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April Issue 2008
The Sylvan Gallery in Charleston, SC,
Offers Works by William Berra
Painter
William Berra returns to Charleston, SC, for a show of his new
works at The Sylvan Gallery, on view from Apr. 4 - 30, 2008. Berra's
famous golden beach paintings are accompanied by those with the
bright blue skies and white buildings of Greece.
Berra comes from Pennsylvania and now lives in Santa Fe, NM. He has loved art since grade school and Pennsylvania's York Academy of Arts and the Maryland Institute of Fine Arts in Baltimore set the foundation from which he works. His strong influence is the Italian artists of the nineteenth century - the anti-academics exploring individual marks made with paint. This study led to the modern age where art process is balanced with the resulting product. Keeping the freshness and liveliness in his brushwork, Berra believes the viewer can follow the process and the sense of the artist's movement of paint across the surface. This varies from the polished finish of the academics' works although a representational image remains creating a balance between old school and contemporary approaches. Berra's glowing color and placement of light and shadow entice the viewer to remain.
Coming from the spontaneity of work created on location (en plein air) and sense of an unfinished quality acquired from studying the Italians' work, a freshness often lacking in studio paintings is created by Berra. The viewer becomes a part of the work itself by "finishing" out the vagueness of the imagery. This unconscious completion of the work provides the viewer a sense of ownership and kindred spirit with the artist. Berra's work is figurative and often includes his well known beach scenes. His travel paintings take the viewer through many locations particularly Italy and, of course, New Mexico. His most recent adventure was to Greece.
The artist has been featured in Southwest Art magazine and others. His paintings have been exhibited extensively in the United States and are represented in private in the United States as well as China, Spain, Mali, and Portugal and public collections such as the US State Department, BellSouth, and the University of Texas.
Paintings and sculpture by national artists
of note are displayed over two stories of gallery space in Charleston
in the heart of the famous antique district. Wander the streets
of Charleston and visit this gallery with works depicting locations
all over the world as well the charm of the city's lovely scenery.
The Sylvan Gallery focuses on 20th and 21st century representational
art. Since opening in late 2002, they have shown that diversity
is success. Returning to his home state after many years in the
Houston and Santa Fe art markets, Joe and Janie Sylvan bring a
freshness and enthusiasm to the east coast art world. They began
contributing to the rocketing Charleston art scene the minute
they arrived. The gallery is a member of the Charleston Fine Art
Dealers' Association and a co-founder of the Charleston Art Auction.
For further info check our SC Commercial
Gallery listings, call the gallery at 843/722-2172 or visit (www.thesylvangallery.com).
Carolina Arts is published monthly by Shoestring Publishing Company, a subsidiary of PSMG, Inc. Copyright© 2008 by PSMG, Inc., which published Charleston Arts from July 1987 - Dec. 1994 and South Carolina Arts from Jan. 1995 - Dec. 1996. It also publishes Carolina Arts Online, Copyright© 2008 by PSMG, Inc. All rights reserved by PSMG, Inc. or by the authors of articles. Reproduction or use without written permission is strictly prohibited. Carolina Arts is available throughout North & South Carolina.