LEPRINCE FINE ART
LePrince Fine Art, located at 184 and 183 King St., doubles as a studio for owner and artist Kevin LePrince. LePrince paints there six days a week and encourages guests to watch and ask questions about the process. The walls are filled with bodies of work from a select few nationally recognized, emerging artists from across North America. While the general look of the artists represented could be described as contemporary impressionism, each artist has a unique style defined by brushstrokes, palette choices and compositions. “I’m trying to encourage artists to push their creativity,” LePrince says. “I do this by giving them more wall space. That way, they’re not restricted, and they can get outside of their comfort zones, push the envelope a little.”
Between both galleries, there is 3,600 square feet of open gallery space, high ceilings and hardwood floors. The gallery has been designed to highlight the art—a collector can relax and enjoy a painting from a distance. Unable to visit in person? Visit the LePrince website for constant updates or to browse before coming in.
LePrince Fine Art
843-442-1664
leprince.com
MEREDITH POSTON
Meredith Poston was born in Louisville, Kentucky, into a family who appreciated the fine and performing arts. From an early age Poston wanted to be a fine artist and was strongly encouraged by her family. She focused on human and animal subjects, and she copied the work of her father, who was a medical illustrator.
Throughout her adolescence Poston’s passion for art grew. She participated in art classes and camps throughout high school. She attended Western Carolina University, majoring in fine art and communications, where she developed her abstract style. After graduation Poston left the North Carolina mountains for the Charleston coastline, settling on James Island in 2009.
Poston paints abstract expressionist remembrances and reflections. She finds solace in loose, sporadic brushstrokes, with a combination of soft elements juxtaposed with stark separations of contrasting color. Her work is an expression of nature as she sees it—colorful, sometimes gentle, but often startlingly real. Poston paints in her home studio when not working as a freelance writer.
Meredith Poston
843-593-5215
mposton.com
MILLER GALLERY
You might expect that an art gallery on East Bay Street, in the heart of Charleston’s historical district, would be all about tradition. But not Miller Gallery, an energized gallery of contemporary art founded by Maryland native Sarah Miller. Miller, who graduated from the College of Charleston’s School of the Arts, is fulfilling her dream of bringing contemporary ideas and creations to a city steeped in history. Her roster lists 12 local and international artists, each at a different point in his or her career.
Miller offers advice on how to purchase contemporary works of art and how to place them in traditional settings. First and foremost, she encourages readers to buy what they love and not to be afraid to mix old art with new in any space!
The Miller Gallery hosts regular exhibits. Mark your calendars for Fire & Grace opening on February 23, which will feature progressive painter Jo Hay and select works by celebrated artists Hunt Slonem and Shepard Fairey.
Miller Gallery
843-764-9281
millergallerychs.com
KATHY CLARK
The Charleston Lowcountry and its history have played an important role in Kathy Clark’s life and art. She often focuses on landscapes that reflect enduring feelings for the place she calls home.
“Having spent my entire life living on the islands of Charleston has definitely influenced my appreciation for history and the ever-changing tidal creeks, marshes, rivers and ocean,” Clark says. “For me, translating these visions on paper or canvas has been one of the most satisfying ways of expressing myself.”
Clark’s artistic abilities have developed from a number of sources, including studies with the Gibbes Museum of Art. More recent studies have explored palette knife painting with James Pratt, an artist from New Zealand, and figure drawing with Karen Vecchioni.
Clark’s work is a combination of impressionism with a touch of realism. She does not follow any defined approach. It is derived from a confluence of varied sources of inspiration. She connects with the subject and brings out the beauty of its meaning.
Kathy Clark
843-509-6818
kathyclarkfineart.com
BEN HAM IMAGES
Ben Ham has been making the connection between his camera and the South Carolina coast for most of his life. Using methods some would call old-fashioned— a large-format wooden camera, a cloth over his head and large sheets of film—Ham captures the essence of the Lowcountry in his richly detailed black-and-white images. But he doesn’t stop there. His love of travel and beautiful places has taken him to the American West as well as to Italy and France.
