North Charleston City Gallery to Exhibit Works by Charlynn M. Knight & Gingi Martin

Angel Oak, Wise One by Charlynn M. Knight & The Elusive Peacock of Cypress Glade by Gingi Martin

The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department is pleased to announce that watermedia paintings by the City’s current Artist-in-Residence, Charylnn M. Knight, as well as oil paintings by Pineville, SC, based artist, Gingi Martin, will be on exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery from January 2-31, 2014. The artists will host a free public reception at the gallery from 5:00-7:00pm on Thursday, January 2.

Visions of the Lowcountry Through a New Perspective – Watercolor Paintings by Charlynn M. Knight
In Visions of the Lowcountry Through a New Perspective, Charlynn M. Knight presents watercolor paintings that depict the beauty of the everyday. Her recent works feature scenes captured during afternoon walks down well-worn dirt roads and paddling through the Lowcountry’s coastal waters in a kayak. Her approach with watermedia captures the “glow” and vibrant colors and textures of her subjects, which include the marshes, avenues of oaks, Lowcountry wildlife, and Deep South beauty and charm that coastal South Carolina has to offer.

Knight, a native Charlestonian, received a BA in Studio Art from the College of Charleston in 1994 and continues to further her painting knowledge through workshops with national and international artists. She has worked primarily in watercolor for over 28 years and has received numerous awards for her paintings. She has taught visual art classes and workshops in all media for children and adults since 1990, and is currently offering residencies to North Charleston schools and community groups as the City’s 2013/14 Artist-in-Residence. Knight’s work has been published in International Artist Magazine and her paintings are featured in several private and corporate collections, including the City of North Charleston’s Public Art Collection. Presently her work is available at Karen’s Korner in Mt. Pleasant and Laura Alberts Tasteful Options in Daniel Island.

La Tempesta – Oil Paintings by Gingi Martin
Gingi Martin’s great passion for Nature and its preservation manifests itself in the work presented in her exhibit, La Tempesta. The collection of oil paintings featured in the exhibition includes mostly landscapes. “I rarely represent the human figure because of its historically negative impact on Nature,” she explains. Martin’s utilization of intense colors and depictions of super-realistic scenes take inspiration from her deep love of the music and art of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras, and their relation to the Sublime.

A native of Pennsylvania, Virginia “Gingi” Martin received a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Art from Hiram College (Hiram, OH), and a Master of Fine Arts from the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY). She currently lives in Pineville, SC, where she maintains an art studio and teaches private art lessons. Martin has been painting in oils for eight years and finds the medium preferable to others with which she has experimented, largely due to their richness and texture, the ability to apply the paint in multiple layers, and the use of glazes to enhance color and atmosphere. In an on-going effort to understand the potential of color in landscape and portrait painting, she has conducted extensive and in-depth studies of color mixing and color theory. Aside from painting, Virginia and her husband, Dr. Peter W. Ferran, are collaborating on a book about creative individuals, their inspiration and drive to create.

The North Charleston City Gallery is situated in the common areas of the Charleston Area Convention Center, located at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. Parking and admission are free during regular Convention Center operating hours, 9:00am – 5:00pm daily. The gallery is staffed on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday only. Inquiries regarding the artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at http://bit.ly/culturalarts.

City Gallery to Exhibit Works by father and son, Richard & Joel Parker

The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department is pleased to announce that People, Faces, and So…Carolina©, an exhibition of oil paintings by Richard and Joel Parker, will be on exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery from July 1-29, 2013. The artists will host a free public reception at the gallery on Friday, July 5, from 5:00-7:00pm.

People, Faces, and So…Carolina© is a joint exhibition featuring works from Richard Parker’s So…Carolina© Low Country series and Joel Parker’s Facebook It! series. The exhibition marks the first time the two artists, who are father and son, will have their work displayed together. Richard’s oil paintings of Lowcountry scenes, from the sun rising over the beach at Isle of Palms to the storefront of the old Tellis Pharmacy on Lower King Street, are rooted in the aesthetic of reflection and the artist’s spiritual values. In contrast, Joel’s selection of oil paintings from his Facebook It! series explore the idea of spectacle by presenting images of large crowds at social gatherings. Instead of depicting the event the crowd has gathered for, Joel chooses to focus on the interactions that support these large events, thus turning the audience assembled to watch the spectacle into the subject observed by the viewer. By presenting a crowd in this manner, the viewer is asked to consider how an audience participates in a spectacle while at the same time mirroring how the viewer of the artwork participates with the artwork.

