The Greenville News in Greenville, SC, offered an article by Ann Hicks on June 22, 2008, entitled, “Phil Garrett’s King Snake Press Marks 10 Years”. The article gives a brief overview of Garrett’s past ten years running the press and mentions a collaboration between the press, SC artists, and the Greenville County Museum of Art. In fact the Museum is currently showing an exhibit of works coming out of the print studio over the past ten years by 15 artists through July 27, 2008.
What the article doesn’t mention is that Garrett lifted the idea of setting up a print studio in Greenville after parking himself at the Art Thomas Gallery in Charleston, SC, in the mid-’90s. Thomas first offered a print studio for artists to make monotypes in Charleston and gave Garrett the idea to work with artists and the local art museum through his collaboration with the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston. I know, I have one of those prints.
It’s not surprising that Garrett left out the fact that the spark for his idea of opening a print studio and working with a museum came from Charleston – his past conduct in Charleston is forgettable – except some of us remember. But, then again, maybe that part was cut from the article for space limitations.