Ham painstakingly develops and prints his images at his production facility on Hilton Head Island. His limited-edition prints, framed in Italian olive wood, have found their way to individual, corporate and U.S. government collections.
In his book, Vanishing Light, Ham reveals 69 stunning American landscapes and tells us what inspired him to capture them.
Visit Ben Ham’s Charleston gallery at 416 King St. or his new gallery in historic Old Town Bluffton at 210 Bluffton Road.
Ben Ham Images
843-410-1495 (Charleston)
843-815-6200 (Bluffton)
benhamimages.com
CHERYL NEWBY GALLERY
There aren’t many galleries where you can browse both antique and contemporary art in a single visit. At the Cheryl Newby Gallery in Pawleys Island, however, you can. Owner Cheryl Newby maintains an extensive selection of contemporary paintings and sculpture alongside a selective inventory of antique maps and prints.
A quick look around the antique side will turn up works by the likes of John James Audubon, George Edwards, Mark Catesby and John Gould. If those don’t satisfy, Newby will gladly find something more to your taste or hunt down prints by a particular artist, should you have one in mind.
When it comes to contemporary artists, the gallery, founded in 1983, represents 13 painters from throughout the country, including William McCullough (S.C.), the late Ray Ellis (Mass), Paula Holtzclaw (N.C.), Martha dePoo (Fla.), the late Quita Brodhead (Pa.) and Mike Williams (S.C.). Three nationally known sculptors—Sandy Scott (Wyo.), Gwen Marcus (N.Y.) and Catherine K. Ferrell (Fla.)—also have work in the gallery, as does fine ceramics artist Glenda Taylor (Fla.) and portrait painter James Crowley (S.C.).
Cheryl Newby Gallery
843-979-0149
cherylnewbygallery.com
REINERT FINE ART
Owned by contemporary impressionist painter Rick Reinert and his wife, Ann, Reinert Fine Art & Sculpture Garden Gallery showcases more than 45 classical painters as well as both figurative and abstract sculptors.
Reinert Fine Art recently expanded its presence on King Street by opening Reinert Contemporary Fine Art at 202 King St. This third location features acclaimed Charlestonbased abstract artist Eva Carter and abstract impressionist painter Susan Colwell. Reinert’s largest contemporary works are also offered at the beautiful new space in addition to a collection of artisan jewelry.
Each location offers a robust collection of works from all artists, including a second-floor gallery in the 179 King St. location called The Small Works.
The Reinert Fine Art galleries are open seven days a week, with art events the first Friday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in both Charleston locations.
Visit all three galleries: 179 and 202 King St. in Charleston and 1153 Main St. in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Reinert Fine Art
843-694-2445
reinertfineart.com
DEBRA PAYSINGER
Debra Paysinger taught high school science and math for 10 years, but the arrival of her third child sent her into early retirement. Fortunately, a plethora of needlepoint projects allowed her to express herself artistically despite the constraints of parenthood. When all the kids learned to drive, Paysinger found herself with time to paint, and the last needlepoint project went into a drawer––unfinished.
Paysinger’s master’s degree in biology informs her subject matter. She paints birds, lures, sea life and rabbits—or “raddits,” as she endearingly refers to them. (She owns the trademark for the term “the raddit.”)
Each raddit is identified within the painting by a number, usually written across the body. Similarly, Paysinger assigns a not-to-be-repeated human name to every bird she paints. These names are found on the back of each canvas.
You can find Paysinger’s art in Studio 151 Fine Arts Gallery on Church Street in Charleston and Ellen Taylor Interiors + Design in the Vista in Columbia, South Carolina.
