|
 It
is either a blessing or a curse, depending upon your point of
view, to live with an artist’s eye.
As I travel about in my day-to-day life, I see life
passing by as little vignettes waiting to be photographed or
painted.
It is certainly more hazardous to photograph and drive
than to talk on a cell phone and maneuver a vehicle.
I have been known to stop in traffic to capture an
image that is a fleeting at the afternoon sunset.
In
my painting,” Five
O’clock Traffic,” I literally leaned out the window of
my car to capture the glorious sunset in the windows of the
Palmetto Baptist building.
Fortunately I haven’t received a traffic ticket yet.
I
have lived in Columbia for nearly thirty-five years.
Having grown up in Mount Pleasant, outside of
Charleston, I am often asked why I choose to remain in
Columbia instead of heading home to the “Holy
City.”
I decided sometime along the way that Columbia is
just great place to live.
The old mingles comfortably with the new and an ever
changing cross-section of cultures provides a rich environment
for an artist’s muse.
I
have been photographing the city since the seventies.
Some of the images in this show emerge from past times
and events in the life of Columbia.
“Waiting
for the Torch to Pass
“was evoked by a wonderful moment as I stood in Five Points
waiting for the Olympic Torch to go by on its way to the
Atlanta Games.
On the curb sat a group of children from their daycare,
decked out in hats and waving flags.
The poignancy of the moment could not escape me, as I
watched this small African American boy waving his flag,
waiting for the time when adult life would be passed to him.
In
1984, I was looking for a unique point of view.
As I tramped to the markers in Elmwood Cemetery, I came
upon the statue of an angel overlooking the river and the
interstate leading into town.
She looked as if she was watching over all who entered
Columbia, praying to keep them safe.
So came the painting
”Angel
of the City.”
The
emphasis of this show was to depict Columbia in ways that are
not traditionally done; to provide a different perspective.
The more I looked, the more I saw.
The awesome detail of some of the recognizable
buildings and monuments became magnetic.
The complete set of photos depicting the Palmetto
Monument on the grounds of the Statehouse enlarges the view of
the magnificent details that were embedded into the design of
the monument.
Iron eagles guarding, embossed eagles standing watch
over hand-wrought palmettos.
Each section is a work of art unto itself.
The same things happened with a visit to Sterling
Garden Center.
The place came alive with images, details and color
that called out to my camera to record.
At
times I like to observe the contrast of elements in a space.
For example, I observed the juxtaposition of the
flowers of the Farmer’s Market against the towering concrete
of Williams-Brice Stadium in “Spring
Training” and the wildness of the Congaree River
against a concrete high rise and a steel bridge spanning the
water in “Bridgepoint.”
In
”Look
What We Won” I explored what goes on behind the
cattle barns at the SC State Fair.
Night
casts a whole different view on the city.
The oft painted Adluh Milling building is an icon over
the city.
The venture into nighttime painting produced “Night
Shift,” a darker depiction of the street near
midnight.
The nightlife of Columbia is rich as well.
If you wonder out on any Wednesday night you can go
back to a time when dining and dancing were done all evening
at one location.
At Dianne’s on Devine, you can take a table for the
evening and dance between courses.
I often imagine this was the way it was in more elegant
times of the early twentieth century.
“Dancing with Paul” shows my good friend Lulu Anderson
dancing with Paul Sloan to the music of Ross Holms on the tiny
dance floor of Dianne’s.
No
artist can get by without sending a message or two through her
work.
As I painted downtown Columbia, fronted by St.
Peter’s Cathedral, it occurred to me that the only buildings
other than the church were bank building.
In my own cynical way, I decided to entitle this piece “Where We Worship.”
Loving the play of words in a title, I chose to express
my wonder and the glory of God through the painting “Waiting
in the Light of the Son.”
It is not a misprint.
The
Son
of God is more warming that the light of the Sun.
Of
all the paintings in this show, probably the most life
changing for me, were “Homeless
in Finley Park” and “Hands of the Homeless.”
I was on a photo outing one afternoon and after parking
on the upper end of the park, I headed down the stairs toward
the little lake.
As I began taking photos, a woman called to me asking
for a handout.
Looking back, I saw a bedraggled woman in a baseball
cap and worn clothing.
I am soft-hearted, but practical as well.
So I struck a bargain with her.
If she would pose for me, I would pay her $5.00.
The deal was struck.
Simultaneously, I began shooting photos and listening
to Adrienne’s story.
I learned about her children, the other street people
around, and how tough her veneer had to be to make it on the
street.
As we moved toward the pond, she began talking about
how it is to be homeless and sleep in the Salvation Army
shelter.
Encounters with police and other park visitors peppered
her comments.
All at once, she reared back her head and with eyes
closed said,” You have no idea how we are treated!”
That emotion, filled with the pain of loss and
struggle, became the source for “Homeless in Finley Park.”
Because
each person’s hands speak so much of their life, I found
that the very personal view of Adrienne’s hands told her
story.
Too many times, the people of the street are the
invisible ones in our view of Columbia.
That’s how I see it.
This
show feels like a beginning of a new journey for me.
I have collected far more images of our glorious city
than shown here.
I suspect that I will be painting Columbia, the way I
see it, for many years to come.
BIO
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