Works by Matt Tomko and Dan Vaughn at City Gallery in March

Pintails by Matt Tomko

Works by North Carolina artists Matt Tomko and Dan Vaughan will be on display at the North Charleston City Gallery during the month of March.

Both artists’ work will be on display from March 1-31, 2012. A free opening reception will be held at the gallery on Thursday, March 1, from 5pm-7pm. The artists will be present and the public is invited to attend. 

Matt Tomko, from Durham, North Carolina, will be featuring Serene Recollections of the Natural World.  This exhibition consists of forty oil paintings depicting wildlife and nature scenes.  Paying close attention to the fine details in feathers, branches, eyes, or leaves, Tomko’s work invites the viewer to recollect on past memories of special places and experiences often stored away in their memories.  

The inspiration for Tomko’s work began in his youth.  As a child, he would catch and release birds and small animals.  He began drawing as a way to keep a small part of nature with him.  From 2007 to 2009, he studied art at Studio Amid the Pines in Bear Creek, Pennsylvania, with Judith Keats.  Since then, he has been a featured artist of the Triangle Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, the Durham Arts Council Fall Class Catalog, as well as various solo and group exhibitions.    

Hooded Merganser by Dan Vaughn

Also on display at the gallery will be twenty-five large pastel paintings by Carrboro, North Carolina, artist Dan Vaughan. In Carolina Waterways, Vaughan presents realist depictions of the Carolina coast and waterways. Whether it is the sun breaking the early morning fog or the last rays of sunset illuminating the coastal breakers, the Carolinas’ picturesque coastal regions are beautifully recreated and preserved in Vaughan’s works.

Born and Raised in Michigan, Vaughan received degrees in biology and medicine from Michigan State University and Wayne State University.  Though his science studies took up most of his time, remained a serious photographer and painter.  His retirement from the University of North Carolina in 2003 has allowed him to devote more time to his art.  Vaughan’s work is greatly influenced by his biology training and shows a great appreciation of the outdoors.

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.