Debra Paysinger
dtpart@sc.rr.com
debrapaysinger.com
WILLIAM TURNER
Oil painter and Charleston native William Turner began showing an interest in art by drawing at the age of 5. A graduate of The Citadel, he counts among his many accomplishments walking onto the military college’s football team and once winning a fight by decision over the future Golden Gloves State Champion. Turner is now nurturing his early love of art by pursuing a career as a professional artist. When La Carreta commissioned him to paint a large mural of Frida Kahlo on the front of its James Island restaurant, it solidified his decision to pursue art as a business. Turner experimented with watercolor as a child and transitioned to oil by the time he was 10. He continues to favor the medium and looks to the beauty of Charleston for inspiration. The Charleston Battery remains his most popular piece.
A member of the Charleston Artist Guild, Turner accepts commissions and includes among his offerings personalized gifts, prints and framed originals.
William Turner
843-345-6325
thewilliamturnergallery.com
MITCHELL HILL GALLERY
It was six years ago that the impressively high-ceilinged Mitchell Hill Gallery came to Upper King Street. Filled with paintings, sculptures, custom furniture and photographs, the gallery offers the city a refreshing departure from the formal, traditional spaces so often seen in Charleston.
Since its opening, Mitchell Hill has accumulated the works of countless artists, with a total of 30 currently displayed there— particularly regional creators of both art and decor. This year, the gallery launched its own gilded metal lighting collection, which is artfully displayed throughout the space, illuminating the 5,000-square-foot art and design showroom.
Upstairs, Mitchell Hill offers full-scale interior design services. The gallery always pulls from its enormous inventory when building a project. “Often, we’ll use a piece of art as a leaping-off point. The two worlds really do collide,” co-owner Michael Mitchell says. “Our clients tend to be sophisticated art collectors, so the art is part of the process.”
Mitchell Hill hosts monthly receptions and offers an online shopping experience at shop mitchellhill.com.
Mitchell Hill Gallery
843-564-0034
mitchellhillinc.com
ELLA WALTON RICHARDSON FINE ART
Located on Charleston’s historic downtown Broad Street, Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art is home to a talented array of artists whose styles range from realistic to impressionist to abstract. The gallery currently features the work of artist Mike Basher, a globe-trotting photographer noted for campaigns with large corporate clients, such as Under Armour, Reebok and The North Face. Basher has also worked with celebrities and athletes, like Michael Phelps, Lindsey Vonn and Andy Murray. Working exclusively with large format black-and-white film, he crafts sublime images through precise exposure, hand developing the negative, final printing and display. Visitors will be viewing his fine art landscape photography.
Along with Basher, the gallery represents 30 American, Russian and Dutch artists, and regional painters and sculptors who work in a variety of styles and mediums.
Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art
843-722-3660
ellarichardson.com
STUDIO 151 FINE ARTS
Located near the corner of Church and Market streets, Studio 151 is filled from floor to ceiling with pieces from over a dozen local artists, all of whom use their art to respond to what’s around them here in the South. From Bob Graham, a Civil War painter, to Daryl Knox, who’s inspired by Lowcountry marshes and creeks, a passion for this unique corner of the country is evident throughout the gallery.
Studio 151 also features watercolors, oils, monotypes, photography and mixed media from Colleen Wiessmann, Lu Bentley, Sandy Scott, Amelia Rose Smith, Ron Chamberlain, Detta Zimmerman, Rosie Phillips, Jennifer Koach, Amelia Whaley, Dixie Dugan, Nancy Davidson, Debra Paysinger, Christie Crosby, and jewelers Lissa Block, Jean Norman and Shelby Parbel.
Styles and subjects can range from collage works to abstracts and traditional realism, and the gallery’s jewelry artists ensure you can always leave with a wearable souvenir. Artists are inhouse daily to greet and discuss their works, and the gallery is open every day of the week.
