilinged art gallery on Upper King Street that Mitchell opened several years ago. Mitchell and Hill often pull from their large inventory of paintings, sculptures and photographs when building a project. “Often we’ll use a piece of art as a leaping-off point. The two worlds really do collide,” Mitchell says. “Our clients tend to be sophisticated art collectors, so the art is part of our process.”
Mitchell Hill Gallery
843-564-0034
emitchellhillinc.com
AMANDA MCLENON
Amanda McLenon discovered her talent for painting only five years ago. After working as a teacher in Michigan, she moved to the Holy City to earn a master’s degree in marine biology. Before graduating from the College of Charleston, McLenon began reverse-painting fish on windows and soon realized she had a knack for portraying wildlife. Her life as a marine biologist is what led the Daniel Island artist to her muse. In 2012, she was named Lowcountry Artist of the year by the Coastal Community Foundation, which is when McLenon became a full-time artist. A Southeastern Wildlife Exposition participant, she also paints local wildlife over antique maps and nautical charts. Lately, McLenon has been creating decorative pillows illustrating herons, pelicans, turtles and more, which she sells at the Marion Square farmer’s market every Saturday. Her next series Feathers and Folly will be a playful set of large-scale birds on canvas with bright backgrounds, available in late November. Sign up for her newsletter at amandamclenon.com to get an invitation to the series’ reveal and holiday party.
Amanda McLenon
734-846-4843
amandamclenon.com
STUDIO 151 FINE ARTS
Located near the corner of Church and Market Streets, Studio 151 is filled from floor to ceiling with pieces from 15 Lowcountry artists who all, in some way, use their art to respond to their surroundings here in the South. From Bob Graham, a Civil War painter, to Roger Tatum, who uses watercolors to depict crisp, vibrant Charleston scenery, a passion for this unique corner of the country is evident throughout the gallery. Studio 151 also features watercolors, oils, monotypes, photography and mixed media from artists including Colleen Weissmann, Rosie Phillips, Amelia Whaley, Dixie Dugan, Nancy Davidson, Debra Paysinger and Gina Brown. Styles and subjects can range from collage works to abstracts and traditional realism. But you’ll find more than works on canvas here— jewelry artists Shelby Parbel and Lissa Block ensure that you can also wear your souvenir when you leave. Artists are in-house daily to greet and discuss their works, and the gallery is open every day of the week.
Studio 151 Fine Arts
843-579-9725
studio151finearts.com
KATHY CLARK
The Charleston Lowcountry and its history have played an important role in Kathy Clark’s life and art. She often focuses on landscapes that reflect enduring feelings for the place she calls home.
“Having spent my entire life living on the islands of Charleston has definitely influenced my appreciation for history and the ever-changing tidal creeks, marshes, rivers and ocean,” Clark says. “For me, translating these visions on paper or canvas has been one of the most satisfying ways of expressing myself.”
Clark’s artistic abilities have developed from a number of sources, including studies with the Gibbes Museum of Art. More recent studies have explored palette knife painting with James Pratt, an artist from New Zealand, and figure drawing with Karen Vecchioni.
Clark’s work is a combination of impressionism with a touch of realism. She does not follow any defined approach. It is derived from a confluence of varied sources of inspiration. She connects with the subject and brings out the beauty of its meaning.
Kathy Clark
843-509-6818
kathyclarkfineart.com
REINERT FINE ART
Owned by contemporary impressionist painter Rick Reinert, Reinert Fine Art showcases more than 40 plus classical painters both figurative and abstract sculptors. In fact, the gallery recently added a sculpture garden gallery to its outdoor courtyard, which features bronze sculptors William and David Turner, Susie Chisholm, Leslie Hutto and Wesley Wofford. Inside, everything from still life and portraits to landscape and architecture is represented by local, national and world-renowned artists, including Oil Painters of America masters Neil Patterson, Zhiwei Tu and Christopher Zhang. Reinert himself is nationally renowned for his bold, light-filled paintings, which are replete with thick brushstrokes and a confident use of color. Reinert captures the essence of whatever he’s painting, be it boat harbor or a Charleston streetscape. His works are such a radical success that a second gallery is coming on October 1 to Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The new location will also give Reinert a dramatically different atmosphere to draw from. For further updates, visit the gallery at 179 King St. or at reinertfineart.com.
