The Value of Art

Art is good for the soul, particularly during times like these. As an investment, art holds up well over time because instead of numbers on a spread sheet, a painting offers enjoyment on a daily basis. More importantly, art purchased for its aesthetic value is timeless. We spoke to several local gallery owners and artists to get their perspective on the value of art.

Plum Elements on King Street has been open for almost three years. Andrea Schenck calls herself “the new kid on the block.” Plum Elements offers a unique collection of functional and visual art as well as items for the body, mind, and home that “come from down the street and around the globe.” Andrea wants to break down barriers that many people feel walking into a traditional gallery. She believes that art is especially important because it is not just decorative; it “feeds the soul.” When someone walks into her gallery and has a connection with a piece, “you can see it in their eyes,” and Andrea doesn’t want price to be a barrier. She will work one on one to create a payment plan. She says “while art does go up in value, it’s about enjoying it now.”

“Many people say art is a good investment. They are usually talking about a financial investment, and it is that, but art is also an investment in ourselves. It sustains us through hard times and keeps giving to our lives every day. Art says something about who we are as a person, a culture, a nation. If we invest in ourselves, we have the best chance for a high return.”

Hume Killian agrees and says that, “art appreciates emotionally and financially but its true value is its everyday enjoyment.” Hume has been in business for eleven years and is owner of The Wells Gallery, The Wells Gallery at The Sanctuary, and part owner of Smith-Killian Fine Art. Hume’s galleries feature a variety of Lowcountry art in oils, acrylics, hand-blown glass, and photography.

Mary Martin of the Mary Martin Gallery says that “art is a lifetime purchase.” Her gallery features accomplished artists who are nationally recognized for their excellence in oils, acrylics, mixed media, glass, wood, clay, and bronze. Mary says that art is valuable “because it is a limited quality productan artist can only produce a certain amount in his or her lifetime, and it will not devalue like houses and cars.”

In the heart of Gallery Row on Broad Street, Mary Phelps, owner of Coco Vivo, tells her customers that “Art is an investment to last through generations.”

“When a piece of art speaks to someone, they’re going to buy it regardless of the economy.” Alicia Leeke paints landscapes, street scenes, and everyday events in oils and acrylics, and says, “March sales were alive and well.”

Tips For Selling Art In A Tough Economy

Many local artists are taking advantage of slower times to get creative in the way they work. We spoke to several artists and asked them how they stay positive and busy during these tough times.

Stephanie Shuler Hamlet of The Hamlet Gallery said when it’s slow, she goes out back into her courtyard to paint. She also creates giclee prints and will be bringing smaller pieces to the Piccolo Outdoor Juried Art Exhibition. Laurie Meyer, an artist who paints landscapes, streetscapes, and portraits with rich color and textural strokes, maintains a sense of optimism. Laurie says she uses these slower periods to “assess my skills and take more time to strive for a higher level of excellence.”

Stay Positive

Think Small

Support Groups

Get Creative

Go Online

Plato said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

Many local artists are viewing this time to slow down, refine their skills, and focus on the spirit of painting.

PICCOLO SPOLETO FESTIVAL

May 22 - June 7, 2009

Each year, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival provides access to the arts for everyone, as well as the opportunity for local and regional artists, writers, and performers to showcase their work. With a variety of free and modestly priced events, Piccolo offers something wonderful for everyone.

Below is a small slice of what Piccolo 2009 has to offer. For a complete list of activities and ticket information, call the office of Cultural Affairs at 843.724.7305 or visit www.piccolospoleto.com.

Don’t miss Piccolo’s official festival curtain riser, The Sunset Serenade Concert at the US Custom House. The Charleston Symphony Orchestra plays favorite hits from the Big Band era followed by The Wycliff Gordon Quartet. Also enjoy All That Jazz: ‘A battle of The Best High School Jazz Bands in The Lowcountry’ as these young performers show off their talent.

