Collecting antique time pieces recognizes the true masterpieces created by early craftsmen.

Alix Baptiste at Hospice Gallery



Colorful cavases by City Market artist Alix Baptiste, who is inspired by scenes from his native Haiti, are at Hospice Savannah Gallery through February.

Alix Baptiste's colorful pieces of his native Haiti will be exhibited at Hospice Savannah Art Gallery Jan. 3 and throughout February in conjunction with Black History Month. Baptiste grew up in Haiti, where poverty and despair was a way of life. He earned money for his education by selling mangos and when he couldn't afford to buy a schoolbook, he borrowed one from a friend and handwrote the entire book. At age 24, he fled Haiti in search of a better life and eventually made his way to Savannah. With $50 worth of supplies and a spot at the Savannah Rover Festival he sold two paintings for $500.

Over the past decade, Baptiste's career has taken off as collectors from around the world seek out Alix Baptiste's Art Gallery in Savannah's City Market. Baptiste has appeared in Ebony, Upscale and Black Enterprise magazines. He has been featured in the L'eggs Corp. Color Me Natural campaign, and was invited to participate in Disney World's multi-cultural millennium campaign. In 1986 the Savannah Art Association named Baptiste's Savannah's Most Popular Artist. You can meet the artist and purchase his work at an opening reception Jan. 10, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Hospice House, 1352 Eisenhower Dr. A portion of the proceeds will go to Hospice Savannah. For information, call (912) 355-2289.


Gallery SPACE Hosts Student/Teacher Exhibition

"This exhibition has provided the City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs with a wonderful opportunity to showcase the works created by our students, teachers, and staff," says Visual Arts Coordinator J. Kip Bradley, about the upcoming Student/Teacher Exhibition at Gallery SPACE. Because the Department of Cultural Affairs offers classes ranging from ceramics, to painting, to jewelry making and stained glass, there's always an abundance of talent and creativity to display. The show will run from Jan. 21-Feb. 15, with the opening reception set for Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m. at Gallery SPACE, 9 W. Henry St.


Womens Work Gallery

Through January, "The Dream Sequence," large, surrealistic images in oil by China native Yousha Liu. The paintings explore tiny segments of memory and emotion, particularly as they are juxtaposed in the dream state. Also returning with new work is North Carolina artist Mase Lucas. These pieces depict domesticated animals, mainly horses, with a spirituality that goes beyond the delicate surfaces she creates. 108 E. Liberty St., (912) 447-8553.


CAll for entries

Womens Work Gallery invites all artists to submit work in any medium for its first "Queen of Hearts" celebration Feb. 14. Regular gallery artists will be creating work for this theme show, but all other artists, including SCAD students, are invited to submit up to three pieces for possible inclusion in this exhibition. Submit work Feb. 4-9 at the gallery; jurying will occur Feb. 10. Accepted work will hang through March 4; all work must be for sale. Information, call Carol Cook, (912) 447-8553. 108 E. Liberty St.


2002 Savannah Black Heritage Festival;
call for entries

The 2002 Savannah Black Heritage Festival will be held Feb. 17-24 at various venues throughout the city. The annual festival is sponsored by the City of Savannah's Department of Cultural Affairs/Leisure Services Bureau and produced by Savannah State University. The theme of this year's festival is "The African American Woman: Her Voice, Her Vision." The week-long event will include lectures, dance ensembles, visual art exhibits, theatrical performances and musical performances at Savannah State, the Telfair Museum of Art and other settings throughout the city. Artists interested in exhibiting their work should contact Peggy Blood, chair of the Department of Fine Arts at Savannah State, (912) 356-2506, by Jan. 15. Also, the committee is accepting applications from those who are interested in participating as vendors during the festival. To receive an application, call (912) 691-6847.

All festival events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Black Heritage Festival message line at (912) 691-6847.


GALLERY 209



Scenes of the Lowcountry by Bill Mattox are featured at Gallery 209.

Bill Mattox joins the list of distinguished artists and craftsmen who show their work at Gallery 209 this month. Mattox hails from Bluffton and that idyllic setting is often the subject of his paintings in pastel and oil. Mattox is self-taught, although he has studied with several notable artists, including Ben Konis, Joyce Nagel, Peggy Duncan and Lynda Potter. In addition to the sweeping landscapes of the coastal region, his work also explores the leafy pathways and evocative backyards of his hometown. 209 E. River Street, Monday-Saturday, 10:30 am to 9 p.m., Sunday, noon-9 p.m.


MOONSHELL GALLERY

Small paintings by 25 area artists will continue this month. 37 New Orleans Road, Suite M, Hilton Head Island, S.C. Tuesday-Saturday 1-5 p.m. or by appointment. (843) 341-3339.


SIGNATURE GALLERY

The Signature Gallery was established in 1992 as a showcase for the City Market Center. Seven local artists formed a partnership and were chosen for their professionalism and for their diversity of media. In the past nine years, the Signature Gallery has continued to grow and to be an important stop for art lovers who live in and visit Savannah. The gallery is a highly visible presence in City Market with its beautiful design, the natural light flooding in through its many windows and the diversity of the artwork. The Signature Gallery is open every day and one of the artists is always on duty to answer any questions. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. 303 W. St. Julian St., (912) 233-3082.


Call for Entries

Entries are being accepted through Jan. 7, 2002, for the Hilton Head Art League's National Juried Art Exhibition. Jurors Judi Betts, Dean Mitchell and Burt Silverman will award $10,000 in prizes, including a $2,500 Best of Show award. For complete entry rules and guidelines, contact: Hilton Head Art League, P.O. Box 7753, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938.


Chroma Gallery

Chroma features contemporary art in a historic setting adjacent to City Market and shows the work of some of Savannah's finest artists - including painters, sculptors and jewelers - from the Savannah College of Art and Design community, as well as other professional artists. Among them are: Wesley Crosby, Henry Dean, Sonya Ho, Erin Rachel Hudak, Margret Kuehni, Emma Knight, Heather Lindsay, Patrick McCay, Melinda Mellor, John Mitchell, Jan Clayton Pagratis, Periklis Pagratis, Christina Piva, Carol Reeves, Sandra Reed, Lori Keith Robinson, John Spurlock, Linda Stokes, and Sara Tiffany. 31 Barnard St., (912) 232-2787.


PhotoGraphics and Design

Photography by Paul Louis Englebaugh is highlighted in "...as time goes by..." Englebaugh turns his lens towards naturally occurring compositions in architecture and captures varied textures created by abandoned structures worn by time. Light and shadow in these images evoke emotion and give evidence to the photographer's penchant for detail and composition. 108A E. Liberty St., (912) 658-3248.


THE DOLPHIN AND THE MERMAID

Overlooking the scenic Intercoastal Waterway in Thunderbolt, this gallery has a contemporary coastal theme, featuring the works of local artists Robert Isley, Rebecca Kahrs Willis, Kim Miller and Jo Gabeler. Also featured are fine craft pieces and glass works by Isabella Davis and Greg McDonald. Workshops are held weekly. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 3121 River Drive in Thunderbolt, (912) 351-9911.