The objects that I make are intended to honor or memorialize the origin of the materials from which they are made. I primarily use bark and twigs from a variety of highland trees along with driftwood and palmetto root from coastal habitats.  Harvesting bark and palmetto root is a considerable part of the overall process and is seasonable and laborious.  The bark is manipulated while wet and sewn together with waxed linen thread. Combined interlacing techniques are employed to weave the palmetto root and waxed linen thread onto the bark or driftwood structures. Materials such as twigs, bones, and stones are added to create contrast. Objects are also constructed and incorporated to create areas of interest that support the visual concepts. The tree has become a personal icon and my work reflects the influences of a number of indigenous cultures that have a tradition of using natural materials. Sharing in this celebration of materials, techniques and imagery has made me feel as though I am part of a universal heritage. 

Terry Brennan did not set out to be known as an environmental artist or to create art with a social commentary but as his work progressed to sculpture, his eyes opened to new materials and the association naturally occurred.   He chooses to use discarded pieces from everyday life while promoting the endless possibilities of creativity.

Terry conveys his message through multiple layers, by throwing these everyday objects right back at the viewer in a way that is skillful and captivating.  With clear  intention, he arranges his vision with all the materials acquired. He manipulates color and shape in order to allow the viewer a glimpse into the world as he sees it.  While he uses a variety of materials and processes in each project, his methodology is consistent.  Although the materials may not always be the same, the similarities between the different pieces are linked by recurring formal elements and subject matter.

Brennan hopes to spark conversation about the definition of art and who truly decides what will become the masterpieces of the future.   Where the future will take his art will only be determined by his personal journey and the exploration of his surroundings.

Bruce Nellsmith received his MFA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his BFA from the University of Georgia in Athens.  He is currently the Art Department Chairman and a Professor of Art at Newberry College where he has taught for nineteen years. He has been selected for numerous exhibitions in the North and Southeast and has been the recipient of local and national awards in painting and drawing competitions. Bruce Nellsmith has been listed in Art in America’s International Index to Artists several times since 1985.  His work is included in many private, state, and public collections throughout the country including collections in Park Avenue, New York City, and the recent addition to the Columbia skyline – the Meridian Building in Columbia, SC among others.  His work has been exhibited in the South Carolina State Museum, featured on ETV, reviewed many times by the State Newspaper, Carolina Arts, as well as Art Papers of Atlanta, and has been exhibited in group shows twice in New York at the Limner Gallery. Bruce Nellsmith has served as Exhibition Chairman for the South Carolina Watercolor Society, juror for exhibitions across the state, and conducted workshops and evening courses on various studio topics including oil painting, the chemistry and techniques, color, abstraction, and composition in pastels, and life drawing and superficial anatomy for the artist.  The artist maintains studios in Edisto Beach, SC and Newberry, SC.

 ”Light patterns and ever-changing colors of fluid surfaces work as inspiration. Water changes constantly based on seasons, time of day and weather patterns, creating an evolution of color and light play. Moments of reflection and memories they stir become meditative Technicolor explorations of water and light”

The Charleston Series is a collection of photographs revealing a touch of Charleston’s magic – its characteristic exteriors of historic homes, streets and churches – with thoughtful provenance.

I see my work as a surreal yet honest visual commentary on the world that’s whizzing by me. I try to create artwork that aesthetically and often amusingly exposes life around me.

The approach to my work stems from personal experience and exploration. A love of nature influences most of my paintings. Often the title will suggest the origin of the composition but the emotional quality is created by the choice of colors. The interplay of color provokes such pleasure for me as I paint that I don’t want it to end. Large, expressive, colorful works on canvas are what I enjoy painting the most. When I paint I simply enjoy the energetic flow and the creative process. It is a joy to follow my passion. Inspiration is infinite and the desire to express is extremely pressing.

Her paintings have been purchased by residential and corporate collectors since her first show in 2003.

Daniel McClendon’s art focuses on the process of its creation. Areas of development, ranging from   textural layers of oil paint to loose, spontaneous under-paintings, create unique “stories” within each piece. And the plethora of subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) relationships, along with the bold, powerful colors and simplistic line work, engage the viewer, beyond your average painting.

It is no easy task to merely glance at Daniel’s art. The work challenges everyone at some level, drawing the viewer in, and the unspecified energy emanating from each piece resonates soundly.

Daniel is native to Michigan, where he received his B.F.A. from Western Michigan University. He lives and works in Asheville, NC with his wife and dog.

John Stango stands at the leading edge of modern American pop art. With a world-wide following drawn to his distinctive “American Muscle Car” style, John carries the pop art movement into the 21st Century. His work is powerful. John builds upon the 1950′s tradition, infusing it with a new vibrant, colorful, testosterone-fueled approach. Musicians, art collectors, politicians, actors, and professional athletes alike prize his work, which can be found in stadiums, corporate offices and galleries across the country. John is America’s artist.

Born and raised in working-class Philadelphia, artistic talent has always pumped through John’s veins. Frances Elaine Rockwell, John’s mother, was an extremely talented painter who transferred her gifts onto her son. Her family’s artistic heritage, in fact, traces back to famed American artist Norman Rockwell—mother and son have carried on the family tradition. Early in life, John’s teachers noticed his unique artistic talent. Although defying his family’s wishes by attending Tyler School of Art at Temple University, John quickly began to distinguish himself even among a talented class of privileged students. One professor noted that, while John may not have been the best artist in his class, he was the one artist everyone noticed. Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Graphic Design, John drew the attention of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s department stores who hired him as a visual merchandiser and display artist. Striking out on his own, John soon began to create original silk-screened t-shirts that his former employers chose to carry in their stores. As his reputation in the region continued to grow, John turned his attention and energy to painting full time.

Currently working out of a large backwoods warehouse in Philadelphia, John draws artistic inspiration from retro advertising, pop icons, B-movies, mid-century modernism, magazines, noir films, vintage signage and all things pop-culture. Forming a unique combination of silk-screening and hand painting, John creates paintings that are at once nostalgic and modern. Intense brush strokes, explosions of color, aggressive textures, and juxtaposed images yield distinctive and recognizable canvasses. His subjects—sexy bombshell women, designer logos, sports heroes, stewardesses, Americana images—compete with and complement one another, yielding exceptional artistic compositions. Batman and Elvis, Audrey Hepburn and Lucky Strike, Mickey Mouse and Heineken all find themselves reborn in John’s paintings.

Praised by connoisseurs and philistines alike, John’s art has widespread appeal. His paintings draw a diverse crowd to galleries spanning from New York to California, and Sweden to Japan. Beloved by such modern icons as Nicole Miller, Allen Iverson, Bruce Willis, Governor Ed Rendell, Swizz Beatz, and Sylvester Stallone, John’s reinterpretations of classical icons resonate strongly in 21st Century America. In addition to promoting his art, John also remains deeply committed to philanthropy, using his paintings and proceeds to benefit charities around the world.