The Children’s Festival at Marion Square includes performances by Dance Carolina, musical instrument making with The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, ‘fitness fun on wheels,’ aboard the Fun Bus, as well as dancing to the explosive sounds and colorful street theater with The Seed and Feed Marching Abominable Band.

The Finale, “A Global Village of World Music” features a fabulous line-up of exciting groups that span the globe from Israeli Jazz to Klezmer to Hip-Hop.

Charleston Underground

Internationally recognized artists Shepard Fairey and Kevin Taylor both started their careers in Charleston and may very well have been some of the art pioneers of this contemporary, somewhat “underground” movement that is currently surging forth. Years ago, their non-conventional works caused quite a stir, raising many an eyebrow. Today, however, these young contemporaries are revered by the current generation, who seems hungry for art that pushes the limits of traditional boundaries. Kevin recently had an exhibit in Berlin, Germany, and has two major solo shows this year in LA and San Fransisco. Shepard’s Obama posters were recently on almost every magazine cover in the nation.

The art and culture scene in Charleston is multiplying like bunnies on Easter holiday. It seems a new creative entity emerges almost on a weekly basis, forming a myriad of small groups related to various niches of the arts. We have the Charleston Artist Guild, the Jazz Artists of Charleston, the League of Charleston Theatres, Charleston Inspired… the list goes on. In 2008, the Charleston Arts Coalition, an organization aiming to help inspire and unite these various entities, was formed by a group of community leaders and arts enthusiasts. Not only is there a surge of creativity here, but people are motivated to make things happen, regardless of the economy. (Or perhaps because of the economy, but that’s a whole other article!)

And institutions like the Charleston Regional Development Alliance and New Carolina are starting to pay attention to the plethora of little creative bunnies hopping around the city. Economic impact surveys are being generated, art-related initiatives like “Pecha Kucha Charleston” are being conjured, and non-art-related businesses are finally starting to see what a huge impact the arts have on our city.

Another cool project started by a group of art lovers is the WALK Gallery. An acronym for Window Art Local Knowledge, this project is making use of empty storefronts all along King Street by getting permission from vacant building owners to put art work in their windows to: A) beautify the city, B) give artists a venue for showing their work, and C) help the owners make the building look more attractive to potential buyers. It’s a win-win situation being backed by Mayor Joe Riley, the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, the Civic Design Center, Art Magazinem, Plum Elements and well, pretty much anyone who knows about it.

An Institute of Creativity

The Art Institute of Charleston is a welcome addition to the city’s vital art scene in Charleston. Founded in 2007, The Art Institute of Charleston, a branch campus of the Art Institute of Atlanta, is involved in a wide variety of art inspired events. For starters, they recently sponsored this year’s third annual Charleston Magazine Fashion Week, a five-night celebration of the city’s flourishing retail and design talents with nearly 100 designers. The school offered a $22,000 “Fashion Your Future” scholarship. The Art Institute was also involved with the BB&T Food and Wine Festival where culinary students had the opportunity to cook onstage with Food Network television personality Bobby Flay.

Check out some of their upcoming events:

All-Student Gallery Show (April 17 - May 16)⎯Photography, interior design, digital filmmakers, graphic designers and art students at Ai are invited to take part in the second annual juried art show on display at the Art Institute’s own gallery.

Charleston International Film Festival (April 23 - 26)⎯Ai sponsors this celebration of America’s best independent filmmakers and directors at the Terrace Theater.

Lynne Riding Show (May 18 - July 9)⎯Internationally renowned artist and faculty member, Lynne Riding displays her large scale, minimalist paintings during Spoleto. Her interests lie in “the subtle undercurrents, the not so blatant, crude, or obvious. What lies between the obvious.” Lynne’s work is concerned with human frailty and her paintings deal with the balance between certainty and uncertainty. In her show at the Art Institute, she will show a range of work from her figurative to landscapes to more abstract works so her students can glimpse the process of her evolution as an artist. Lynne finds painting meditative and goes outside into the woods of barrier islands when she is in need of inspiration. She believes that painting is a layering process that begins with ink drawings of simple shapes, such as vines and power lines. “By reducing the work to its utmost simplicity⎯an essence⎯I come closer to the feeling that the object invokes in me⎯a honing of my own feelings in relation to the object.”

