Paintings installed at the Market Common

In preparation for the grand opening next weekend, Bruce helped me install my paintings on my wall at the Seacoast Artist Guild Gallery at The Market Common in Myrtle Beach.  Thank you sweetie, you are so much better at hanging art than I am. 

Poinsett Bridge 4"13

Pointsett Bridge is the seventh of the paintings that I have completed for my State park Series this month. Some of you may remember when I visited it last October (26th 2012) . It is located just outside of Greenville South Carolina. It was build in 1820 and is believed to be the oldest standing bridge in South Carolina.The graceful 14-foot Gothic arch stone bridge spans the Little Gap Creek, and was part of a toll road that ran from Charleston, through Columbia and into North Carolina.

Fond Fairwells 4"13

It's that time of year.  All our snow-birding neighbors are packing up and heading north for the summer.  This week we bid a fond farewell to our friends,  Janet and David H..  Harry and Nancy S. will soon be heading off to their cottage at the Cape.  Hasta luego, amigos!  We'll miss you guys.

Campbells Covered Bridge 4'13

Campbell's Covered Bridge is the fifth painting I completed for my State Park Series in April. Many of you may remember it from my post of Oct. 26, 2012 when we stopped to picnic at this is a well-preserved piece of Upcountry history. It is the only covered bridge remaining in South Carolina. Campbell's Covered Bridge is named for Lafayette Campbell, owner of a nearby grist mill who allowed his property to be used for the bridge's construction. Built in 1909, it bridges a lovely, meandering stream. The Campbell's Covered Bridge site is now owned by Greenville County.

Magnolia Gardens Photo Shoot 4'13

  The Charleston Artist Guild is collaborating with Magnolia Plantation on a  exhibition of paintings of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.  Even though the exhibition won't happen until next Fall, I though it wise to visit the plantation  to start scouting out painting locations and to collect some additional reference photos .

 

Bruce volunteered to come along as chauffeur and part time equipment caddy.  ( He is incredibly patient about pulling off the highway for me to take a photo of something I've spotted along the road, and very helpful in holding my purse and camera so I have both hands free to do a quick sketch).

The fact is I enjoy his company and he is a good photographer in his own right..

 

 He introduces  interesting and different perspectives often pointing out  subjects I would have overlooked had he not been along.  e.g. it was his idea to visit the plantation's  slave village where I got this and several other  interesting photos

It is a good thing we went when we did.  Most of the camellias were already spent, and this years rains had knock off many of the azalea blossoms.  Still we did get  some very good classic shots of the grounds in bloom taken this one taken near the Administration Center Pond.

 I  have numerous reference photos of Magnolia Plantation from visits made in the Fall and early Spring but   the  none were in quite the same weather conditions.   Today was very gray and overcast, giving an entirely different look and feel to the grounds..

.. some spots were almost ethereal and others very stark compared to the exuberant photos I had taken of the same scenes  bursting with color in fall and early spring of previous years. ( see 11/20/10  "Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Photo Shoot 11 '10")

We both got some really beautiful photos.

Blackmoor Golf Club 4 '13

Today we played the Blackmoor Golf Club,which is the only course in the Myrtle Beach area designed by legendary golfer and architect Gary Player, a former Grand Slam winner. This course was built on the historic Longwood Plantation, whose heritage as a successful antebellum rice plantation on Waccamaw River. It features lakes, moss-draped oaks, pines, and cypress.You will be sure to see wild turkeys, alligators, and other wildlife during your play here.  The tranquil atmosphere and beautiful scenery will put you face-to-face with the best that nature has to offer.  Blackmoor was recently voted the Strands Golf Course of the Year, and for good reason!

Gary Player used every natural land asset he was given when designing this course. From the historical cemetery incorporated on the 13th hole, to the low elevation and swampland, every feature he found was used to create a golfing gem. Blackmoor features a course rating of 71.1 and is home to some of the area's most challenging and creatively designed holes

Taking advantage of the natural terrain and vistas with its undulations.  Blackmoor provides golfers a unique opportunity for golfers to use every club in their bags and try shots they don't normally get the chance to do, such as bump-and-run. Featuring plenty of risk-reward opportunities, Blackmoor is a fun course because it offers golfers of all ages and abilities a friendly but true test of their games. With a layout that rewards finesse over strength, Blackmoor features narrow fairways with lots of  tight doglegs and water hazards and sand traps that call for precision over raw power. But those who play it smart can put up low scores by reaching the well-manicured greens, which aren't too undulating and provide up-and-down opportunities from any point. Definitely one of the more adventurous courses we’ve played.

Whooo hooo! It feels like a real studio! 4 '13

Whoo hoo.  It's all put together, ( with no thanks to the manufacturer's  whacko directions).  Thank you, Bruce.  I could never have figured out the inaccurate directions that it came with  it, but you did (and you don't even speak Chinese).

Brian Koury at CAG 4 '13

Charleston Artist Guild's Featured Artist for April is Brian Francis Koury.

Despite rainy weather, an art exhibition by the master of photography, Brian Koury,
 is drawing in hundreds of art lovers to the 'CAG' Gallery at 160 E. Bay St, Charleston SC

Brian's Photography is eye-catching and revealing.  It challenges the viewer to pause and explore beyond the realm of color into shades of gray from the deepest blacks to the brightest whites.  His bold use of black and white  with  an occasional highlight of  a single vivid color encourages us  to look deeper at the form and rhythm of the world around us.

You can see more of Brian's Beautiful work at:

http://www.briankouryphotography.com/