Richard Parker was born in Camden, SC, and raised in Kershaw, SC. Since high school he had dreams of an art related career, studying art at the University of South Carolina at 19 and later, with the help of the G.I. bill, receiving a BS in Art with K-12 certification from James Madison University. However, his aptitude for mathematics landed him in the field of civil engineering and project management with positions in the military, civilian industry, and institutes of higher education until his retirement in 2007. It is now, in retirement, that he is able to pursue his first career desire as his second living in his home studio in Mt. Pleasant, SC.

Joel Parker received his Bachelors of Arts in Studio Art, Historic Preservation, and Art History from the College of Charleston in 2005 and 2006. He received his Master of Fine Arts in painting from Washington University in St. Louis in 2009, followed by a travel fellowship and Cité Residency at the Cité International des Arts in Paris, France. His work has been featured in a number of solo and group exhibitions in Charleston, SC, St. Louis, MO, and Gainesville, FL, where he currently resides and is pursuing a Masters in Art History at the University of Florida.

The North Charleston City Gallery is situated in the common areas of the Charleston Area Convention Center, located at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. Parking and admission are free during regular Convention Center operating hours, 9:00am – 5:00pm daily. The gallery is staffed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday only. Inquiries regarding the artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at http://bit.ly/culturalarts.

North Charleston Arts Festival Judged Fine Art & Photography Competition Winners Announced

Fine artists and amateur and professional photographers from across the state were invited to participate in the 2013 Judged Fine Art and Judged Photography Competitions & Exhibitions, organized annually by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department and presented May 3-11 as a component of the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival. A total of 168 fine art entries were accepted in the categories of oil, acrylic, watercolor, drawing/pastel, and 2D mixed media. Cash awards totaling $3,250 were made at the sole discretion of the judge, Sara C. Arnold, Curator of Collections at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston. After making her selections, Ms. Arnold stated, “The Lowcountry is fortunate to have such an event that displays the talents of our local artists.” She continued, “All the applicants should be commended for their entries. It is a pleasure to see such variety in both media and in style represented in the competition.”

A total of 230 entries were accepted in photography, which were split into the divisions of Professional/Advanced and Amateur and categorized as color or monochrome. Cash awards totaling $1,450 were awarded by a panel of three judges using the Photographic Society of America Print Guidelines. Each judge evaluated entries as a whole, considering the areas of impact, composition, and technique.

In addition to awards given by the judges, three fine art pieces were selected for City of North Charleston Purchase Awards. These pieces will be added to the City of North Charleston’s Permanent Public Art Collection, which is on display within North Charleston City Hall throughout most of the year.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Best in Show – Fine Art
In My Mother’s Arms by Nizar/Kelvin Blufton

City of North Charleston Purchase Awards
The Stretch by Bob Graham
Due South by Elliot B. West
Green Wave by Angela Smith

Fine Art - Acrylic
1st Place – Festival Fiddle by Brenda Gilliam
2nd place – Study in Public by Jean Spencer
3rd Place – Insomnia by David Helmerick
Honorable Mention – Play On by Pedro Rodriguez
Honorable Mention – Ishmael by Amanda McLenon
Honorable Mention – Against the Odds by Jack Vanderpol

Fine Art - Oil
1st Place – The Promise by Blaine Tailer-Kimball Dixon
2nd Place – Waiting by Sherri Bardsley
3rd Place – Gullah Woman by Denny Stevenson
Honorable Mention – Strolling the Gardens by Sandra J. Booker
Honorable Mention – Decelerating by Sally Accetta
Honorable Mention – A in Green by Judy McSween
Honorable Mention – Street Crossing by Peter Scala

Fine Art - Drawing/Pastel
1st place – Second Glance by Bob Graham
2nd Place – Blended Trees by Dolores Hayes Lott
3rd Place – Pitcher & Pine Cone by Sherry Bevins
Honorable Mention – Live Oak by Nancy Davidson
Honorable Mention – Fishing Spot by Mary Brigman