Spoleto Festival USA

May 22 - June 7, 2009

Louise
Gustave Charpentier celebrates freedom and tempestuous young love on the streets of bohemian Paris in his opera Louise. Rarely seen in the US, every element of this opera’s creation will be created locally. Directed by Sam Helfrich, Louise will feature Stefania Dovhan in the title role. The tone of the opera is one of sentiment and danger with a set designed by Andrew Holland and 140 dazzling costumes by Kaye Voyce.

Don John
Inspired by Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Don John blends physical theater, original music, and imaginative staging to view the world’s greatest lover through the eyes of his conquests. Set in 1970’s England’s “the winter of discontent” to a sensational score of playful music commissioned by Stu Barker, Kneehigh’s Don John is this year’s biggest, sexiest, and most edgy theatrical production.

Good Cop Bad Cop
Combining film and live performance, the Dutch Theater Ensemble provides a sharp commentary on modern culture and reality TV. Wacky, ironic comedy “with subtle style and a touch of the absurd, Kassys makes the everyday extraordinary.” De Volksrant (The Netherlands).

Alvin Ailey, American Dance Theater
Join the celebration as this revered dance company brings its 50th anniversary of African-American modern dance tradition to Spoleto. The New York Times says Ailey is “arguably the most popular dance company on the international touring circuit.” Performances will include a cast of vividly drawn characters from Ailey’s Southern childhood, celebrations of Otis Redding’s sassy, sizzling music, as well as excerpts from some of Ailey’s most popular ballets. Finally, a stunning retrospective will demonstrate the tremendous range and resonance of one man’s genius.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
Cedar Lake is known for its modern, athletic movements designed by international choreographers rarely seen in this country. Cedar Lake’s work has been called “dancing that pulls viewers right out of their seats” by The New York Times. Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue by Canadian Choreographer Crystal Pite is energetic, smooth, and sensual. Sunday, Again choreographed by Norwegian Jo Stromgren reveals a humorous theatrical badminton game set to music by Bach.
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Addicted To Bad Ideas: Peter Lorre’s 20th Century
The rich and tragic life of actor Peter Lorre is the inspiration for the Brooklyn based punk band, Addicted To Bad Ideas. A collaboration between director Jay Scheib and New York’s World/Inferno Friendship Society, Bad Ideas, featuring Jack Terricloth as the front man with a swinging nine-piece band as back-up, is part cabaret, part operetta.

Brahms Violin Concerto Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 6 (Pathetique)
Violinist Sarah Chang is recognized as one of classical music’s most captivating and gifted performers. A child prodigy, Ms. Chang studied the violin at The Julliard School of Music at age 4. This stunning, accomplished young woman joins the festival orchestra to perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major.

Charles Wadsworth
Since 1977, acclaimed pianist Charles Wadsworth has been the artistic director of the Spoleto Festival. This year Mr. Wadsworth will turn 80 and take his final bow. The Festival will pay tribute to the beloved artist with several celebratory events including the Opening Gala, Wadsworth and Friends, A Musical Celebration and the High Tea Farewell.

Punch Brothers
Mandolin child prodigy and co-founder of Nickel Creek, Chris Thile fuses the melodies of bluegrass, folk, jazz, and string in his newest band, The Punch Brothers. With best selling tickets of the festival, these boys make up a quintet of deep talent.

Wachovia Jazz Series, Jake Shimabukuro
Celebrated for his lightening fast fingers and revolutionary playing techniques on the ukulele, Hawaiian born Shimabukuro’s fame grew as a result of a youtube video. Shimabukuro was recently dubbed, “the best ukulele player on the planet” by The New York Times. Playing jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, flamenco, and rock, his style defies categorization.

