The City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department is pleased to announce that paintings by the Katherine Hester of Pinopolis, SC, and photographs by Jenion Tyson of North Charleston, SC, will be on exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery from December 3, 2019-January 31, 2020. The artists will host a free public reception for their concurrent solo exhibitions at the gallery on Thursday, December 5, from 5:00-7:00pm.
– Paintings by Katherine Hester
In her exhibit, Ebb and Flow, Katherine Hester will present a series of mixed media paintings of the ocean; exploring the romantic idea of a day spent at the beach versus the reality of humans’ impact on coastal life. Ebb and Flow features a collection of small studies of figures on the shorelines and within ocean landscapes, set amongst large canvases that reflect what remnants are left behind when humans carelessly interact with coastal environments. A native of the Lowcountry, Katherine grew up on her father’s wildlife center, where conservation became a lifelong interest. Any proceeds from the sale of her work in this exhibition will be donated to the South Carolina Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Care Center.
Katherine Hester is currently serving as the City of North Charleston’s Artist-in-Residence. She works in oil and mixed media and paints outdoors, onsite when painting landscapes in order to capture the changing light of the Lowcountry. Katherine also enjoys creating portraits, working in mixed media in order to put a modern twist to the classic genre. A graduate of the College of Charleston, she holds a Master’s in Education and worked as a studio art, art history, and science teacher before leaving the classroom in order to pursue her painting career full time. Katherine has been represented by galleries in Charleston and exhibited her work throughout the region. She has won numerous awards and participates in the annual Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition each spring.
A Bug’s Eye View: Macro Photography in the Garden – Photographs by Jenion Tyson
Begun as an exploratory series prior to the arrival of Hurricane Florence, the photographs featured in Jenion Tyson’s exhibition, A Bug’s Eye View: Macro Photography in the Garden, depict small, often overlooked, flowering plants common to South Carolina yards. Tyson enlarges the view of these plants to new, nearly unrecognizable perspectives showcasing a fascinating, underappreciated plant life that the viewer may come to realize can be found in their own backyard. Though the plant subjects he chooses to highlight, such as dodder, milkweed, and wild garlic, are often considered weeds by gardeners, in these photographs they are elevated as desirable and beautiful plants in their own right. The exhibit features thirteen macrophotographs displayed alongside smaller corresponding photographs showing recognizable views of the plant subjects, as well as short essays written by the artist about the various plant species.
Jenion Tyson is a nature photographer and certified master gardener. His interest in nature photography began as a means to supplement his gardening articles, but quickly developed into an artistic practice. Early on in his journey as a photographer, he was encouraged by winning a weekly photo contest in the Post and Courier. His photographs have been displayed in group and solo shows and festivals throughout South Carolina, including Artfields, the Coastal Carolina Fair, and the Georgetown Artwalk. Learn more about the artist at www.jeniontysonphotography.com.
The North Charleston City Gallery is situated in two corridors of the Charleston Area Convention Center, located at 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. The exhibition space is at the northwest corner of the Convention Center adjacent to the Coliseum, facing International Boulevard. Parking and admission are free. The gallery is open 9:00am-5:00pm daily, with an attendant present Tuesdays 12-5pm, Wednesdays 11am-5pm, Thursdays 11am-7:30pm, and Fridays 11am-5pm. Inquiries regarding the artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843)740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Arts & Culture section of the City’s website.