Fine Art - Watercolor 
1st Place – Kevina by Lynda Lawrence
2nd Place – Abandoned by Becky Taylor
3rd Place – Daybreak in the Town of Two Harbors by Dorothy Shromoff
Honorable Mention – Cosmos in Bloom by Becky Taylor
Honorable Mention – Evil Eye by Charlotte Holman

Fine Art - 2D Mixed Media
1st Place – Ship High in Transit by Denise Greer
2nd Place – All the Earth by Deborah Neal
3rd Place – Equilibrium at Risk by Lara Neece
Honorable Mention - Home Grown by Linda Wasielewski
Honorable Mention – City Jail by Shawn Allison
Honorable Mention – See Through by Paige Duvall
Honorable Mention – Resting in Style by Don Roberts

Professional Photography - Color
1st Place – Bride of Magnolia by Donnie Smith
2nd Place – Daughters of Confederacy Building by Vanessa Kauffmann
3rd Place – Forster’s (Tern) Flight 39 by Raymond Colin Murray
Honorable Mention – Relics of the Past by Raymond Colin Murray
Honorable Mention – Edwin S. Fishing Pier at Twilight by Raymond Colin Murray

Professional Photography - Monochrome
1st Place – Studebaker by Peter Ingrasselino
2nd Place – Got an Itch by Gloria Welch
3rd Place – Abandoned by Vanessa Kauffmann
Honorable Mention – Shem Creek – Rigged & Ready by Chris Rogers

Amateur Photography - Color
1st Place – Snow Ram by Rick Dandridge
2nd Place – Osprey #1 by Andy Reilly
3rd Place – Dolbadarn Castle by Rick Dandridge
Honorable Mention – Henpecked by Jim Miller
Honorable Mention – Bumper Pool by Jim Miller

Amateur Photography - Monochrome
1st Place – Racer by Andy Reilly
2nd Place – Girl with Cup by Mark Melcher
3rd Place – Remembering Italy: Tempi Passati by Gabi Simon
Honorable Mention – Carousel Horse by Kaitlin Carroll
Honorable Mention – French Hugenot Church at Dawn by Douglas A. Fraze
Honorable Mention – Hold on to Faith by Brenda Bihlear

For information about additional exhibition opportunities offered by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, call 843-740-5854, email culturalarts@northcharleston.org, or visit http://bit.lyculturalarts. For details on the North Charleston Arts Festival, visit NorthCharlestonArtsFestival.com.

Ginny Versteegen & Faye Sullivan at City Gallery in September

Mt. Pleasant artists to present concurrent solo exhibitions of oils and watercolors

Works by Ginny Versteegen and Faye Sullivan will be on exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery during the month of September.

Ginny Versteegen’s exhibit, Journeys, consists of her latest oil and watercolor paintings which encompass personal journeys, artistic journeys, as well as the artist’s geographical journeys.  Recent trips to Tuscany and Umbria have inspired many of the paintings in the exhibit.   Local excursions throughout the Lowcountry and Upstate also contribute to the theme. Versteegen’s fascination with color and light are both evident in the inspired collection of paintings.  Done “en plein air,” these works reflect the sunlit landscapes and windows of the world.

Versteegen taught art in private and public schools throughout her life.  She received a degree in Art Education through Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and continued her education in fine arts at Winthrop University, Queens College in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the University of Oviedo in Spain.  Having resided in Holland, Spain, and Brazil, her work exhibits an international flair. Her paintings have received awards in many shows locally and throughout the United States. She currently co-manages the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery in downtown Charleston, is a contributing member of the I’On Guild, and previously served on the board of the Mount Pleasant Artist Guild.

The oil paintings in Faye Sullivan’s exhibit, Reflections, invite the public to experience the openness and expanse of the Lowcountry through the seascapes and landscapes which surround them.  “Water is the ultimate chameleon,” says the artist.  “It reflects the clouds, time of day, wind, sky, and all of the many things which surround it.  It is this reflective quality which is most helpful when repeating colors to unify the scene.”  Sullivan first worked in pastels because she was drawn to the softness of the medium.  She now paints with that softness using oils, choosing a smooth canvas and applying the paint thinly with soft edges.  These techniques help set a mood of peacefulness and solitude and make her work easily recognizable.