Rene Marie
Wachovia Jazz headlining performer, Rene Marie, returns to Spoleto to perform selections from her latest album, Voice of My Beautiful Country. In her ‘love song to America,’ Marie expresses how she feels about living in this country as a person of color in an ensemble of jazz, blues, and gospel.

The Finale
The final concert takes place under the stars at the landscaped gardens of Middleton Place. Conductor Marc Williams will lead the Spoleto Orchestra in the final concert of the season. Come early and enjoy a picnic on the grounds and/or spend the evening watching a spectacular fireworks display over the Ashley River.

A Glossary of Visual Art Terminology

abstraction - Artwork that is altered by the simplification or rearrangement of visual elements.

acrylic - A paint which uses liquid acrylic plastic as a binder for the pigment; water soluble before dry.

artist’s proof - A print that is outside the regular edition or numbering process, but printed at the same time, from the same plates, and usually retained by the artist for personal use.

batik - A method of dyeing cloth which involves using wax to prevent the dye from dyeing certain areas. Batik patterns are often intricate, requiring multiple wax and dyeing processes.

bronze - A metal alloy made of tin and copper. It is used in the creation of sculptures.

composition - A subject matter; also the creation of something by arranging parts to form a unified whole.

cross-hatch - Technique of placing lines close together in opposite directions to create dark areas in a drawing.

cyanotype - A process of photographic printing that produces a blue line on a white background; a photographic blueprint.

dry media - Pencil, chalk, crayon and other media not requiring use of a fluid.

edition - The total number of impressions made at one time from the same plate.

egg tempera - A painting medium in which pigments are bound together with egg yolk.

fresco - A technique of painting in which pigment is applied to a thin layer of wet plaster; as it dries it becomes part of the wall.

giclée - (zhee.clay) A term for making fine art prints from a digital image using ink-jet printing onto a canvas or photo-based paper.

gouache - An opaque watercolor.

impasto - Paint applied in heavy layers or strokes, making it thick and textured.

intaglio - A method of engraving where the design is depressed below the surface of the metal plate.

lithograph - The process of printing from a flat surface, treated so as to repel the ink, except where it is required for printing.

monotype - A one-of-a-kind print made by painting on a sheet of glass and transferring the wet image to paper by rubbing the back of the paper with a smooth implement.

pastel - A colored crayon made from chalk and pigment (the deepest tones are pure pigment). It is considered a painting technique because the colors are applied in masses rather than lines.

patina - A greenish film which forms on copper and bronze after weathering as a result of oxidation.

pointillism - French impressionistic technique where the use of tiny dots or strokes creates an image only visible from a distance when the eye blends the colors to form outlines of the work.

serigraph - Also known as silkscreen; this is a color stencil printing process in which paint is forced through a fine screen onto the paper beneath.

trompe-l’œil - French term meaning “trick of the eye.” This is an art technique in which extremely realistic imagery is used to create the optical illusion that the objects are real.

wash - Technique used in watercolor, brush drawing, and oil painting to describe a broad, thin layer of diluted pigment or ink.

watercolor - A transparent paint made from mixing powdered color with a binding agent and water; the most unforgiving painting technique due to the fluidity of the medium.

Kathleen Earthrowl

Kathleen Earthrowl is a national, award-winning, contemporary artist from Houston, Texas. She describes herself as a “sensual colorist,” meaning that the senses come alive in her paintings.

Kathleen began her career as a professor of modern dance and later as a psychotherapist where she worked to heal the mind, body, and spirit. Kathleen continues on this quest with her “plein air” paintings, which are often described as healing and calming. She travels the world to study aspects of nature: air, water, vegetation, light, branches and trees, then returns home to turn these visions into large, oil on canvas, abstracted landscapes.

