The Guild of Beaufort Galleries is pleased to present its 11th annual Spring Art Walk. The event will be held Friday, April 4 from 4 until 7:30pm in historic downtown Beaufort. In addition to featured artists, musicians will be performing along Bay and Charles Streets. The event is free and open to the public. Additional information is available at www.guildofbeaufortgalleries.com
Spend the day in Beaufort and have the benefit of an array of ways to enjoy the South Carolina Lowcountry. Enjoy a slow, meandering buggy tour or a nice stroll through the historic district. Let your mind imagine what it was like in the days when hoop skirts, wide verandas and porch sitting were everyday occurrences. The adventurer may take a kayak tour of the local estuaries or a boat tour to see the local flora and fauna. There are many choices of restaurants serving delicious Lowcountry cuisine to excite the taste buds. If you are interested in making Beaufort a weekend getaway, make sure to visit the Penn Center located on St. Helena Island, Hunting Island State Park and Port Royal.
For art, look no further, for as John Villani, author of The 100 Best Art Towns in America stated, “In Beaufort, what you have is a very accessible, easily walkable, small-scale downtown that’s loaded with great art and a range of diversely programmed art galleries…for the size of the town, the concentration of galleries here is phenomenal. It’s block for block, one of the densest concentrations of galleries I’ve ever seen.” Enjoy Beaufort for a day or more and wrap it up with the Spring Art Walk!
Four Winds Gallery, 709 Bay Street 843-379-5660
Works by Anna Raczkowska, Krakow Poland, will be featured. Raczkowska, one of Poland’s premier artists uses historical techniques in a variety of styles. Four Winds Gallery is pleased to be offering stylized pieces from her Baroque period and medieval cycles.
I. Pinckney Simons Gallery, 711 Bay Street 843-379-4774
The I. Pinckney Simons Gallery quotes impressionist artist, Michael Gray, “There is no more beautiful landscape than that of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Grand in scope, noble in character, and historic in presence.” His paintings depict a wide range of location and mood as they reflect the forgotten roads and paths of the Palmetto State and beyond. His use of light, color, and brush stroke have come to be compared to the turn of the century Impressionists Masters, such as Granville Redmond and Camille Pissaro. Visit with the artist and enjoy a copy of his new Book, The Low Country Notebook.
Bay St. Gallery, 719 Bay Street 843-522-9210
Bay St. Gallery will be featuring the “up close Palmetto Portraits” of Susan Graber. Her latest paintings focus on dynamic color and energetic brushwork and are, in essence, a wonderful combination of abstraction and realism. The original work of six other Southeastern artists will also be exhibited, as well as South Carolina’s finest collection of sweetgrass baskets.
The Gallery, 802 Bay Street 843-470-9994
The Gallery is pleased to present “The Gaga Girls”, Anita Prentice and Ginny Piech Street. Whimsical, bright, bold, tactile, and fun describe both artists’ work. Ginny works with painted, cut paper collage and Anita works with glass mosaics, creating both functional and decorative pieces. Imagery for both artists ranges from florals to birds and fish, offering a fresh perspective to viewers and collectors. Their work can be seen in both public and private venues from museums and homes to park benches and bus stops.
Indigo Gallery, 809 Bay Street 843-524-1036
Indigo Gallery will celebrate its grand reopening at 809 Bay Street. Sandra Baggette, Gloria Dalvini, Janet Mozley, and Polly Swenson will be showing their new work in our new location
The Craftseller, 818 Bay Street 843-525-6104
The Craftseller will feature the work of local jewelry designer Randy Michelson. Randy, also known as “Auntie Bellum”, is known for the use of natural stones and materials in her designs. Each piece is unique and features a mix of vintage and new. She is a graduate of the University of Delaware and has been creating her earthy designs for 30 years.
The Rhett Gallery, 901 Bay Street 843-524-3339
The Rhett Gallery features five generations of Rhett family artists specializing in scenes of the lowcountry and Beaufort area. Watercolors and acrylics by Nancy Ricker Rhett, wood carvings and oils by William Means Rhett, Jr., and oils by William Means Rhett III adorn the gallery walls. Giclees, Civil War memorabilia, and an extensive antique map collection complete the gallery.
Art & Soul, Old Bay Marketplace, 917 B Bay Street 843-379-9710
Local artist, Kelly Collins Davidson, best known for her beautiful intricate glass beadwork, has embarked in a new creative direction. Her highly personal mixed media collages depict her memories of Beaufort—as a child growing up in our wonderful community during a simpler time and now as an adult with concerns about our fragile environment. “As a third generation native of Beaufort, I’ve seen many changes and heard many old-tome stories of the “Old Beaufort”, a quirky little town, once filled with many old equally quirky characters, establishments and lifestyles that have long been forgotten….or have they?” Both Kelly’s collages and jewelry will be featured during the event.
Beaufort Art Association Gallery 1001 Bay Street 843-379-2222
The Beaufort Art Association will host an opening reception for Juliana Kim during the ArtWalk from 5:30 to 7:30. An exhibition of recent paintings, entitled “Perspectives” will run from 3/31 through 5/10. Kim, who holds a BA from Vassar in art history and a four year studio diploma from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, has been painting full time for the past eight years. Her work, executed in a variety of wet and dry media, consists mainly of landscapes, both representational and abstract, in which water plays a prominent role, not only because of its beauty, but also its destructive power. Juliana Kim’s sensitivity to the environment stems from many years of involvement with planning and historic preservation. Also on display are the works of over 75 member artists including painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry, and glass.
LyBensons Gallery 211 Charles Street 843-525-9006
LyBensons Gallery features ongoing exhibits entitled “the Gullah/African link” and “Out of Africa,” of rare Shona verdite sculptures by artists from Zimbabwe, Africa. Verdite, a rare and beautiful semi-precious stone, is known as “The Green Stone of Africa” or “Africa’s Green Gold”. The gallery also features original photographs by Gullah photographer Rev. Kenneth Hodges as well as Gullah and Lowcountry folk art, African & African American art, cultural exhibits, antiques, and batiks.
The Charles Street Gallery 914 Charles Street 843-521-9054
New work by artist Peggy Duncan entitled “The Lowcountry from My Rearview Mirror will be exhibited from 3/28 through 4/18.”Having lived the last 28 years of my life in the South Carolina Lowcountry area in general, and most particularly in the once sleepy village of Bluffton, I feel somewhat qualified to portray what I know and love most about the area in this series of paintings, and I have something to say about some of the secret places,” Duncan explained. “I choose to paint the landscape because it is what drew me to the area in the first place. I believe everyone who sees this place falls for it. I’m concerned with capturing the spirit of the places that are rapidly changing. I am drawn to places where the touch of man’s hand has been slight and the power of nature can still be felt.”
