Category Archives: Spartanburg Events

“Diverse Expressions,” an exhibit featuring the art of Dian Hammett and Lalage Warrington, will open at the Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg Gallery in Chapman Cultural Center on Jan. 4 and continue through Jan. 29.
The exhibit will include paintings on canvas and paper by Hammett and an eclectic mix of three-dimensional works in a variety of materials including clay, plaster, and wax by Warrington.

“RHAPSODY”
by Lalage Warrington
This clay horse exemplifies shape and line creating balance and a sense of arrested motion.

Both artists describe their work in this exhibit as abstract. “My paintings are abstract expressions of the universal theme of searching, whether it be for material things such as food, shelter, and treasure or for the intrinsics of love, peace and security,” Hammett says of her work, which has evolved from the more representation art for which she had become known.

“THE EGGS ARE COOKING”
by Lalage Warrington
One aspect of visual creativity is being able to see shapes and designs in “found” objects, imagining new roles for them. This was a Mix Master juice bowl!

Warrington terms herself an “abstract expressionist,” citing as inspiration a quotation from William Faulkner, “The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again, since it is life.”
She has been commissioned to create more than 25 portrait busts and has also used her skills to complete forensic reconstruction of the soft tissue of the skull, work that led to the presentation of several papers on facial reconstruction to the American Academy of Forensic Scientists.
“My art reflects my love for music in its rhythmic continuity, repetition and message,” says Warrington of her desire to lead the viewer to follow the motion of a piece. “It is a visual expression using form, line, negative space, and balance – all working together within a given space to create a song.”

“Treasure Map”
by Dian Hammett
28” x 28”
acrylic on paper

Hammett took her creative inspiration from her mother, an accomplished seamstress who filled their home with beautiful fabric, fine laces, and colorful yarns. “These imbued my life with a love of color and nature,” says the artist whose paintings have been included in juried exhibitions throughout the United States and in an invitational exhibition in Paris, France. “The excitement of painting comes from a spontaneous experimentation with a visual language resulting in a blending of heart, mind and soul.”
A native of Camden and a graduate of Columbia College, Hammett taught history at Dorman High School before relocating with her husband Lamar to Georgetown, where she continued to teach and became a part of the Georgetown art community. She and her husband have recently returned to the Upstate, and having retired after 28 years in education, she is now a full-time artist. In addition to being a member of the Artists’ Guild, she is a Member of Excellence of the South Carolina Watermedia Society, and the Southeastern Pastel Society.
Warrington holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, worked as a visiting artist and adjunct profession at Converse College, and taught classes in basic techniques of sculpture for the Spartanburg County Museum of Art (now Spartanburg Art Museum) and Tryon Painters and Sculptors.
An artists’ reception that is free and open to the public will be held during ArtWalk, Jan. 21, 5-8 p.m.

Spartanburg’s monthly ArtWalk will be Thursday, Dec. 17, 5-9 p.m., and many of the local galleries and museums will have new or continuing exhibits for the public to see. ArtWalk is the third Thursday of every month. Many of the art galleries and museums in and near downtown Spartanburg stay open late so that patrons can see what is new on the local art scene. Many of them have wine-and-cheese type refreshments, receptions, and special programs. There is no cost to attend. The following venues are participating:

Isabel Forbes Studio & Gallery

401 E. Kennedy Street, Suite A2, Farmer’s Marketplace, Spartanburg

(864) 909-0105

www.isabelforbes.com

Isabel Forbes Studio & Galley is a new working studio and gallery showcasing the oil paintings of Isabel Forbes. The December ArtWalk’s theme is “Lowcountry,” which can be seen 5-9 p.m. This exhibit can also be viewed during normal business hours, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Chapman Cultural Center

200 East Saint John St., Spartanburg

864.542.ARTS

ChapmanCulturalCenter.org

Chapman Cultural Center will exhibit works of art by students from Spartanburg County School District 6 and local private schools. This exhibit is open through Jan. 3 and is free for public viewing. In addition, Spartanburg Art Museum and Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg Gallery will be open for ArtWalk.

