William R. Beebe and his wife feel blessed, celebrating the fact that his 30-plus-year art career landed them permanently in Charleston. He found the local art scene to be most welcoming and joined the Charleston Artist Guild. Then, Mary Martin Galleries discovered his artwork and represented Beebe for a number of years. Now, he sells exclusively through his website and has amassed a diverse client base.

Colorful, detailed realism with touches of impressionism is how Beebe describes his style. His medium is oil, working in layers to create depth and richness.

His subjects are varied, and the artist now spends much of his time painting commissions. Many of those are of the local birdlife: herons, egrets, kingfishers, eagles and pelicans. Beebe is an avid birder, spending considerable time getting to know his subject matter and working from his own photography. Favorite locations include Kiawah Island, Shem Creek, the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Plantation and many other Lowcountry birding hot spots.

Beebe also paints another genre with a passion: architectural scenes that capture the essence of Charleston, its colorful historic homes, secret gardens and iconic locations.

Attention to detail helps identify his work as a “Beebe” painting. His studio is located in Mount Pleasant.