Of her work she says, “Painting, for me, is an emotional improvisation closest to choreographing a dance... movement, stillness, variation, color, light, texture. The work is highly charged, often obsessive. My paintings lead and I follow. My hope is that the viewer continues in the dance of being there.”

At The French Quarter Art Walk in March, Kathleen had her first show at the Mary Martin Gallery on Broad Street, and was very pleased with the turnout. “I love Charleston,” she says. “I loved staying at a friend’s beautiful house downtown and looking outside at the rough and wild under part of the palm trees out my window.”

Kathleen believes in the search for peace and calm in her own life, and looks for the roughness and natural state of the world around us to represent that journey. She finds this meditative state through the act of painting, “a career from which she will never retire.”

Kathleen Earthrowl
Mary Martin Gallery
39 Broad Street
843.723.0303
www.marymartinart.com
www.kathleenearthrowl.com

Jim Darlington

Jim Darlington likes saving abandoned paintings. He tells the story of one painting he’d been working on that wasn’t coming together and after several attempts to turn it around, he dropped the painting to the ground and stepped on it in frustration. After leaving it abandoned on the floor for some time, Jim was inspired to pick it up and try something new. The same painting later earned him an award.

Jim believes in the metamorphosis of painting, “I try to go where the paint leads me.” He says the way he works is a balance between romantic and classical elements. “Paint makes a form you don’t expect and you follow the form.” Having morphed from landscape painting to figurative art, Jim learned that just like moving a palmetto tree to fit the composition, he could re-sculpt portraits as well. Jim adds an earring to a young woman’s ear, or changes a woman with red hair and pale skin to a woman with dark skin and hair. It is a certain expression he’s trying to capture, or the tilt of a head... Jim uses his palette knife to sculpt an expression that will resonate and communicate with the viewer, forever in search of “something that can’t be communicated in words.”

A native South Carolinian, Jim Darlington is a prolific self-taught artist who has been painting landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and abstracts for nearly twenty years. Along with his palette knife, he uses oils to shape and add weight to the expressions of his figures. Check out his exhibit of new paintings at the Edward Dare Gallery on Gallery Row this May.

Jim Darlington
Edward Dare Gallery
31 Broad Street
843.853.5002
www.edwarddare.com

Nathan Durfee

Nathan Durfee believes that the act of painting is a “muscle you must keep exercising.” He has dedicated himself to painting or drawing every day, and posting the work on his blog. This disciplined nature has paid off, and Nathan is making a name for himself as “one of Charleston’s fastest rising stars.”

A 2005 graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design, Nathan paints abstract, magical worlds with “brushstrokes that do not try to hide in the canvas.” He is fascinated by patterns and textures, and tries to figure out how to render these with a brush in his large scale oil paintings.

“I try to keep that wandering state of mind. As I start laying down brush strokes, a narrative begins to develop. I keep molding and polishing the story until I’m happy with it, and in most cases it’s something completely different than what I started out with.”

Nathan lets his imagination run wild. His work combines cleverly titled, imaginative, colorful, characters, animals, and musical instruments. His characters play the trombone, dive into water, and balance on limbs of a tree.

Nathan has recently begun experimenting with wood etchings as a way to create editions of his originals that allow for more weight and authenticity. He has developed a new technique of intricate, etched wood panels. “It’s a process I haven’t done before and I’m excited about new textures and avenues to pursue this new technology.” Nathan is also finishing up a painting that will be the official poster for the Piccolo Jazz Festival. He can be found sketching in a local coffee shop, following his imagination.

Nathan Durfee
Robert Lange Studios
151 East Bay Street
843.805.8052
www.nathandurfee.com

Joan Dumouchel

Joan Dumouchel paints intuitive dreamscapes. Her misty, ethereal canvases are peopled by the captivating visages of theatrical performers, mimes, acrobats, and circus artists. Joan’s color palette runs cool or warm; watery blues melt over silver leaf, veiling her subject in liquid color and generating a sense of serenity. Fiery earth tones on gold leaf impart a drama and allure, diffusing the effects of light as if through steam.

