Beaufort has been named as one of the top 100 best art towns in the United States for the past 10 years. Beaufort’s finest art galleries will open their doors to bring some of the best art and artists the Lowcountry has to offer during the tenth bi- annual Guild of Beaufort Galleries Fall ArtWalk, Saturday October 27th, from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. 
Art lovers can expect to be entertained by wonderful notes and tunes of street musicians as they stroll along Bay Street. This group of minstrels will be leading the path to 14 different galleries. Each gallery will feature a specific exhibit with focus on a particular artist or subject matter
Visitors can look forward to an array of visual masterpieces and delights including original paintings, drawings, photography, and antique prints. In addition, galleries will feature pottery, jewelry, handcrafted furniture, sweetgrass baskets, and whimsical works. Those interested in sculpture will be pleased with the display of metal, stone, ceramic, soft, and glass pieces. Whether you are in search of that traditional landscape, folk art or abstract painting, both lookers and buyers will be enticed by what the Guild of Beaufort Galleries has to offer.
The ArtWalk is planned during the Fall Tour of Homes, taking place Friday through Sunday, October 26th and 28th. Visitors can come and enjoy the art offerings of our historical coastal town and tour local homes.
The ArtWalk is free and open to the public. Maps are available in each participating gallery displaying the purple and white guild logo in their front windows. Purple and white banners and balloons will also mark guild members. Come out and enjoy what Beaufort has to offer, you will be glad you did. For more information visit www.guildofbeaufortgalleries.com or call 843-522-9210.
Art & Soul, Old Bay Marketplace, 917 B Bay St., Beaufort. 843-379-9710
Mary Jane Martin expresses her art this way. “Painting to me is expressing a need to communicate my sensations or feelings about the subject matter. I am fascinated with the way the wind blows the palm fronds and creates a music that is different from the way it rustles the leaves of the oaks. I can sit and watch the water change from dark to light, blue to black, and rough to smooth in the course of an hour, and I long to communicate those feelings of awe and power on a canvas or piece of paper.” Mary Jane uses water media on paper or canvas, creating hand-pulled prints, paintings, collages, as well as mixed media pieces.
Beaufort Art Association Gallery 1001 Bay St., Beaufort. 843-379-2222
More than 90 regional professional artists display their work in the Beaufort Art Association Gallery. BAA is proud to present the featured works of Hetty Nijman.
The Craftseller 818 Bay St., Beaufort. 843-525-6104
The Craftseller will feature the work of Carrol Kay, an award winning weaver and bead artist from Beaufort. Carrol and her husband, Ron, previously owned a Bed & Breakfast Inn in town where her guests used to enjoy watching and learning about the weaving process at looms she had set up in the parlor.
The Craftseller is committed to nurturing and displaying the work of American artists, and is proud to show Carrol's work and enjoy a demonstration of weaving with visitors on the night of ArtWalk.
Charles Street Gallery 914 Charles St., Beaufort 843-521-9054
Charles Street Gallery presents works by Parisian artist and designer Marie Hildebrand. Hildebrand's paintings are released quickly after a deep observation of the subject, and the paint is applied in traces from sponges and scrapes from credit cards. "I search my models, to make them as expressive as possible," said Hildebrand. She has taught
at FORMAMOD, the center for arts in fashion in Paris, and OSMOD in Osaka, Japan and Aleppo, Syria. Following her show in Beaufort, her work will be exhibited at the European Council in Strasbourg. Charles Street Gallery is an established source for Lowcountry and International art, presented within a carefully renovated house surrounded by a lush garden in the middle of Beaufort's historic district.
Four Winds Gallery 709 Bay St., Beaufort 843-379-5660
Four Winds Gallery is pleased to exhibit the work of Minister Johnnie Simmons
of St. Helena's Island during our Fall Art Walk.
Simmons, a self taught artist and Baptist minister, creates wood burnings
influenced by his religious beliefs and Gullah upbringing. Subjects are
typical island scenes and inspirational themes featuring the Gullah Bible.
Additionally, 20% of the evening's sales will benefit Save the Children,
an organization that Minister Simmons and his wife are deeply committed to,
which provides food and medical assistance for poverty ravaged women and
children in Kenya.
