July Issue 2002
Gibbes Museum of Art Features Works by West Fraser
Renowned landscape
artist West Fraser brings his vision of Charleston and the Lowcountry
to the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, with the exhibition
Charleston in My Time: The Paintings of West Fraser. The
exhibition will be on view through Sept. 29, 2002.
Hailed as one of the country's foremost plein air painters, West Fraser combines an honest, emotional response to the natural landscape with moving, gracefully rendered compositions. This exhibition of more than 20 paintings drawn from the artist's recent book of the same name surveys his work from 1987-2001 with a focus on views of the coastal landscapes and urban scenes of his adopted city.
"West Fraser is an artist who continues the tradition of capturing views of Charleston that are changing rapidly," said Angela Mack, Gibbes Curator of Collections and author of an introductory essay to the illustrated volume Charleston in My Time: The Paintings of West Fraser. Since first organized in 1858, the museum has collected the works of landscape artists practicing in the Lowcountry. Its permanent collection includes notable works by artists such as Charles Fraser, Thomas Coram and William Aiken Walker of the 1800s and early 20th Charleston Renaissance artists Alfred Hutty, Elizabeth O'Neill Verner and Alice Ravenel Huger Smith, whose rice plantation series of watercolors is on view through Aug. 25, 2002.
Born in Savannah, GA, in 1955, Fraser grew
up mainly on Hilton Head Island, SC, at a time when most of the
island was undeveloped. In 1979, he graduated from the University
of Georgia with a bachelor of fine arts degree. In 1982, he moved
to New Hope, PA, where he achieved early critical success and
recognition as a maritime artist. Several years later, Fraser
moved to Charleston and had his first one-man exhibition at the
Gibbes.
Now Fraser returns to the Gibbes with an exhibition
that embodies the best of the artist's plein air style. He gives
lavish attention to the Lowcountry's blend of fine architecture
and semi-tropical landscapes as seen in varied times, conditions
and seasons. His vision ranges from intimate street scenes to
panoramic rooftop views. Numerous paintings of coastal marshes,
rivers and islands also attest to the enduring inspiration of
the pristine Lowcountry scenery.
For further information check our SC Institutional Gallery listings,
cal the Museum at 843/722-2706 or check out their web site at
(www.Gibbes.com).
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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