Sunday, April 3, 2011

Mary Whyte Museum Exhibit

 While I'd love to paint everyday, there are times when other priorities, like family and friends, take center stage. This weekend, my husband and I drove to Charlotte to visit a good friend. On the way up from Atlanta, I did have an opportunity to sneak in some art and inspiration.

 We stopped at the Greenville Museum in South Carolina. I had heard about an exhibit "Working South"  by Mary Whyte , who if you don't know her, is one of the top watercolorists in the country. She has a gallery in Charleston which I visited last summer so I have had the pleasure of seeing her extraordinary paintings in person before.

This exhibit is quite exceptional both in concept and execution. Mary spent about 3 1/2 years traveling the South meeting people in jobs that are fading away due to changes in the way we live, work, technology etc..  She then created 50 very large watercolors depicting these people in their work surroundings ( which are becoming extinct). The jobs include textile mills, newspaper delivery, tobacco famers etc...  The paintings are beautiful in both their technical mastery ( she's wonderful at depicting realistic people with great detail and emotion contrasted with diffused, more suggested, softer edge backgrounds). She truly captures the heart and soul of these people ( I know it sounds corny- but she really shows these people as if you know them- their humanity, their stories). It is a great presentation about our changing world and the real people impacted.

 Here are some examples- they don't do the real paintings justice but can give you an idea and I'm sure there's more about this on Mary's website including a CBS news spot about the show.

                                                                            Milliner


                                                            Shoe Shine Specialist



Tobacco Farmer



So take a look at her website ( http://www.colemanfineart.com/)  , or better yet, if you are near Greenville SC., stop in and see the show.

There are opportunities to see art nearly everywhere, so get in your daily dose of inspiration, even if you are away from home. You never know what gems you might come across -  either around the globe or around the corner

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