Coastal Antiques and Art

June 2001

Art briefs

Frances Mills, Maxine Helmey to exhibit at Hospice Savannah

Maxine Helmey's, "The Gastonian," is one of her series of Savannah houses.

You may see Savannah everyday but until you've seen it interpreted by these two artists, you can't appreciate its color and charm.

Frances Mills and Maxine Helmey, both working in water media, team up for this month's exhibit at Hospice Savannah Gallery. Continuing through July, the exhibit opens with a reception June 7, 5:30-7 p.m.

"R.E. Lester House, The Senator's Gate B&B," is Frances Mills' new release as a giclee print.

Coinciding with the exhibit is the release of Mills' first giclee print, "The R. E. Lester House, The Senator's Gate B&B." Known for her loosely-constructed watercolor and acrylic interpretations of popular Savannah architecture and romantic florals, Mills has assembled a collection of both old and new works for this exhibit.

Helmey, who completed a series last year on Savannah Squares, also relies upon the city's unique architecture and history to inspire her. From prominent inns to the city's most popular squares, Helmey brings us watercolors that are bold, bright and interpretive.

Hospice Savannah is at 1352 Eisenhower Dr. The gallery is open Monday-Friday. (912) 355-2289. To contact Mills, call (912) 441-0047. Helmey's gallery phone is (912) 234-6160.

Arts BriefsRAF Gallery Fine Arts

"Mystic Square," by David Grojean at RAF Gallery of Fine Arts.

David Grojean presents "Why Art?" through June 27 at this gallery specializing in fine art glass. 5 W. York St., 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Sunday and evenings by appointment. (912) 447-8807.

Crazy Quilt Project

The Low Country Artists' and Artisans' Society will host an exhibition, "The Crazy Quilt Project: An Exercise in African-American Quilt Making" at 355 MLK Blvd. (off the corner of Jones Street, across from Enmark) June 4-8, Monday-Friday, 1-8 p.m. The opening reception will be held June 2 from 4-6 p.m. The nine-month class and workshop, sponsored by the City of Savannah's Department of Cultural Affairs, explored the art of African-American quilt making in the Deep South and its connections to West African textile designs.

The inspiration for "The Crazy Quilt Project: An Exercise in African-American Quilt Making" was the mosaic-like appearance of Victorian-era crazy quilts, which are reminiscent of printed African cloth. This workshop resulted from the City of Savannah's Weave-A-Dream Program.

The Beach Institute

The Beach Institute is exhibiting "An Enchanted Passage" by Wendell R. Smith, a collection of oil paintings.

Smith has lectured at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad. He is a 1997 recipient of the J. William Fulbright Scholarship award and holds a bachelor's degree with honors from the University of the West Indies and an MFA in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design. His work displays an intense preoccupation with surface texture and an exuberance of color.

"An Enchanted Passage" will be on display at the Beach Institute through June 30. 502 E. Harris St., www.kingtisdell.org, (912) 234-8000

Morris Museum

"Spear Fisherman," by George Carlson at The Morris Museum of Art.

"Western Perspectives: Wilson Hurley and George Carlson," brings together the work of two distinctive Western artists. Their works reflect the Western artist's continuing interest in the majestic landscape and rich indigenous cultures of the West. The vistas of Hurley beg comparison with the sublime paintings of the West by America's first school of landscape painting, the Hudson River school. Carlson's sculptures of the Tarahumara, an indigenous people of northern Mexico, are linked in part to the work of earlier Western artists, including Frederic Remington, who rendered their impressions of Native Americans in three dimensions.

The works of art in this exhibition are on loan from the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Founded in 1965, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum was originally conceived as a tribute to the men and women who helped establish the West as an integral part of America's cultural heritage. The permanent collection of the museum, which is located in Oklahoma City, Okla., includes significant works by artists associated with the West, including Charles Russell, Frederic Remington, and Albert Bierstadt.

Also showcased will be works from the permanent collection by New Orleans artist Ida Kohlmeyer, known for her colorful, pictographic works. Through mid-August. 1 Tenth St., (706-) 724-7501. www.themorris.org.

SCAD galleries

"Untitled," by Gretchen McKay in SCAD's Department fo Art History exhibit.

Art History Department exhibit: Faculty from the Savannah College of Art and Design art history department will be featured in an exhibit through June 25 at Ex Libris Gallery, 228 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Senior Show: Selected works by seniors at Savannah College of Art and Design, through June 10, Exhibit A Gallery, 340 Bull St., Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 1-6 p.m.

Brunswick gallery walk and GWS show

Brunswick, Ga., galleries are banding together for a first Friday gallery walk every month. The first walk, July 6 from 5:30-8 p.m., will showcase nearly two dozen works from the traveling exhibit of the Georgia Watercolor Society National Juried Exhibition. A reception for that exhibit will be held at Gallery on Newcastle. Other participating galleries include Side Street Gallery, Galleria at the Port and Glenda Cason Gallery. For more information, call (912) 554-0056.

COASTAL DISCOVERY MUSEUM

South Carolina Watercolor Society 24th Annual Art Exhibition will be on display through June 24. Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 100 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (843) 689-6767

Call for entries

National Watercolor Society 81st Annual Exhibition: Juror for the Oct. 13-Dec. 9 exhibition is Alex Powers. Slide deadline is June 22. For details, guidelines and an entry form, go online: www.nws-online.org.

