North Charleston City Hall Turns Art Gallery with Works by International & National Artists

Pursuing New Lands by Reynier Llanes

The halls of North Charleston City Hall have been transformed into viewing spaces for three special visual art exhibitions presented as components of the 2013 North Charleston Arts Festival. Contemporary works by an assortment of artists from Cuba, art quilts by African American fiber artists from across the nation, and abstract fiber pieces by the City’s Artists-in-Residence are currently on display and will remain on view through June 20. A reception in honor of the exhibitions will be held at North Charleston City Hall on Thursday, May 9, from 6:00-8:00pm. The exhibitions and reception are free and open to the public.

Contemporary Artists of Pinar Del Rio, Cuba - International Group Exhibition
The third floor of City Hall features the international group exhibition, Contemporary Artists of Pinar Del Rio, Cuba. Pinar Del Rio, Cuba, is an area steeped in rich culture and history that has been the birthplace and home of many of the country’s most outstanding writers, musicians, and visual artists. In this group exhibition curated by Reynier Llanes, nine professional contemporary artists from this westernmost province of Cuba present a collection of post Cuban Revolution art in a variety of mediums and styles that capture their unique culture and heritage as is relates to the land, life, and the essence of community. Featured artists include Javier Ampudia, Arquimides (Nelo) Lores, Juan Suarez Blanco, Livan Ricardo Hernandez, Reynier Llanes (curator), Yaciel Martinez, Juan Carlos Morales Lemus, Danys Milo Ozuna, and Juan Miguel Suarez. These artists are not tied to the historical 1940’s early modern traditions of pre-revolution artistic expressions, or the 1960’s revolution presentations of ideological social realism, or the politically sanctioned and government supervised expressions of art of the 1970’s and 80’s. Rather, these artists are products of the 1990’s, creating work based on the ideas of freedom of expression and experimentation in both mediums and styles. Featured works include representational landscapes, figurative expressions, magic surrealism, and abstract expressionism styles of contemporary art in Cuba today that are a clear testament to the artists’ creativity and imagination, advanced education, rich cultural bonding, sense of humor, and vitality. Llanes will give a brief lecture during the reception at 6:30pm. For additional information on the artists featured in the exhibition, visit ReynierLlanes.com.

Once Upon a Quilt: Welcome to My Quilted Story Book – 7th Annual African American Fiber Art Exhibition
City Hall’s first and second floors feature the 7th annual African American fiber art exhibition, Once Upon a Quilt: Welcome to My Quilted Story Book. Curated by award-winning and nationally exhibiting textile artist, Torreah “Cookie” Washington, this annual exhibit showcases African American fiber artists from across the nation creating works through a variety of traditional and non-traditional fiber techniques. The 7th installment features pieces inspired by the artists’ favorite story; written or oral, fiction or non-fiction. Through this exhibition, these quilts are able to tell their own stories with messages that encourage, inspire, comfort, and enchant. Featured artists include Cathy Alvarez (Marietta, GA), Yvonne Anderson (Laurelton, NY), Pauline Barrett (Killeen, TX), Carolyn Brackat (Conway, SC), Lenora Brown (North Charleston, SC), Angela Ferguson (Austel, GA), Cookie Keeling Patterson (Decatur, GA), Arianne King Comer (North Charleston, SC), Catherine Lamkin (Charleston, SC), Aisha Lumumba (Atlanta, GA), Bridgett Murray (Walterboro, SC), Laquita Tummings (Vallejo, CA), and Torreah “Cookie” Washington (SC). Washington will give a brief lecture during the reception at 7:30pm.

Wash Over You – Works by Kristy Bishop
On City Hall’s second floor, opposite the art quilts, viewers will find fiber works of another kind. In her exhibition of abstract textile pieces, titled Wash Over You, Kristy Bishop presents intricate pieces composed of hand-dyed silk that is cut, gathered, and sewn. Thousands of tiny pieces of fabric are manipulated to create color transitions and gradients that translate human emotions. The featured pieces are left untitled so that the emotions the artist experienced while making each piece do not necessarily influence the interpretation of the viewer. Ultimately, the artist hopes that individuals viewing this series allow themselves to feel whatever emotion it is that the colors elicit. Bishop currently offers residencies to North Charleston schools and community groups as the City’s Artist-in-Residence. Her work has been featured in the pages of Charleston Magazine and presented in a number of group exhibitions, both locally and nationally. She will give a brief lecture during the reception at 7:00pm.

North Charleston City Hall is located at 2500 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, SC 29406. Exhibition viewing times are 8:00am-8:00pm, daily through June 20. Inquiries regarding the artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843-740-5854. For full details about the North Charleston Arts Festival visit NorthCharlestonArtsFest.com. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events organized and presented by the City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department, visit http://bit.ly/culturalarts.

City of North Charleston Appoints New Artist-in-Residence

Local fiber artist, Kristy Bishop, to fill role for 2012-2013

The City of North Charleston Cultural Arts Department is proud to announce the appointment of contemporary fiber artist Kristy Bishop as Artist-in-Residence for 2012/13. The City’s Artist-in-Residence serves as a key resource for the department’s outreach programs, especially in the area of art instruction. The selected artist shares his/her unique skills, talents, and experiences by providing services to senior groups, public schools, group homes, and various other groups within the city limits of North Charleston. Kristy will be available for visual art residencies of 12-15 hours at a minimum of two hour increments at North Charleston schools and is also available to host workshops for community groups of all ages.

Kristy Bishop, originally from Charleston, received a BA in Studio Art with a concentration in painting from the College of Charleston in 2008. In the spring of 2009 she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where the beauty and fragility of the Mojave desert became the primary inspiration for her paintings. It was in December of that year that Kristy began experimenting with fiber mediums, incorporating sewn and embroidered elements into her paintings. By the time she returned to Charleston in the summer of 2010, Kristy had made the transformation from painter to mixed media/fiber artist. Her most recent works are created solely from fabric, featuring hand-dyed silk that is cut, gathered, and sewn. By hand dyeing the fabric, she creates a multitude of colors that she uses as her palette for creating new work. Thousands of tiny pieces of hand-dyed silk are manipulated to create large scale abstract pieces that employ texture and color to convey and evoke a number of emotions. In March, 2012, Kristy was featured in Charleston Magazine. Her most recent works can be viewed in an exhibition titled Pinned Down, on view from August 17-28 at Stems, located at 208 Coming Street in downtown Charleston.

Art teachers and school liaisons may initiate the request for FREE services by the Artist-in-Residence by contacting the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854. Community groups are also welcome to submit requests, which will be considered on a first come first served basis. All project requests should be placed at least two weeks in advance, with residences completed by the end of May, 2013.

The North Charleston City Gallery will host an exhibition of Kristy’s work throughout January, 2013. The gallery is located within the Charleston Area Convention Center at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. School liaisons, arts teachers, and the general public are invited to meet the artist at a free gallery reception on Thursday, January 3, 2013, from 5:00-7:00pm.

More information about the Artist-in-Residence program, as well as the department’s other programs, exhibits, and events, can be found on the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at www.northcharleston.org. For more information about Kristy, visit kristybishop.com.