April Issue 2002
It's Time Again for Artista Vista in the Historic Congaree Vista in Columbia, SC
Artista Vista, the annual spring gallery crawl in the historic Congaree Vista in Columbia, will be held Fri. evening, Apr. 26 from 5-9pm and Sat., Apr. 27 from 11am until 4pm. Ten galleries will join together in celebrating their creative roles in making the state capital an important center for the contemporary visual arts. Each of the venues will feature special exhibits or programs, from performance art to film screenings to exhibits specifically designed to showcase the best artists in South Carolina.
Participating venues include I. Pinckney Simons Gallery (1012 Gervais St.), The Gallery at Nonnah's (930 Gervais St.), Carol Saunders Gallery (922 Gervais St.), M. Craig & Co. (807 Gervais St.) Cameo Fine Art (1213 Lincoln St.), City Art Gallery (1224 Lincoln St.), Lewis & Clark (1231 Lincoln St.), Gallery 80808 (808 Lady St.), One Eared Cow Glass (1102 Huger St.), and AV (1315-A Gadsden St.).
Laura Spong
Many of the galleries are planning out-of-the-ordinary events. At Gallery 80808, for example, members of the Vista Studios will be showing Rotation, an exhibit showing work by members of the Vista Studios in a medium unfamiliar to them. For example, painter Laura Spong will create a sculpture using found metal pieces and putting together a "found metal sculpture." Carol Barks (a stone carver) is planning to use stone pieces and build a mosaic piece. Ethel Brody, a print maker, is painting pottery pieces. Amey Warder, an environmental photographer, will take the camera inside for studio portraiture. Robert Allison, a sculptor, is painting, and Pat Callahan is working in mixed media construction.
The Vista Studios welcomes two new folks to
the 13 space working studio/gallery. Amey Warder is an environmental
photographer who works primarily in portrait and landscape work,
and Sharon Collings Licata is a potter and sculpture.
Lewis & Clark will feature Amanda Jenkins (Polaroid transfers),
Lynn Burgess (paintings), Matt Milone (paintings), Billy Mustard
(steel furniture), Lewis & Clark (furniture and lighting),
Michael Ronquillo (slide installation). At the gallery, faculty
and students in media studies at The University of South Carolina
will present a film program of rarely seen film footage and other
"orphan films". This presentation anticipates the third
Orphans of the Storm film symposium to be held at the university
in the fall.
The Carol Saunders Gallery will show work by
three contemporary glass artists based in Pennsylvania - Harry
Stuart, Will Dexter, and Rob Scavuzzo.
The Gallery at Nonnah's, the Vista's popular dessert place, will
showcase their regular artists in their gallery space. See works
by Edie Biddle, Michele McNinch, Jan Sweetwood Porter, Ingrid
Carson, Bonnie Goldberg, Betty Mandell, Jennie Barnham, Betty
Cooper, and Jean Bourque.
Cameo Fine Art will exhibit Reveries, a one-woman show of 50 small ceramic wall sculptures by Jean McWhorter. An informal gallery discussion will take place with the artist on Sat., Apr. 27, from 1-3pm.
M. Craig & Co will show the fabric art of Susan Lenz. Known in Columbia as the owner of the Mouse House, Lenz has developed her fiber art into an important form of personal expression. In the last couple of years, her work has won awards at many prestigious juried art events. Examples of her work can also be seen at both Rising High restaurants in Columbia.
AV will feature works during Artista Vista of painting and clay art from Marcelo Novo, Britta Cruz, Kim LeMasters, Laura Spong and others to be announced.
I. Pinckney Simons Gallery presents the exhibit,
Interpretations of the Southern Landscape, featuring artists
Elena Madden and Michael Gray. Madden's large abstract work captures
the southern sky and water, reflecting the energy of rapidly changing
shapes on land and water. Gray's work represents a mastery of
the impressionistic technique, and his new paintings represent
the backroads and beaches of the South Carolina coast.
City Art will celebrate its 5th anniversary during Artista
Vista by highlighting new work by some of the region's most
important visual artists. The Main Gallery, the Second Level Gallery
and the Small Works Gallery will showcase work by City Art's represented
artists. Artists include: Alex Powers, Bill Jackson, Phil Garrett,
Julia Cart, Tarleton Blackwell, Angela Bradburn, Walt Simpson,
Betty Bramlett, Bob Doster, Ed Shmunes, Amy Fichter, Preston Orr,
Tom Stanley, Bruce Nell-Smith, and Ray Davenport. The gallery
also welcomes a talented group of emerging artists, including
Gerard Erley, Catherine Bettencourt, Troy Wingard, Scotty Peek,
and Chris Clamp. The special event of Friday evening will be a
performance and installation by Janet Orselli.
Finally, One Eared Cow Glass will show off their handblown art glass and provide demonstrations of how they accomplish their trademark designs.
All events are free and open to the public.
For further information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings or call Teri Tynes, Gallery Director at CityArt at 803/252-3613.
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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Carolina Arts
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Copyright© 2002 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston
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