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October Issue 2005
Fish or Cut Bait Gallery on Edisto Island, SC, Features Works by Louanne LaRoche & Jacob Preston
Those interested in getting a feel for a true sense of place that is unique to South Carolina's lowcountry should visit the exhibit opening at Fish or Cut Bait Gallery on Edisto Island, SC, on view from Oct. 8 through Nov. 16, 2005. The new show, called Geography and History Unite, features works by Louanne LaRoche and Jacob Preston whose work evokes this special way of life that has been found in this area of the country for generations.
LaRoche, a painter, and Preston, a potter,
both live in the small community of Bluffton, SC, which lies along
the May River just above Hilton Head Island, SC. Both artists
feel their works are influenced by the qualities that are unique
not only to their community, but to the entire region called the
Lowcountry.
"I paint those pieces of our culture which seem to connect
the people to each other," LaRoche said. "And, not just
the people themselves, but their shared histories, stories and
geography. So many of these connections are being lost or diminished,
and I feel compelled to do what I can to preserve what I can and
to share it with others."
Louanne
LaRoche
LaRoche has a special affinity for Southern folk artists, and this love has been an integral part of her life for many years. She and her family bought the Red Piano, a premier art gallery on Hilton Head Island, and LaRoche managed it for 15 years before moving and joining the thriving art community in Bluffton. In addition to her work as an artist, LaRoche is a nationally recognized authority on folk art, with lecture series at New York University and the Telfair Museum.
LaRoche's creations, which are in a variety of mediums including acrylics, oils, pencil and mixed media, have found their way into some of the most prestigious collections around the world, from the Harvard Business School and Carnegie Mellon University to the national collections of Kenya and Kuwait. LaRoche's paintings can also be found in the collections of numerous celebrities, including Francis Ford Coppolla, Richard Leakey and John Mellencamp.
Jacob
Preston
Jacob Preston is not only a Lowcountry potter, but a friend and neighbor of LaRoche's. He moved to Hilton Head in 1975, but when they began construction of the four-lane highway to the island, Preston decided it was time to move on to Bluffton. He opened his pottery studio there in 1977 and has been a part of the art scene there since.
"To me, making pottery is an act of faith," said Preston. "I have been doing this for more than 30 years and am still evolving toward a cleaner, simpler look, which I think better reflects my surroundings. I used to think I was making these objects, but am now beginning to see that we make one another."
"Jacob Preston uses colors and materials that evoke the same sense of place as Louanne's paintings do," said Brailsford Sutton, owner of Fish or Cut Bait Gallery. "I look at their work and just feel at home. And, that's what we hope our visitors will take away with them after they see this wonderful show."
"Many of the people who come to our gallery don't live in the Lowcountry, but they come here because they love it. I hope this show will give them an added appreciation for our way of life here and they will walk away with one more special memory to take home with them," said Sutton.
For further info check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, contact Brailsford Sutton at 843/869-2511 or at (www.fishorcutbait.com).
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