Reinert Fine Art
843-345-1785
rickreinert.com
KELLIE JACOBS
Kellie Jacobs has spent her life watching the seasons change among the marshes and beaches of the South Carolina coast. After graduating from the College of Charleston, Jacobs decided to pursue a professional career as a painter.
Working primarily in pastel, she paints landscapes using atmosphere and light to create mood and expression in her art. “I am fascinated with the light at the end of the day,” she says. “When the evening sun is low and warm, touching the tops of the sand dunes and grasses of the marsh—that is the time of day I love best.”
Jacobs’ juxtaposition of bright colors and soft textures appeals to both domestic and international collectors. Traveling to foreign locations has also enhanced her ability to manipulate her chosen medium of pastel to produce desirable and collectible artwork.
Many of her works hang in prestigious corporate and private collections, both nationally and abroad. Her art is also on view in Charleston galleries, including the Lowcountry Artists Gallery.
Kellie Jacobs
843-906-6746
kelliejacobsart.com
LOWCOUNTRY ARTISTS GALLERY
The Lowcountry Artists gallery was the vision of 10 local artists more than 30 years ago. They quickly grew from a small gallery on Hasell Street to their current historic location at 148 East Bay St. The gallery now has eight artist-owners and represents 25 guest artists, showcasing more than 500 works of art in oil, acrylic, watercolor, encaustic, pastel and more. But the gallery’s vast amount of local works isn’t all that makes it unique. “After 33 years in historic Charleston, our customers are like family,” says co-owner Joyce Harvey. “Almost every day we visit with returning clients and are always thrilled to share in their Charleston experience.” Harvey shares ownership with local artists Lynne N. Hardwick, Norma Morris Ballentine, Rana Jordahl, Laura Cody, Sandra Roper, John Albrecht and Kari Swanson, all of whom are committed to supporting the community with special events and art education. Ongoing projects include Art for Arthritis, a fundraiser that helps children with arthritis through the local Arthritis Foundation. Event and workshop information can be found at lowcountryartists.com or facebook.com/lowcountryartists.
Lowcountry Artists Gallery
843-577-9295
lowcountryartists.com
HILARIE LAMBERT
Oil painter Hilarie Lambert will tell you she enjoys painting the familiar: vintage toys, notable architecture or coastal scenes— but nothing about her work is “ordinary.” Through the filter of light in an egret’s wings in flight, or the way a newspaper crumbles under just-caught blue crabs, Lambert reveals the beauty in what we might have forgotten or gotten too busy to notice: the magic of the everyday.
The world in Lambert’s paintings is seen through her sense of humor and love of whimsy. She paints the rainy day in Paris, not the sunny one, the forgotten radio on the shelf, or the boy feeding pigeons in St. Mark’s Square (instead of the majestic basilica), all illustrating her joy in the edges of things, the side streets, the back doors.
Hilarie Lambert
843-822-1707
hlambert.com
CHRISTINE CROSBY
Charleston native Christine Crosby worked in the financial industry until a heart attack followed by triple bypass surgery at the age of 34 made her take stock of what was important in her life. She soon turned to art, and what began as therapy quickly became her passion. Crosby took workshops with several well-known local artists, then studied on her own to develop her personal and distinctive style. Lowcountry living has dictated her subject matter. The marshes, beaches and swamps and the creatures that inhabit them are Crosby’s inspirations. “Art is my escape,” she says. “It is my hope that viewers of my paintings find the same peace and tranquility that I experience as I create them.”
Christine Crosby
christinecrosbyfineart.com
KATHERINE DUTREMBLE
Although Katherine DuTremble has explored other fields in her life, from modeling to advertising, her vocation is creating art. She says matter-of-factly. “I’ve been an artist ever since I was seven years old. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with my life, and I’m doing it.” Now in Charleston via New York and Louisiana, DuTremble brings with her award-winning skills in monotyping. While her home studio in Mount Pleasant features an etching press, her preferred medium is oils. DuTremble’s landscape art has been featured at Piccolo Spoleto for 25 years, and she’s currently in the midst of an endearing 1,000-sunset project dedicated to her late husband. Now at number 230, her sunsets serve as backdrops to Lowcountry waters and marsh depicted in bright, vivid colors. You can view her handiwork at Studio in the Groves in Mount Pleasant or on DuTremble’s website, where the artist’s paintings will soon be joined by her own T-shirts, koozies, coffee mugs and more.