Telfair Art Fair: The Telfair Museum of Art is taking applications for artists to participate in its seventh annual Art Fair, planned for Nov. 2-4. More than $4,500 in prize money will be awarded. Deadline for entries is July 16. Send an SASE for information to Linda McWhorter, Telfair Museum of Art, P.O. Box 10081, Savannah, GA 31412.

ANDERSON FINE ART

Through June 16 work by Connie Winters will be showcased in this St. Simons Island gallery. Pet portrait artist Vivian Moody will be in the gallery the week of June 18 and is already scheduling sittings for her visit. Moody photographs your pet in its favorite surroundings then returns to the studio to complete her very popular oil portraits. For more information or to schedule a sitting, contact the gallery. 10 Sylvan Drive, suite 14 (left off Sea Island Drive onto North Frederica Road, pass the stables and turn left on Sylvan Drive) the gallery is located next door to the Cafe Frederica and behind Indigo & Cotton. (912) 634-8414 or www.AndersonFineArtGallery.com.

Tybee Island: Summer Serendipity

Throughout this summer, the artists, galleries, artistic shops and studios of Tybee Island are presenting a series of creative gatherings to be known as Summer Evening Serendipity. On June 23, July 21 and Aug. 18, participants will open from 7-10 p.m. and you will be invited in to experience the diverse and energetic spirit of Tybee Island's arts and crafts community. Anchoring the tour, which will meander from one end of the island to the other, are Dragonfly Studio and Nautilus Studio Gallery on the north to the Atlantic Beacon Gallery on the south -- with an exciting array of other shops and studios joining in along the way. The list of participants is still growing and will include all the Tybee favorites. There will be demonstrations, hands-on opportunities, print releases and lots of new artwork to enjoy. Look for special guest artists and probably even a surprise or two. At Nautilus, the release of this year's islands Directory cover art reproduction, "Golden Boy, Golden Girl" will be featured and Dragonfly Studio will host "Friends of the Potters' Realm" on June 23. For more information, call (912) 786-4462.

LIVE OAK EMPORIUM

Scott McKenney's "Remembrance" oil series will be exhibited through July 21. The Beaufort artist's natural affinity for math and science combine with his art to interpret the stark and natural beauty of the Arizona desert he hiked as a young man. McKenney was recipient of the South Carolina Governor's Award for the Arts in 2000 and won the Award of Excellence in the 2001 Beaufort Art Association Juried Show. On an ongoing basis, the Emporium offers a variety of art and craft, including sweetgrass baskets, hand-woven goods, stained glass and much, much more. Proceeds from sales benefit Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse. 110 E. S.C. Highway 336, 1/4 mile north of Interstate 95. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. (843) 770-1083.

LEFT BANK GALLERY

Salute to Summer is celebrated with an exhibit of scenes from favorite vacation spots here and abroad, including the Cote d'Azur, Paris, Lake Como, Venice, London and, of course, the Golden Isles. Silent bid art and antique auctions in association with Atticus Antiques are held weekly. 3600 Frederica Road, Suites 12 and 13. St. Simons Island, GA 31522. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Call (912) 638-3017, 1-800-336-9469. www.leftbankARTgallery.com.

THE VILLAGE CRAFTSMAN

The Village Craftsmen, a cooperative of original arts and crafts from Lowcountry artisans, is featuring jewelry made of wood and beads by Mary Higgs. Also available are several styles of pins and a collection of European crystal. 223 W. River St., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (912) 236-7280.

GALLERY 209

Forsyth Fountain. Watercolor, 36"x36." Michelle Murphy, 2001

Artist Michelle Murphy works mainly in watercolor, in a very loose and gestural style. She is currently working on a series of images of the Forsyth Park fountain, which she feels epitomizes the joie de vivre of Savannah. 209 E. River St., 10:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and noon-5:30 p.m. Sunday. (912) 236-4583.

Crossroads Fine Art

Tennessee potter Meagan Kieffer creates fabulously tactile horses using terra cotta salt-fired glazes to add texture and warmth.

This Bluffton gallery features the sculptural ceramic works of Tennessee potter Meagan Kieffer in June. Working in slab built clay, Kieffer creates fabulously tactile horses, at rest or standing. Her terra cotta salt-fired glazes add texture and warmth to these figures, which might have just leapt out of a prehistoric cave painting. 107 Towne Center in Bluffton, just off Highway 46. Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Fridays until 8:30 p.m. (843) 757-5551.

Womens Work Gallery

Betty A. Johnson shows at Womens Work this month, where her paintings depict women as icons.

St. Petersburg, Fla., artist Betty A. Johnson is featured this month. Johnson, who has been working in collage paintings for years, frequently depicts women as icons in her work - putting them on pedestals, portaying them in situations. She admits she's stymied to describe her own art, but the results are clear - a melding of old and new, both in imagery and idea. 108 E. Liberty St., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and by appointment. (912) 447-8553.

Moonshell Art Gallery

"Coalesce," a watercolor and collage exhibit by Joyce Thompson and Mott Kornaberens, has been extended to July 4, according to gallery owner Ann Light. Thompson recently won second place in the South Carolina Watercolor Society National Juried Exhibition and took first place in watercolor in the Hilton Head Art League National Juried Show. Award-winning artist Kornaberens, best known for her intricate, mosaic-like mixed media collages and "Rainy Day People" series, is represented in collections in the U.S. and Canada. 27 New Orleans Road, Suite M, Hilton Head Island, Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 1-5 p.m. (843) 341-3339.

COMPLETE LIST OF OUR ADVERTISERS