Archive for the ‘SC Visual Arts’ Category

The Wells Gallery in Charleston, SC, Features Exhibit of Works by John Michiels

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Editor’s Note: Sorry, we have to correct the dates of this show.

The Wells Gallery in Charleston, SC, will present the exhibit, Quiet Space, featuring over 15 photographs by John Michiels, on view from Jan. 3 – 31, 2012. A reception will be held on Jan. 26, from 5:30-7:30pm.

Michiels’ creative spirit was evident from the beginning, but it took years of study, practice and experimentation before he developed his signature style that some have described as southern gothic. He absorbed and applied the principles of photography as espoused by Adams, Weston, Sexton and other photographers he admired, first emulating their techniques, then incorporating what he learned into his own artistic vision. In his smooth and detailed photographs, you will be able to see why Michiels loves to “play” the gray scale. “I chose monochrome photography because it simplifies and emphasizes my subject matter. I love the mood and feeling it conveys.”

Michiels’ photographs began winning awards in high school, encouraging him to pursue photography as the medium for his creative expression. He continues to gain recognition at the annual Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit in Charleston, receiving 6 ribbons, including two for first place and a best of show/Mayor’s Purchase Award.

After working in a traditional darkroom for 25 years, Michiels gave it up in 2006 for digital printmaking after studying with John Cone and his staff at Cone Editions in Vermont. “Mr. Cone is widely recognized as a pioneer in digital printing. He’s the go-to printer for some of the most highly regarded artists in the world.”

“While at Cone Editions, I had the opportunity to use their printers and John’s Piezography ink-sets. This was the first time I’d seen digital pigment prints of my work and even though they had a different feel, the quality completely rivaled my darkroom prints,” say Michiels. Piezography inks are a monochrome set of pure carbon pigment inks and are unparalleled for tonal-range, sharpness and stability.

“I’m glad I spent so many years making gelatin-silver prints,” adds Michiels. “That irreplaceable knowledge gained in the darkroom, gave me an solid foundation for digital print making. I’m able to hold my carbon pigment prints to the highest standards.”

Michiels works with medium and large format and digital cameras, He personally completes every step of the printmaking process including framing. His photographs are produced, mounted and framed using archival processes and the finest materials. Current prints are offered in editions of 45 or less.

National and international art lovers, business owners and interior designers collect his South Carolina Lowcountry photographs.

For further information call the gallery at 843/853-3233 or visit (www.wellsgallery.com).

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A Trip to the Best Art Galleries on Hilton Head Island, SC

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011

As many people in the Carolinas and beyond were heading to Charleston, SC, for a big visual art weekend including the first Friday art walk, the opening of the SC Watermedia Society’s annual member exhibition, the Charleston Fine Art Dealers’ Fine Art Annual, and the 6th Charleston Art Auction – Linda and I were headed to Hilton Head Island, SC, to visit some galleries and attend a good friend’s wedding.

We would be missing one of the biggest gatherings of people interested in the visual arts in Charleston’s history – bigger than the Spoleto Festival which is mostly performing arts – and close to attracting the crowd the Southeastern Wildlife Expo says they bring in. But that’s a whole different crowd and would be a major blog explaining who those folks really are. We still haven’t figured out how to be in two or three places at once so it’s a pretty normal thing of having to make hard choices. There are always several good things going on at the same time in different parts of the Carolinas.

Now, I’m not just calling these galleries the best on Hilton Head Island because they are two of our best supporters, they earned that reputation on their own, but I think you’ll see by the photos I present and when you go check it out for yourself – if you don’t already know I’m telling the truth. And, I ask you – why would I go to galleries that don’t support our paper?

We left early Friday morning to get to Hilton Head in time to still catch the crew at Morris & Whiteside Galleries before they left for Charleston to set up for the Saturday night Charleston Art Auction, which we have now received a report that the auction set a new record this year with over $700,000 in sales – not bad for one evening, but months and months of work.

The auction team of Jack A. Morris, Jr., J. Ben Whiteside, David G. Leahy, (of Morris & Whiteside Galleries) and Janie & Joe B. Sylvan (of The Sylvan Gallery in Charleston) have over thirty years experience presenting fine art to collectors throughout the Unites States. The Morris & Whiteside group is also involved in the Scottsdale Arizona Auction which sold over $15 million this Spring. Of course they had 411 items in that auction compared to the 100 in the Charleston Art Auction. They know what they are doing and by establishing an art auction in Charleston have helped that city be a major arts destination in the South. It may have helped Charleston become the number one destination for travelers in the US this year. Who knows?

