May 2011

Smith Killian Fine Art in Charleston, SC, Features Works by Contemporary Artists

Smith Killian Fine Art in Charleston, SC, will present, Contemporary Carolinas, an invitational exhibition by a dynamic group of contemporary artists in the Carolinas, on view from May 6 through June 12, 2011. A reception will be held on May 6, from 5-8pm.

This exhibition, will showcase the artwork of some of the most highly respected and collected contemporary artists of the region including Betty Anglin Smith, Carl Blair, Eva Carter, Matt Overend, Lara Spong, Leo Twiggs and Scott Upton.

Betty Anglin Smith has had a successful thirty year career defined by large brushstrokes of bold colors, and has in recent times been embracing abstraction while remaining expressionistic in her approach. Her abstract paintings are bold and joyous and audiences are drawn to her paintings that have a vibrant life of their own.

Inspired renditions of nature and life, Carl Blair’s paintings embrace form and color in a contemporary style all his own, with expressionism at their core. Blair has a long history of awards and exhibitions spanning five decades and was a professor of art at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, for 41 years.

Eva Carter’s oil-on-canvas abstracts are filled with bold color and movement. Originally from Tennessee, Carter has been based in the Charleston area over thirty years. Her paintings are brimming with emotion and energy whilst maintaining a calmness that makes her paintings so well received by varied audiences.

While his paintings might feature recognizable forms and objects, Matt Overend’s technique and treatment of the objects is what makes them stand out. His paintings explore relationships with structure, lines, color and texture. Overend grew up outside of Atlanta and studied aeronautical engineering at Georgia Tech before studying art in California and at Yale.

Born in 1926, Lara Spong’s career as an artist started in her 60’s and she has enjoyed increasing recognition in recent years for her non-objective paintings, including a retrospective at the University of South Carolinas McMaster Gallery. Spong is a truly contemporary artist, producing paintings that challenge and engage the viewer.

As a pioneer of batik painting in the United States, Leo Twiggs’ technique took years to develop and perfect. Twiggs explores issues of race, politics, southern life and cultural heritage in his batik paintings. His work is innovative, challenging and highly respected.

With a strong emphasis on color fields, atmosphere and texture, Scott Upton paints in an abstract expressionist style. His paintings are soothing to the eye and achieve a quiet calm through his choice of palette and painting technique. His compositions are inspired by life and capture a mystery through abstraction.

Contemporary Carolinas will give audiences a very unique opportunity to view some of the finest contemporary art of the Carolinas and indeed the South.

For more info check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 843/853-0708 or visit (www.smithkillian.com).

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