Saturday, January 11, 2020

En Plain Air

Outside the Van Gogh exhibit at the Columbia Museum of Art was another exhibit titled En Plain Air.

Local artists' artwork was displayed showcasing the landscape of South Carolina.

These paintings by Mickey Williams are of Ghost Island off the coast. October Bonfire is on top and Twilight Below. Ghost Island (aka Cemetery Island) used to bury the dead and is now haunted (so they say).


One of my favorite things in the region are the great big, old oaks. This piece titled Majestic Oak by Noelle Breault is a favorite. The oaks take on so many marvelous shapes. In this one I see a confident woman strutting her stuff.

Bruce Nellsmith is one of my favorite local painters after seeing some of his larger pieces of work at City Art Gallery in Columbia. He painted this piece below titled Artist's Wife on her Deck in Edisto.


Glen Miller painted the charmers below titled Ice Cream in Traveler's Rest and From Richardson Street Parking Garage in Greenville. These bring back memories of Jim and I house hunting in South Carolina since we started our search in these upstate towns.

I particularly loved this quote from Miller in regards to painting en plain air "Things move. Light bounces. The heat and wind dry the palette, the shadows shorten and the work evolves, sometimes in unplanned ways. Unlike a camera, the eyes move and are distracted, the mind selects and omits, the hand exaggerates, and the brush records."


Scotty Peak painted Small White House. It does remind me of many landscape scenes I have observed when out for a drive.
Congaree, Twilight, Cypress was painted by Stephen Chesley. This brings back memories of our walks through Congaree National Park.
May Minson painted Afternoon on Da Creek. Its subject is St. Pierre Creek on Edisto Island.
Morning in Winnsboro was painted by Noelle Brault.
These 2 works are by Mary Gilkerson titled Late Summer and Summer Rice Fields

Gilkserson's quote about Edisto Island does entice me to visit as she said "Edisto is the captivating odor of salty air, hot sun on warm cedars and pines, and the fecund rich tang of pluff mud...a land full of water, creeks, and rivers that mark the time by the rise and fall of the tides."

When Googling "pluff mud" I learned this is indigenous to the South Carolina low country. The mixture of dirt and water has an odor that is enjoyed by locals, but not so much by outsiders. Now I am extra curious to discover this scent!

I hope you enjoyed these local works.

Thank you for stopping by! ~Val

31 comments:

  1. There's some lovely paintings here! "Pluff mud" sounds . . . intriguing.

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    1. It does. I am imagining an unpleasant odor with the pluff mud.

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  2. Wow, love things like this,beautiful works ☺

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  3. These are especially beautiful, Valerie. I love the colors and they seem to really capture the environment so well. I especially like the island at the end and the Co hagen one, but really, there's great talent there. Vincent would be pleased.

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    1. I think I enjoyed this exhibit a little more than the Van Gogh one since it felt more personal. These paintings really inspire wanting to visit these close by gems!

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  4. Beautiful paintings. I love Twilight and The Ghost Island, the colours are exceptional. I think it is always wonderful to see paintings by local artists, especially when they paint subjects our landscapes that are known to us. Seeing local art can be so inspiring and touching. I also liked the paintings of houses, great composition.

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    1. Thank you Ivana. It is much more meaningful enjoying and supporting the work of local artists.

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    2. yes, definitely and we can connect with them on a more personal level.

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  5. I enjoyed seeing the art and i love the sky in the bottom painting. And the description of the south carolina smells and such - ..

    I am surrounded by incense cedar trees here in my yard and I totally get the description of sun on warm cedars . I love their fragrance and especially if someone burns cedar logs up here. Edisto Island - never heard of it so now I have learned something new.

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    1. Oh I love the scent of cedar! It must smell divine where you are Sandy!

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  6. Thanks for sharing. It's a joy to see the paintings.

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  7. The Artist's Wife on her Deck its very nice!
    Hi... Would you like to follow each other?
    Fifty Shades Fashion

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  8. Se ve todo estupendo! Todo lo mejor para este aƱo!šŸŽŠšŸŽ‰šŸŽŠšŸŽ‰ Espero verte pronto por mi blog! šŸ’“šŸ’“šŸ’“

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    1. Gracias Carolina! Todo lo mejor para este aƱo a ti tambien!

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  9. I always impressed the landscape paintings.
    Every piece is wonderful.
    October Bonfire and Twilight take me to the mysterious realm.

    Happy Sunday, Miss Val

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    1. Thank you Evi. I love the mystery in those too. So amazing! Happy Sunday to you!

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  10. So beautiful paintings here. Some of them look like they belong with the best of the Impressionists. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. They are beautiful. Maybe a couple of these artists will be known by the world someday!

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  11. I did enjoy seeing all of these paintings, they all look so lovely and the colours seem perfect.

    All the best Jan

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  12. I love paintings with nature ♥

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  13. i did enjoy them and also you explaining things - and about when you were looking to move. Edisto Island - i'll have to google that place.

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    1. Thank you Sandy. South Carolina, like California, has so much to offer with the ocean, mountains, rivers and lakes. Someone told us there is nothing to do on Edisto Island but I think the point of going there is to absorb the beauty in nature. It is definitely on my list.

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Thank you for stopping by! I love reading visitor comments! ~Val