We arrived at Morris & Whiteside Galleries just in time to help load art on to the truck headed to Charleston. I actually handed one painting up to someone in the truck, but I would have done more, but I felt an obligation to get some photos of the gallery for you readers. It’s all about the readers with me when it comes to heavy lifting. We also got to see Clark Hulings paintings before they were loaded, which is a good thing as they all sold at the auction. But they have a few more at the gallery – just for you.

I’ve been in this same space when it was the Red Piano Gallery years before Morris & Whiteside Galleries took it over and it has never looked so good, as you can see from the photos. The red piano is still there.

We didn’t want to over stay our welcome and they had a lot of work to do before they could head to Charleston so we headed to the next stop, Smith Galleries in the Village at Wexford.

But before that, you should know that Morris & Whiteside Galleries will be presenting a reception for the exhibit, Recent Works: Dean Mitchell, on Nov. 18, 2011, from 6-8pm.  If you’re going to be in the area or know of Mitchell’s work – check it out.

I have an interesting story about Smith Galleries. Long before we ever got involved with art galleries and visual art newspapers – back when we were still in the photo processing biz, Linda and I made a trip to Gatlinburg, TN. Back then, pottery and photography was the only art we were collecting. We asked someone in the town where we would see the best pottery and someone suggested a potter named Wally Smith. So we checked it out and we purchased one of the best pieces in our collection. Years later, by 1995 when we decided to take our paper Charleston Arts and expand it into South Carolina Arts I traveled to Hilton Head Island to check out the galleries there and get them to participate in our venture.

When I got to Smith Galleries there was Wally and his wife, Jean, who makes wearable art. They had moved from Gatlinburg to Hilton Head – I think to play more tennis. What I found strange and amazing was the fact that Wally had given up pottery to run a gallery that featured other people’s work. It was and still is a fantastic gallery filled with amazing work, but still – I’d give my left toe to be as good at creating anything as good as he was at making pottery. But, over the years I’ve learned that’s not so unusual – some talented artists have to make hard choices at times.

When I mentioned that I still had that piece, Jean said I’ve got a rare item there. And, I bet I do.

I took a good many pictures around the gallery and yet I don’t think I came close to showing the place off. It’s the kind of place where you almost feel like you have to leave a trail of crumbs to find your way back, but please don’t and say I told you to do so. I want to be able to go back.

You’ll notice I didn’t take any pictures of all the jewelry they had as Linda would have been in every one I tried to take.

The pictures I took came in handy later as we got together with other friends who had arrived for the wedding we were attending Saturday afternoon. Someone asked something about galleries and I was suggested as the perfect tour guide, so I showed a few folks the pictures I took. Next thing I know Linda and I are waiting outside Smith Galleries early Saturday morning with a group of folks – one couple all the way from Australia – for the gallery to open as we had limited time for gallery hopping. They weren’t disappointed and I later saw that one wedding gift had come from the gallery.

Whether it’s loading artwork onto trucks or giving gallery tours – we at Carolina Arts are here to serve our supporters any way we can.

That’s about it except for telling you that Smith Galleries will be having their annual Holiday Open House on Nov. 25 & 26, 2011. It should be a great event.

What about the wedding? We had a fantastic time and I heard it was so awesome that there might be a movie in the works. I heard they’re thinking of Pitt and Jolie to play the lead roles. I wonder who they’ll get to play me? I hear Sean Connery is no longer taking on any roles. Too bad.

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The Visual Arts Scene is Exploding in May in South Carolina

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

Long before the BIG events start in Charleston, SC – Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto Festival, there are events going on all over – too many to mention, so we’re focusing on few in SC right now.

Up first – TONIGHT – is the 2011 North Charleston Arts Festival Art Walk, May 4, from 5-8pm, in the Olde Village on E. Montague Avenue in North Charleston. Art galleries, businesses, pubs, small cafes, and salons, will display works from local artists. For further info contact North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at 843/740-5854 or visit (www.northcharleston.org).

