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February Issue 2007
Spartanburg County Museum of Art in Spartanburg, SC, Offers Exhibits Covering the Rainforest and 100 Years of Collecting Art
Gamini Ratnavira
The Spartanburg County Museum of Art in Spartanburg, SC, is pleased to announce two new exhibitions including: Art of the Rainforest, on display in the Milliken and Parsons Galleries through Feb. 28, 2007 and Celebrating 100 Years of Art, on display in the Burwell Gallery through Mar. 4, 2007.
Tucker Bailey
The Amazon comprises about one-half of the world's remaining rainforests. It is home to more than one-third of all living species. Other significant rainforests are located in Africa and Southeast Asia. Covered by a canopy 130 feet high or more, rainforests host more types of birds than any other forested environment, along with at least 125 types of mammals, and countless amphibians, fish, insects, reptiles, and plants, making them an artist's and naturalist's dream.
Rachelle Siegrist
Art of the Rainforest is a mesmerizing exhibition that features artworks by leading artists who specialize in biodiverse, rainforest subject matter. These include sculptors Tucker Bailey and Bart Walter, the later of whom was selected to commemorate the 2000 Gorillas on the Edge National Geographic Premiere at the United Nations, and designed the Jane Goodall International Conservation Award. Art of the Rainforest also includes paintings by Gamini Ratnavira who focuses on rainforest imagery from his homeland of Sri Lanka and Asia; Carel Pieter Brest Van Kempen who has an impressive portfolio of paintings from Africa; Richard Sloan who has traveled and painted extensively throughout Central and South America; and Mary Helsaple whose art and film of rainforests has been seen on ABC, The Discovery Channel, and PBS.
Richard Sloan
Art of the Rainforest features paintings and sculptures of flora and fauna in a variety of styles and techniques that have delighted students, teachers, and the public throughout the nation. The Spartanburg County Museum of Art is pleased to be the last stop on this tour, curated by David Wagner, Ph.D., which has traveled to four other museums across the United States. A curriculum guide is available for teachers and students in grades 6 - 12.
The Spartanburg County Museum of Art will kickoff 2007 by celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the purchase of The Girl with Red Hair by Robert Henri, with the exhibit, Celebrating 100 Years of Art. This wonderful portrait was purchased in 1907 by the citizens of Spartanburg as the first piece of a permanent collection for the city. Two local artists, Margaret Law and Josephine Sibley Couper organized The Arts & Crafts Club of Spartanburg that same year. Since that time, the collection has grown from one piece to over 300 pieces of fine art, ceramics and sculpture.
Thanks to a generous donation, the collection was recently named, The Palmetto Bank Endowed Permanent Collection in honor of Les & Betty McMillan. Some of the artwork on display will include pieces by Robert Henri, Margaret Law, Josephine Sibley Couper, August & Irma Cook, and Grace DuPre as well as current artists including Carl Blair, David Benson, Daniel Cromer, and Claire Hopkins.
For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings, call the Museum at 864/583-2776 or visit (www.spartanburgartmuseum.org).
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