Born in 1953 in Montreal, Canada, Joan chose to be an artist in her earliest years. Her early life as a painter was far more structural, and she painted in a hyper-realistic style. Joan’s tight draftsmanship eventually became too constricting, but her precise scrutiny of facial expression and gesture lives at the heart of her current work. Joan’s daughter, who trained in the theatre, went on to practice circus arts and is an integral part of the realm Joan paints today. We glimpse the backstage world of the circus, the prelude to fantasy-fileld mysterious place poised at the edge of revelation in spotlights.

Meet Joan in person this May for an exhibit of never before seen works, as the Martin Gallery celebrates their 10 year anniversary.

Joan Dumouchel
Martin Gallery
18 Broad Street
843.723.7378
www.martingallerycharleston.com

The Hamlet Trio

Stephanie Shuler Hamlet and her daughters own the Hamlet Gallery on Gallery Row on Broad Street. The mother and daughters trio are self-taught artists and have been working together, giving each other feedback, and encouragement for years.

Of her journey as an artist, Stephanie says, “It’s not the process, it’s the adventure. Every time I paint it’s a new adventure.” In her thirties, Stephanie abandoned her accounting degree from Charleston Southern University and turned to creating art. “Everyone has to search for the right path,” she says of discovering her calling as an artist.

Mother and daughters have unique styles that are displayed in this family-owned gallery. Stephanie’s mixed-media paintings are textured with bold, vibrant colors. Her artwork ranges from florals and impressionistic landscapes to abstract collages. Daughter Melinda Lewin began her career as an artist after the birth of her first child. Today she fills her canvases with oil paintings of landscapes, florals, and visions of her travels. Daughter Kellie Jacobs, a mother of three, works with pastels, creating bright colors and soft textures reflecting the rich and natural beauty of the Lowcountry. The women split their time in the gallery and work together during events such as the French Quarter Art Walks and the Piccolo Spoleto Festivals.

This triumvirate is passionate about their gallery and passing on the tradition of art-making to the next generation. Kellie’s eight-year-old son Daniel is already excited about creating art, and his grandmother is looking forward to following his career.

The Hamlet Trio
The Hamlet Gallery
7 Broad Street
843.722.1944
www.hamletgallery.com

Iamikan

Atmah Ja and Iamikan are new additions to Broad Street. Their gallery, The Art of Core Consciousness, “has been artistically designed to shape-shift from a yoga/massage studio to an art gallery,” says artist Iamikan.

When you enter the space and you will feel as if you’ve stepped into another dimension, a dimension focused on each individual’s inner self. Through the combination of yoga, massage and art, the two have come up with a unique formula to assist people in getting in touch with their own core consciousnesses. Iamikan’s art graces the walls of the gallery, serving as focal points during Atmah Ja’s yoga classes.

Iamikan says his art “shatters the physical and mental boundaries within the mind’s eye of illusion and leaves a permanent impression on your soulic journey.” His paintings are done on mediums such as wood, glass, canvas and steel. He keeps his creative process a secret, only expressing that he is interested in “how the alchemy works within you.”

Atmah Ja has been a “practicing yogini” for ten years. “Her journey has been dedicated to the pursuit of experiencing infinite potential, power and possibility that ebbs and flows wherever her mind creates and goes,” says Iamikan. Atmah Ja also performs massage therapy. “Her work is like a masterpiece of art that can be fully experienced and expressed in her sacred studio.”

The three pronged approach to The Art of Core Consciousness came out of an idea to create something that expressed complimentary desires. The yoga, massage, and art all work together in this creative space. A collection of classes is upcoming including Kundalini yoga, masters level art, acting and more.

Atmah Ja and Iamikan say,
“We’re not selling art,
we’re selling consciousness.”

Iamikan
Atmah Ja’s The Art of Core Consciousness
29 Broad Street
843.577.3111
www.atmahjas.com