On May 5, 2011, 5-9pm – First Thursday at Tapp’s at the Tapp’s Arts Center, 1644 Main Street in Columbia, SC, part of the First Thursdays on Main events in Columbia, SC, will be offering a full evening of art. For more information on this contact Brenda Schwarz Miller at 803/609-3479 or e-mail (brenda@realworldartisans.com). Check for the latest news at Facebook – Tapp’s Arts Center Project!

In Florence, SC, the FDDC Art Trail Gallery, located at 135 S. Dargan Street, will offer an opening reception on May 5, starting at 6pm for the exhibit, Pompe’s Protégés, featuring an exhibit which celebrates the legacy of Kathleen Pompe’s tenure as a professor of photography at Francis Marion University. The exhibit will be on view through May 27, 2011. On May 6, starting at 6pm a reception will be held for the exhibit, Cultivating Creativity: The Children’s Exhibit, on view through May 27, 2011. For further info call Jane Madden at 843/673-0729 or visit (www.art-trail-gallery.com).

Of course the First Friday is usually when dozens of art walks are held all over the Carolinas. Just check our paper Carolina Arts (www.carolinaarts.com) that’s why I spend weeks working on the gallery listings.

In Charleston, SC, it will be the French Quarter Gallery Association’s ART WALK, May 6, 2011, from 5-8pm and the First Fridays on Broad, from 5-8pm. In fact, I think it would be hard to find an art gallery in Charleston that won’t be open Friday evening whether they are part of one of these groups or not – except The Sylvan Gallery, who already had a reception for their current show. I hope Joe and Janie Sylvan and their crew will be out enjoying the art walk for once – as Linda and I will. For info visit (www.FrenchQuarterArts.com)  or (http://www.charlestongalleryrow.com/).

Later, the next week you can focus on Summerville, SC, for the 13th Annual Sculpture in the South Show & Sale, May 7 – 15, 2011. They have expanded this annual Show & Sale to include Arts Education Week, May 7 – 13. This week offers Internationally to regionally known instructors who will present workshops, after-school programs and an evening lecture series. The Show & Sale takes place May 14 & 15, at Azalea Park, Main Street and West Fifth Street South, and features works by 35 world-class sculptors, children’s activities and great barbeque. For more info call 843/851-7800 or visit (www.sculptureinthesouth.com).

Then jumping over to the Columbia, SC, area, you can take in the 2011 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios, a free tour of area artist’s studios on May 21 & 22, 2011, but before that you can attend the 701 CCA Columbia Open Studios Preview Party at 701 CCA, on May 12, from 7-9pm. For info about tickets to the Preview Party visit (http://www.columbiaopenstudios.org). The tour is free. You can probable still see some of the exhibits presented for Artista Vista at some of the galleries.

Another choice that weekend is the first Celadon Fine Arts Festival, May 20-22, 2011, at Celadon, Sams Point Road, Hwy. 802, Lady’s Island, just across the bridge from Beaufort, SC. This 3-day National Juried Fine Arts & Craft Festival will be held on the beautiful property at Celadon. Artists from around the country will be competing for $3,000 worth of cash prizes and all work will be available for sale. There will also be musicians and food vendors. Hours: May 20, 4-9pm; May 21, 10am-7pm; and May 22, noon-5pm. For further info call 866/525-9995 or visit
(www.CeladonFineArtsFestival.org).

If you look through our paper you’ll find many more opportunities for an art adventure. Like I said before – it’s why we do it – so you’ll know what going on.

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The Accounts Of Our Journey Through SC’s Pee Dee Area Will Have To Be Delayed – The British Are On Our Tail

Sunday, March 20th, 2011

I know there might be some folks out there who are waiting to read what I have to say about the trip Linda and I made Friday, March 18, 2011, to Sumter, SC – not in the Pee Dee area and several locations in the Pee Dee, including Hartsville, Darlington and Florence. In fact this will be a two part blog when I am finished. Part One will cover five exhibits and Part Two, will cover the exhibit Photofabulous, on view at the Art Trail Gallery in Florence.

Friday we were on the road all day and as it turns out we were in Charleston, SC, all day Saturday taking care of some computer problems. Two days away from the computers means two days of piled up e-mail, phone messages and deadlines on some ads for approval. I’m referring to that catch-up work as the British and there are no weekends off here at Carolina Arts. But, I wanted people to know the delay has no hidden meaning and is no sign of a major bomb being dropped like – our new Governor replacing the entire board of SCETV with yes men and yes women who will do the job she couldn’t get the SC Legislature to do for her. Look out SC Arts Commission – you may be next!

