Fire Museum officially opens renovated theater exhibit.

The North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center officially opened “Are You an Escape Artist?” theater exhibit, Thursday, March 13, 2014.

In spring 2013, the Fire Museum partnered with museum exhibit and theater designers, Boston Productions Inc. to create an engaging and interactive theater experience truly unique to the museum, Lowcountry and the state. “Are You an Escape Artist?” takes guests on a fast pace, immersive and exciting adventure through fire history, knowledge, science, safety and planning and all at level that is captivating for all age groups.

The presentation will be a permanent fixture in the museum and replaces the museum’s original theater show from 2007.

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.

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.

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.

The Meeting Place Window to Exhibit Works by Keller Lee

The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department will host an exhibition of works by Keller Lee in the display windows of The Meeting Place during from March 1-31, 2011.

In his exhibit, Inspiration and Interpretation, local artist Keller Lee will present fused glass objects that were inspired by items and patterns found in every day life. Most of Lee’s works function as some sort of practical object, from candle holders to coasters. Lee says, “Glass is a great way to make my life inspired art take on a functional form that can be used in everyday life.”

Glass fusion, often referred to as "warm glass," is one of the oldest forms of glass making. Torches and kilns are used to make the glass soft and molten. Handcut, broken, pulled and ground pieces of glass are used with each glass fusion project.

The Meeting Place is located at 1077 East Montague Avenue in the revitalized Olde North Charleston Business District. Parking is free. Display window exhibits offer visitors a continuous opportunity to view artwork by different artists every other month. Proposals are being accepted and considered on a continuing basis. Further inquiries about this exhibition and exhibition opportunities 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.