Katherine DuTremble
843-817-4471
katherinedutremble.com
DEBBY PALMER
When art major Debbie Palmer graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, she ventured straight into commercial art. “I worked in advertising for 20 years, and then opened up my own graphic design studio,” she explains. Palmer’s return to her first love, fine arts, came in 2000, and coincided with her arrival in Charleston. Though she started off with pastels, Palmer has found she’s most comfortable with oil on canvas. These days, the artist splits her time between her other home in Sag Harbor, N.Y., and the Holy City, where she prefers painting plein air. “I spend a lot of time painting on the streets of Charleston,” she says. Urban landscapes are Palmer’s forte. “I love architecture,” she says. You’ll find that barns, tractors and marsh scenes show up frequently in her work, as do pictures from up North, like her recent paintings of Nature Conservancy sites on Long Island. Palmer’s paintings can currently be seen at the Lowcountry Artists gallery on East Bay Street.
Debbie Palmer
deborahpalmerfineart.com
MICHELLE BOLTON
Michelle Bolton moved to the Lowcountry three years ago from Pinehurst, North Carolina, where she owned a custom design-build firm for 21 years. “I’ve always been drawn to architecture,” she says. Though Bolton has also done professional photography for more than 25 years—she trained under Eva Longoria’s personal photographer—being able to do so full time in Charleston is particularly inspiring for this self-described free spirit. One of her biggest requests is for children’s portraiture. The subjects’ eyes are Bolton’s favorite focal point. “I also like lifestyle portraits and capturing a child in candid movement,” she says. In addition to architecture and families, Bolton also shoots outdoor weddings, events and pets—but not a day goes by that she doesn’t find time to take in the beautiful local landscape. “I photograph a sunrise or sunset almost every day somewhere in the Lowcountry,” Bolton admits. Book a photo walk downtown where Bolton usually “catches” a sunset.
Michelle Bolton
843-388-4280
michellecoleboltonphotography.com
JENNIFER BLACK
Award-winning Charleston artist Jennifer Black has painted for most of her life. From the drawings she sketched at the age of eight to the art commissions she received as early as high school, Black has always been influenced by what’s around her. “I don’t make things up,” she says. “I tend to paint my surroundings, wherever I am.” With a focus on what she describes as impressionistic realism, Black’s favorite subjects are figures in the landscape, highlighted with dramatic light. “I like to catch the feeling of the subject, and light is very important to me,” she says. Blending colors together in the alla prima (wet-on-wet) technique, Black could be considered the Monet of the Lowcountry. Her private studio sits on the Ashley River where a stunning vista of the marsh gives the artist endless inspiration. Black’s paintings can currently be seen inside a window display at 265 King St., or folks may visit her studio by appointment.
Jennifer Black
843-763-0861
lowcountrystudio.com
VICKI MAGUIRE
For local artist Vicki P. Maguire, the excitement of learning never ends. Having earned a bachelor’s degree in her native New Mexico for advertising, layout and design, Maguire has spent the past 16 years in the Holy City honing her art skills with such mentors as international palette-knife wiz James Pratt. Lately, Maguire has embraced coastal abstracts in oil using palette knives.
While she’s at home with the Lowcountry’s landscape and skies, she also draws inspiration from the vibrant landscapes she visits in her travels around the U.S. and abroad. For heavy surf, rocks and fog, she heads to Laguna Beach, California. “I strive to recreate the light, mood and sounds of any moment or place,” she says. Maguire also teaches modern expressionism and works in the design and commercial industry. Her recent piece Blessed Assurance is part of the Straight from the Heart exhibit and Emanuel AME fundraiser November 10-11 at the Charleston Cigar Factory.
Vicki Maguire
STEVEN HYATT
Steven Hyatt is a photographer and printer based in Charleston. In addition to his photography, he is also president of a printing business called Imaging Arts Printing.
“My interest in photography emerged in my teenage years as an extension of a general desire to create,” Hyatt says. “Years later, as a philosophy and religious studies major at the College of Charleston, I would often spend time ‘studying’ in the Unitarian Church’s incredibly unique and alive cemetery. Many years after that, I found myself back at the same church wondering how I could capture what I was both seeing and experiencing in that space.” The effort to meet that challenge gave birth to the Churches of Charleston Project, which has since expanded to include churches throughout the world.
Hyatt also does a wide array of photography ranging from architecture to portraits of birds of prey to landscapes and abstract fine art photography.
Steven Hyatt
stevenhyatt.com