So, in a few days we’ll have Part One ready.

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Nina Liu and Friends Gallery in Charleston, SC, Receives Verner Award from SC Arts Commission/Foundation

Friday, February 18th, 2011


Nina Liu outside her gallery and friend Aggie Zed (r)

OK, this is meant to be a congratulation to Nina Liu – make no mistake about that, but it is also about the SC Arts Commission and SC Arts Foundation.

I think everyone would agree that in these days of cutbacks in funding for the arts it would have been better to make the announcement of who will receive these awards and let UPS deliver them, but instead the folks at the Arts Commission/Foundation decided to play their fiddle while Rome burns. And, they’re letting visual artists have the honor of helping them raise money to put on a party, through another art auction.

If you’re of my thinking on all of this – would we expect anything else? Yes, this is exactly what I’ve come to expect from them. But, like they say – even a broken clock gets it right twice a day.

So, congratulations to Nini Liu, the woman behind Nina Liu & Friends gallery in Charleston, SC. She has served artists and the art community in Charleston for 25 years as well as doing the same in Iowa, Louisiana, California, and Michigan, before landing here in South Carolina.

Liu has been a long-time supporter of Shoestring Publishing Company, including Charleston Arts, South Carolina Arts and now Carolina Arts. She helped start the French Quarter Gallery Association, providing coordinated art walks in Charleston. We worked with her and others to make it the largest art walk in the Carolinas. Now everyone has one.

And, I know she has done a lot to help other art organizations such as the Gibbes Museum of Art, College of Charleton School of the Arts, and Spoleto Festival USA, to name a few. But most importantly for me, she has been a regular sounding board – I rarely travel to Charleston without stopping to have a short or sometimes long conversation with her.

I’m glad she got her Verner before I told that to everyone.

So, Nina Liu and her gallery will share the spotlight at the 2011 Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Awards for the Arts (Business Category) with Carolina First Bank of Greenville, SC – that’s if our new Governor doesn’t want to take back her title from the award. I doubt she’ll show up to hand the awards out – that would seem a little hypocritical, but maybe she will- it wouldn’t be the first time for her.

As far as the other Verner Award recipients – I don’t know who most of them are – which is the way I would guess others around SC would think when they read Nina Liu’s name. I’m sure they have had similar impacts on the communities where they live – or at least we would all expect that they do or did. It helps to think of these things as regional awards to folks who have had some impact on a regional basis. Yet, I can’t help but think that some awards over the years and this year (hopefully very few of them) are self-serving by the Arts Commission – rewards to a few good friends of theirs.

All I know is – we could all use a lot more Nina Lius as friends.

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Aiken Center for the Arts in Aiken, SC, Presents Local Artist Guild Exhibit

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Here’s a press release which came into Carolina Arts about an exhibit in Aiken, SC, featuring members of the Aiken Artist Guild. We don’t here much from the Aiken visual art community. Years ago, over ten, Aiken was part of our area of coverage in the printed paper and I delivered the paper there. A few months back I did some extra deliveries of the paper and a tour catalog all around the Carolinas and I went through Aiken. Not much had changed – at least that I saw during the middle of the night.

The reason I’m offering readers this press release on the blog is that while we were covering Aiken, a local artist, George Kierspe, was a big help to us in learning about the area. He’s being honored by the Aiken Artist Guild which is no surprise to me.

Here’s the press release:

Aiken Center for the Arts in Aiken, SC, Presents Local Artist Guild Exhibit

The Aiken Center for the Arts in Aiken, SC, is presenting the 2010 Aiken Artist Guild Member Show, on view from May 20 through June 26, 2010.

The Guild show will showcase a wide variety of artwork from the over 125 guild members. Artwork will include oils, pastels, acrylics, watercolors, photography, pencil and three-dimensional work.

This year’s judge for the annual art exhibit is Alan MacTaggart, chairman and professor of the art department at Augusta State University. Professor MacTaggart’s career began in 1968 with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, and has spanned continents to include shows and study tours in Morocco, Germany, England, Italy and more. He is the recipient of many awards, internationally, and has been a valued speaker at Guild meetings.

Ribbons and cash awards will be presented in several categories: The Phil Permar Best of Show Award, the William B. Colgate Aiken Scene Award, and first, second and third place awards.

