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February Issue 2005
City Art in Columbia, SC, Presents a Series of Emerging Artists in Solo & Group Exhibits
City Art in Columbia, SC, is known to represent the highest caliber of distinguished contemporary artists with nationally recognized names such as Alex Powers of Myrtle Beach, SC, Tarleton Blackwell of Manning SC, and John Monteith of Columbia. In addition to working with artists in mid-career, City Art also nurtures the careers of promising young artists. With the success of the 2002 and 2003 School's Out: Emerging Artists of the Southeast Exhibition, City Art has become devoted to seeking exceptionally talented emerging artists and launching them into the Southeastern Art World. In this tradition, City Art will present a series of emerging artists in solo and group exhibitions this spring.
Hollis
Brown Thornton
City Art begins this series with Hollis Brown Thornton in a solo show titled Great Sea Creatures & Punica Granatum on view through Mar. 5, 2005. Thornton last showed his work in Columbia in the Felt Moment exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art in 2003. This is Thornton's first solo show in Columbia, since he moved to Chicago, IL in 2001.
As a native of Aiken, SC and a resident of Chicago, Il., Thornton has moved beyond local status, yet, he remains stalwart of Southern traditions. Thornton, a Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate of the University of South Carolina, will install over a 100 pieces in City Art of Columbia, S.C. and Jackson Gallery & Sculpture Garden of Aiken, S.C. The show will consist of a chronological installation of Thornton's signature 10x10 inch paintings. Thornton's work is concept driven and visually stimulating based on "our inability to understand fully our surroundings." Thornton explains, "The viewer has to rely on knowledge and understanding gained from personal observation, science and reason, and religion and faith."
Like our never-ending quest for knowledge, Thornton's work contains a searching and discovering progression. The earlier paintings focus on the texture of the paint and the look and feel of the surface, each canvas having a raw, unfinished appearance. The series develops into imagery driven compositions based on scientific and religious symbols.
Thornton's 10x10 inch and large-scale works
will be available for purchase at City Art. As an emerging artist,
Thornton's work is a great addition to any collection, while easy
on the budget. Thornton's work is sure to raise the value and
aesthetic of any collection.
After success in the School's Out II: Emerging Artists of the
Southeast 2004 at City Art, Bob Snead's work will be presented
in his first Columbia solo show. City Art is proud to show the
artwork of Bob Snead from Mar. 10- Apr. 2, 2005. Snead, a Professor
of Printmaking at the College of Charleston, has been in the contemporary
art spotlight with his satirical and autobiographical works. Engaging
the viewer, Snead uses humor to deal with underlying social issues.Snead
has revitalized contemporary art in Charleston as an artist and
as a founding member of Redux Contemporary Art Center. Snead has
been featured in many group exhibits including the critically
acclaimed Triennial 2004, on view through Feb. 27, 2005,
at the SC State Museum in Columbia.
The search is on again for emerging artists. City Art is currently
preparing for the Schools Out III: Emerging Artist of the Southeast
2005 exhibition, on view from Apr. 29 through May 28, 2005.
City Art looks forward to presenting its third graduating class.
The exhibit will feature the work of artists who work in a variety
of media and whose work exemplifies exciting new directions in
contemporary art.
School's Out III is the result of a nominating process
in which City Art asks studio art faculty members throughout the
Southeast to identify the most talented recent graduates, artists
who promise to be of a caliber high enough to "make it"
in the competitive art culture. The selected artists display high
levels of professionalism and whose work together exemplifies
new trends in the contemporary visual culture. The exhibition
has proven to be a springboard for successful art careers.
For more info check our SC Commercial Gallery
listings, contact Marissa Dancer, Executive Assistant, City Art
Gallery, at 803/252-3613 or at (www.cityartonline.com).
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