The Gallery 802 Bay St., Beaufort 843-470-9994
Tactile, vibrant, expressive… just a few words to describe the work of Minneapolis based artist Jeff Boutin. He is a self taught artist who is influenced by Jackson Pollock and Leroy Neiman, as evident in his electrifying use of color. At the age of 20, he founded a custom rug company where he expressed himself through the medium of wool yarn. As he grew as an artist, so did the need to spread his talent to canvas.
Bay Street Gallery 719 Bay St., Beaufort 843-522-9210
Bay St. Gallery will be spotlighting the original work of Susan Graber and Susan Mayfield. Graber's dynamic oil "portraits" of palmetto fronds are "up-close-and personal paintings of the characters that populate the South Carolina coastal landscape." Mayfield's richly colorful pastels focus on the Lowcountry landscape through exploration of light, color, and form. The paintings of these two artists naturally compliment each other. The exhibit celebrates much that is best about our area, as does the original works of the other gallery artists. Demonstrations will be ongoing Saturday
afternoon and evening.
Indigo Gallery 813 Bay St., Beaufort 843-524-1036
Janet Mozley will be showing paintings of farm animals. Allison Crossman, Kelley Sanford, Polly Swenson, Gloria Dalvini, Sandra Baggette, Linda Kirsten Cole, will exhibit their latest works.
Gillian Dewberry will be having a trunk show of her unique jewelry designs. This is the first time she has shown her jewelry in Beaufort.
I Pinckney Simons Gallery 711 Bay St., Beaufort 843-379-4774
I. Pinckney Simons Gallery, 711 Bay Street, will feature a celebration of the lowcountry basketry. The Gullah Basket Weaver paintings of Steven Whetstone, and the sweet grass, palmetto and gourd basketry of Delores Newson will offer a multi-dimensional exhibition of a southern tradition.
Whetstone, a young, highly collectible South Carolina artist captures the essence of the Gullah Basket Ladies of Georgetown, Charleston and Beaufort practicing their craft of weaving sweet grass and raffia into the complex art form as passed from mother to daughter for centuries. The viewer will marvel at the character, enthusiasm and strength in each lady’s face, and enjoy an unspoken conversation with her.
Newson uses sweet grass, palmetto fronds, pine needles and gourds to weave her baskets. Each basket has its own unique style and personality. This basketry is one of America’s oldest African crafts, and has been perpetuated by the Gullah descendants of Charleston and Beaufort Counties.
Ly Bensons Gallery 211 Charles St., Beaufort 843-525-9006
Showcases quality Zimbabwe Shona Verdite sculptures, African American & African Art, Gullah and Lowcountry folk art, and photographs for discerning collectors.
The Mayan Gallery 900 Port Republic St., Beaufort 843-476-9052
The featured artist at The Mayan Gallery is Marcos Manzanero from Belize, Central America. He is well known throughout Central America, Canada, and the US for his acrylic paintings focusing on the symbiotic relationship between man and nature. Marcos is proud of his Mayan descent and in his works you will find hidden symbols of the Mayan heritage. Marcos has been painting for fifteen years and is featured in many galleries in Central America. This is the only gallery in the US in which you are able to find his work.
The gallery also includes original works of art from other Caribbean and Central American artists, showcasing their ability to capture nature's beauty with vibrant colors in paintings and textiles. The hand-woven Mayan hammocks are also a popular addition to the gallery, easily transported as they do not have wooden stretcher bars and perfect for an afternoon siesta.
Rhett Gallery 901 Bay St., Beaufort 843-524-3339
The Rhett Art 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.
Shipman Gallery 904 Bay St., Beaufort 843-524-7722
Shipman Gallery features the works of Barbara Shipman and is dedicated to both previous collectors of her works and first time clientele. Ms. Shipman has owned and operated her studio/gallery since 1978. She is an award winner for Best of Show in South Carolina as well as Best Local Artist for several years. She is a Signature Artist in the Southern Watercolor Society. Ms Shipman has also been included in the prestigious American Watercolor Society’s Annual Show at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. Her art features a wide array of styles, mediums and subject matter.
House of Ahhs 1109 Boundary St. Suite A, Beaufort 843-379-1800
The House of Ahhs will host a special exhibit of Black Americana Collectibles. Much of this collection is rare and seldom seen because it was taken off the market in the 1960’s. In addition, we feature a large collection of Southern self-taught originals by some of the regions most well known artists.
The House of Ahhs is located in uptown Beaufort with ample free parking. Just look for the blue bottle tree. Come alive with a cup of our special Beaufort Blend Coffee to fully enjoy your ArtWalk through Beaufort.
