CHARLESTON artist William R. Beebe has been painting professionally for 30 years. Beebe’s early years took him to the coast of Maine, where his love of the water brought out the maritime artist in him. He became well known for his masterful paintings of historic wooden schooners, as well as his many paintings of the small fishing villages and towns along the coast.

Now residing in Mount Pleasant, Beebe’s passion has turned toward capturing the magic of the Lowcountry. He devotes his time and effort to creating a large body of work featuring the charming and historic architecture of Charleston.

The Lowcountry has also provided Beebe another muse: the wonderful birdlife along the coast. His paint-ings of shorebirds and wading birds have been featured in local art magazines and are catching the attention of collectors of avian art.

His realistic style of oil painting melds with his love of impressionism to create truly painterly works. Beebe considers himself a creative realist, using touches of impressionism to go beyond representation.

His museum-quality paintings are held in numerous private and corporate collections throughout the country and have been exhibited in several museum shows and gallery exhibitions. Beebe is a member of the Charleston Artist Guild and Oil Painters of America, and he is represented by Mary Martin Galleries of Fine Art.