Sullivan is a graduate of East Carolina University with a BFA and MFA in Art.  She taught art for 39 years at the middle and high school level before retiring in the Lowcountry. She has won numerous art awards and her work is displayed in homes and offices throughout the country and abroad.  She currently exhibits at the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery in downtown Charleston and is a member of three local guilds.

Both artists’ work will be on display from September 1 – 30, 2011. The public is invited to attend a free opening reception at the gallery hosted by the artists on Thursday, September 1, from 5pm-7pm.

The North Charleston City Gallery is located in the Charleston Area Convention Center with free parking and admission during regular Convention Center operating hours 9:00am – 5:00pm, daily.  The gallery is staffed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday only.   Inquiries regarding artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at www.northcharleston.org.

Elizabeth Roberts McFalls & Samantha Meeker at City Gallery

Drawings and oils by Georgia based artists on
view throughout month of August.

Hamilton Hill by McFalls

Elizabeth Roberts McFalls uses historical photographs of the rural southeast as a reference and departure point for her pen and ink drawings and lithographs. The pieces in her exhibit, titled At Rest, reflect on the ideas of family, community, and heartbreak expressed in the photographs, while also confronting issues like mortality, sacrifice, and false sentimentality. “Revealing, concealing, and reinventing truths is central to my art making process,” she explains. “In my drawings and prints I question how we categorize ourselves and relate to one another through a veil of romanticized history.” 

McFalls has exhibited in a number of group and solo exhibitions both regionally and nationally. She has also given several artist lectures at colleges and universities throughout the country. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at Columbus State University in Columbus, GA. For more information on the artist and her work, visit www.roberts-mcfalls.com. 

Also on exhibit at the gallery are works by Samantha Meeker. Her exhibition, Lovers & Fighters, features a combination of two sets of figurative oil paintings. The Lovers series addresses the idea of what men will do for women in the name of love, such as enduring great humiliation, pain, and sacrifice. The Fighters series focuses on struggle and conflict.  The pieces, which depict fighters in a ring, were created at a time when the artist was battling with many aspects of her life, including family, college, and learning to paint. “The scenes of the fighters are all representative of emotions I was feeling while undergoing this life balance,” she explains. 

Watching You by Meeker

Meeker received a BFA in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2009. Her work is currently being shown in Atlanta and has recently been juried into two national exhibitions. For more information on the artist and her paintings, visit www.samanthameeker.com. 

Both artists’ work will be on display from August 1-31, 2011. The gallery will host a reception on Thursday, August 4, from 5pm-7pm. The public is invited to attend. 

The North Charleston City Gallery is located in the Charleston Area Convention Center with free parking and admission during regular Convention Center operating hours 9:00AM – 5:00PM, daily.  The Gallery is staffed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday only.   Inquiries regarding artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at www.northcharleston.org.

North Charleston City Gallery to Exhibit Works by Barrie Hinson

The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department is pleased to announce that works by Barrie Hinson will be on exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery from March 1-31, 2011.

Charleston Artist Guild member, Barrie Hinson, will exhibit plein air landscapes in oil in her exhibit of recent works, titled Landscapes of the Lowcountry. Hinson paints landscapes on location with the essential monochromatic value study, and then takes the piece to her studio where she lays in the color. She then pushes and pulls the color temperatures to create mysterious and intriguing focal points. Barrie is drawn to the intriguing demeanor of the Lowcountry, such as its lazy rivers, majestic live oaks, afternoon light and marshes. She says, “It is a thrill to be able to stand before nature and let her challenge me with her infinite beauty.”

Hinson grew up near the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, NC, where she started receiving recognition in art early on in life. She was voted “most artistic” at Asheville High School and as featured in a one-man-show at the age of 18. She studied Painting and Printmaking at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for two years and received a B.F.A. degree in Art Education from Virginia Commonwealth University.

In 1985 Barrie moved to Charleston, SC, where she taught art in public and private schools, introducing and encouraging many young people to pursue art as a career. In 2003 she retired from teaching to return to her first passion of painting oil portraits, murals, and black and white photography. She was past president of the Goose Creek Artist Guild and is currently exhibiting in the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery.

The North Charleston City Gallery is located in the Charleston Area Convention Center with free parking and admission during regular Convention Center operating hours 9:00AM – 5:00PM, daily. The Gallery is staffed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday only. Inquiries regarding artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at www.northcharleston.org.