Studio 151 Fine Arts
843-579-9725
studio151finearts.com
GAYE SANDERS FISHER
Gaye Sanders Fisher grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, but her passion clearly lies in the Lowcountry, where she opened her gallery in Charleston over 20 years ago. Situated amongst the pastel, picturesque homes on Church Street, the pale yellow house is where Fisher displays her watercolors and prints of Lowcountry scenery.
From spring flowers and Holy City steeples to firehouse fronts and marshland fowl, Fisher finds plenty of inspiration in her immediate surroundings. She’s even painted and penned a bit of prose about the gallery’s neighborhood cat. The book, Daily, the Gallery Cat, is about a feline that gets into all kinds of adventures behind the walls and down the alleyways of beautiful downtown Charleston. Published in 2003, the 30- page illustrated book remains a charming way to remember Daily, a special old friend. Fisher has also illustrated a book about bullying, entitled You Are Special, Too, using African animals to tell the story.
The gallery regularly participates in the French Quarter Art Walks and is open to the public seven days a week.
Gaye Sanders Fisher
Fine Arts Gallery
843-958-0010
gayesandersfisher.com
SUZANNE LEONARD
Creating art is a gift Suzanne Leonard enjoys sharing with others. The native Oklahoman, who began her art career following a move to Chicago in 1989, is embracing her chance to do it in Charleston. She perfected a resin technique from years of working with watercolor, oil paint and fluid resin mediums to produce wall art and furniture pieces that are bold, vibrant and colorful. Leonard chose to hone in on this medium given resin’s unique, versatile and complex qualities. The creative process she employs involves multiple steps and her own proprietary application process to achieve a desired look. Made to withstand our climate’s elements, her work is perfectly suited for display or use indoors and outdoors in covered areas.
Leonard uses the Lowcountry’s warmth and friendliness as an asset and inspiration every day. “Charleston is the place I now call home,” she says, and she couldn’t be happier.
Contact Leonard directly to arrange a private showing of her handmade, original pieces.
Suzanne Leonard
773-531-9907
bluemoonart.gallery
CHARLESTON ARTIST GUILD
The Charleston Artist Guild (CAG) was founded well over a half-century ago by a small group of local artists—including Anne Worsham Richardson, Alfred Heber Hutty and Elizabeth O’Neill Verner—who sought a way not only to display their own works, but to network with other artists in the city and to become more involved with the community. Today, over 70 artists are featured in the extensive gallery, now at 160 East Bay St., all of whom contribute to the organization’s outreach programs. A nonprofit organization, CAG is constantly busy fulfilling the wishes of its founders. To that end, the Guild works with Arts for Alzheimer’s, provides awards for its high school scholarship program, and also works with Extraordinary Arts and Pattison’s Academy.
Every September new exhibiting members are juried into the gallery. September is also when CAG’s monthly meetings with art demonstrations—always open to the public—resume. The Guild now has nearly 700 members, many of whom will be featured at CAG’s annual Members’ Exhibition at the Charleston Visitor Center in February 2018.
Charleston Artist Guild
843-722-2425
charlestonartistguild.com
REVEALED ART GALLERY
Revealed Art Gallery is a new contemporary art space located in the French Quarter, just steps from Charleston’s iconic Dock Street Theatre. Founders Jaclyn Quilal-lan and Scott Parsons enjoy the contrast their contemporary art gallery brings to its historical surroundings. In addition to providing a dynamic gallery space for painters, sculptors and photographers to showcase contemporary work, the long-time friends and art enthusiasts would like to foster connections within the community, as well.
Through workshops, classes, events, private rentals, brand collaborations and more, Quilal-lan and Parsons are exploring opportunities for Revealed Art Gallery to become a local hub of culture and creativity.
The gallery is open Monday through Friday, noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Visitors are welcome, and appointments are accepted. A member of the Charleston Gallery Association, Revealed Art Gallery is participating in upcoming Art Walks, during which hours extend to 8 p.m.
Revealed Art Gallery
843-872-5606
revealedgallery.com
