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February Issue 2003
Charleston Visitor Center in Charleston, SC, Offers Works by Bill Blizard for Annual Blues Bash
An exhibit of photopaintings by Kiawah Island, SC, artist Bill Blizard will be on display at the Charleston Visitor Center as part of this year's 13th Annual Lowcountry Blues Bash. The art show, entitled, The Visual Side of American Blues Music, Series II, will be on view from Feb. 9 - 24, 2003.
These photopaintings, in the spirit of Andy
Warhol's multiple images and figurative work, will be seen for
the first time in Charleston and will highlight some of the musicians
that can be seen performing at the Blues Bash. The sizeable paintings
are lively with rich, glowing color and spirit.
Blizard recently retired from many years of teaching art and of
being the Chairman of the Visual and Performing Arts Department
of Springfield College in Massachusetts. Professor Blizard's work
has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally in juried
and one man shows since 1955. In Oct., 2002, his work was the
centerpiece of the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival at the Kershaw
County Fine Arts Center's Bassett Gallery in Camden, SC.
At last year's Charleston Annual Lowcountry Blues Bash, Blizard
premiered the The Visual Side of American Blues Music, Series
I. There, too, performing musicians were the focal point of
Blizard's art. The actual musicians came to the opening and were
seen enjoying their portraits being visually presented, often
larger than life. Blizard sensed the aesthetic and spontaneous
nature of it all and so decided to proceed with a Series II
continuing this theme of his bluesy photopaintings being juxtaposed
with a South Carolina Blues event.
His work entitled, Silent Eddie3, was
chosen to be exhibited in the 2002 Piccolo Spoleto Juried Art
Exhibition last May. This was of Eddie Phillips with his guitar,
a Blues musician from Summerville, SC, who regularly performs
with the popular Shrimp City Slim Band.
Blizard comments on his work: "The series of photopaintings
I am exhibiting honor the Blues as an American art form, giving
recognition to the people who have played, sung and lived the
Blues for most of their lives. I offer you a view of these Blues
musicians as seen through my eyes as a visual artist."
He remarks, "The Blues musicians that I have portrayed since living in South Carolina are very special people to me. They often receive limited national/international recognition, and little in the way of financial security as compared to the far more commercial pop/rock stars heard on local radio stations.
Blizard concludes, "What I admire most
about these people is their honesty and unpretentiousness as they
continue to sing and play for the love of the Blues and the belief
that they are in their own way carrying on a tradition: they are
the keepers of a legacy and understand their responsibility to
the next generation of Blues musicians and listeners."
A special limited selection of Blizard's Blues photopaintings
will be on display at the new second floor of Mistral's Restaurant
during the Blues Bash. This 99 South Market Street landmark venue
will also house a number of Blues performances during the Blues
Bash. Call Mistral's at 843/722-5708 for details.
For further information check our SC Institutional/Alternative
Gallery listings, call the artist at 843/768-3303 or on the web
at (www.billblizard.com).
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427, Bonneau, SC 29431
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