The Aiken Artist Guild was established over 40 years ago and is proud of its recent annual presentation of scholarships to art students at USC-Aiken. This year’s awards honor two icons in our art community, Nancy Wilds and George Kierspe. The generous sharing of their knowledge and abundant production of fine art has contributed amazing gifts to our community and deepened our appreciation of art in countless ways. Wilds’ scholarship will be awarded this summer, Kierspe’s in the Fall.

The Aiken Center for the Arts is located in the heart of downtown Aiken and is open Monday through Saturday, 10 – 5. For more information contact the Aiken Center for the arts at 803/641-9094 or visit (www.aikencenterforthearts.org). For info about the Aiken Artist Guild visit (www.aikenartistguild.org).

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Arthur Rose Museum in Orangeburg, SC, Celebrates 140th Anniversary of Claflin University with Exhibition

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

It seems that the folks in the art department at Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC, have discovered Carolina Arts and at the same time discovered they were not being included in it. They soon found out all you have to do to be included is to send us info about exhibitions, but it will take them some time getting used to our deadlines – a problem for many visual art venues across the Carolinas.

So here’s a slightly late press release about an exhibit they are offering through the month of May:

Exhibit Showcases the Diverse Artistic Talent of Claflin University

The rich artistic tradition established at Claflin University 120 years ago is showing no signs of losing its vitality. A visit to the Arthur Rose Museum will reveal that heritage is alive and well as exhibited by the works of alumni, faculty, staff and students.

The museum’s current exhibit of artwork comes from all sections of the Claflin Family.

Assistant Professor of Art, Jelania Thomas, proudly announced the diverse array of art, featuring paintings, photography and sculptures, among others.

“This exhibit will demonstrate to visitors to the museum the artistic intellect our students possess and how they are continuing the legacy of the Art Department,” Thomas said.

One of the more unique exhibits is students’ construction of animal-themed spaceships using Popsicle sticks and toothpicks. Antoine McCray, a freshman digital design major from Kingstree, SC, built a spaceship in the image of a hammerhead shark.


Work by Antoine McCray

He credits his professors for inspiring his vision to design such an original piece. “They always give words of advice and encourage us to look beyond the obvious,” McCray said.

Terrance Robinson, assistant professor of art, says the exhibit is truly balanced in terms of genres. “This is for the 140th anniversary of our illustrious institution. It was an exhilarating process to cull all areas of our art curriculum into one exhibit.”

Not to be left out of the celebration of art, Robinson contributed a sculpture called “African Cubism” adding to the considerable list of conversation pieces in the Museum. The sculpture is a twist of planes and cylinders, in an art form known as cubism. His work is harmoniously coupled with African overtones. Robinson said he drew inspiration from both the timeless pieces of Pablo Picasso and Western African tribes in crafting the piece.

Director of the Museum and Assistant Professor of Art, Herman Keith noted that the exhibit also displays the works of Claflin’s most prominent alumni artists. From the iconic photography of Cecil Williams, 1960, to the visionary batik paintings of Dr. Leo Twiggs, 1956, Keith pointed out that this exhibit represents a complete history of the University’s art legacy.


Work by Professor Herman Keith

In the 1950′s, the Art Department reputation was firmly establish under the direction of the late Arthur Rose. He is credited with elevating the Art Department and led it for nearly four decades with an eye toward cultivating a generation of visionary artists. The momentum of this resurgence is still being felt today.

While the mediums with which past generations of Claflinites used to create art is far different from the advanced digital imaging of today, the results of both avenues are equally brilliant.

For example, Manuel Loera is an aspiring video game designer. To reach that goal, his professors encouraged him to master all facets of the art world from photography to digital painting. Loera is now using programs to render three-dimensional characters.

However, he still has a firm appreciation for drawing with pencil and paper. On display at the Museum is an Anime portrait of a female character he saw in a Japanese film.  Anime is a form of Japanese art used to create cartoons.


Work by Manuel Loera

The junior digital design major from Ciduad Juarez, Mexico, said the comprehensive art education he is receiving at Claflin will be invaluable in achieving his career goal.

“The professors here help students focus and find what they want to do for a career. They give you the tools to succeed,” Juarez said.

The art exhibit commemorating the University’s 140th Anniversary will run through May 31, 2010, at the Arthur Rose Museum on campus. The Museum is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.

For further information contact Herman Keith at 803/535-5337.

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