The Johnson Collection Gallery

154 West Main Street, Spartanburg

864.594.5834

TheJohnsonCollection.org

The Johnson Collection Gallery will be open for ArtWalk 5-8 p.m. and will feature work by Martha Severens, art historian and co-author of TJC’s new publication, Scenic Impressions: Southern Interpretations from the Johnson Collection. The gallery talk will be at 6:30 p.m. Books will be available for sale from Hub City Writers Project, just in time for Christmas gifting. As always, events at TJC Gallery are open to the public without charge.

Kiss The Frog Gallery

518 East Main Street, Spartanburg

864.583.1309

KissTheFrogGallery.com

Christmas is right around the corner and Kiss the Frog Gallery has last minute treats for everyone! The gallery will be open until 9 p.m. for ArtWalk, with catering by Palmetto Palate. Award-winning Bluffton, SC artist, Cindi Giddings’s work will be discounted for ArtWalk. Gifts for the entire family will also be on sale, featuring local soap maker Jeraldine Mack’s Seaside Road Soaps, Lisa Wilson’s Palmetto Pampered Christmas soaps, and a huge shipment of Tyler candles and Christmas ornaments and figurines. Also available will be handcrafted designer estate and fashion jewelry; prayer bracelets; designer charm bracelets, necklaces, and earrings; paintings; designer-inspired handbags and silk infinity scarves; ceramics; photography; sculptures; and unique home decor make the perfect gifts!

Spartanburg Art Museum

Chapman Cultural Center, 200 E. Saint John Street, Spartanburg

864.582.7616

SpartanburgArtMuseum.org

A Dyeing Art: Contemporary Textiles and Fiber Arts is a group exhibition featuring nine artists and more than 30 works of art. Curated as homage to Spartanburg’s rich textile history, this exhibition covers a wide array of textile-related media and techniques, including traditional weaving, mixed-media quilt paintings, large-scale felt images, sculptures, and objects. The themes addressed vary and include memories, childhood, loss, and the importance of community involvement in the arts. Refreshments and live music will be on hand, as well as SAM’s first installment of ART² – a new collaborative contemporary art experience unlike anything you’ve seen before, presented in association with HUB-BUB. Local playwright Lauren Ferebee has composed five one-act plays in response to works on view now in SAM’s current exhibition A Dyeing Art. Join SAM during ArtWalk for free admission to this unique event, directed and scored by Tim Giles. All ages welcome.

UPSTATE Gallery on Main

172 E. Main Street, Spartanburg

864.583.4054

UPSTATE Gallery on Main will be open for ArtWalk 5-8 p.m., sponsoring its first Print Exposition to showcase original artist prints that are signed and numbered in editions and as monotypes. For this initial Print Exposition, UGoM is showcasing the (CPC) Contemporary Print Collective, a newly organized artist group of Upstate South Carolina. The exhibition will continue until Dec. 31. Many of the artists will be present and sales will be encouraged. Housed at The Print Shop in Greenville, SC, the CPC has a membership of more than 25 established artists that include Kent Ambler, Todd Anderson, Andrew Blanchard, Patti Brady, Jamie Bunny, Jim Campbell, Steven Chapp, Kevin Clinton, Jeremy Cody, Katya Cohen, Jim Creal, Sydney Cross, Addam Duncan, Marty Epp-Carter, Phillip Garrett, David Gerhard, Chris Koelle, Lynda Kong, Catherine Labbe, Jaime Lara, Lindsay Lou, McPhail, Carlise Mercado, Jane Allen Nodine, Pat Owens, Elisa Kay Sparks, Caren Stansell, Freida Sue, and Virginia Yearick. Most works will be unframed, offering collectors affordable prices and encouraging visitors to consider investing in original works of art.

West Main Artists Co-Op

578 West Main Street, Spartanburg

864. 804.6501

WestMainArtists.org

The West Main Artists Co-Op continues the “All Member Exhibition” now through Jan. 16.  This is a great opportunity to see work by more than 50 member artists exhibiting a variety of works in different media. Ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, photography, textiles, paintings and much more are displayed throughout all galleries within the Co-op, including The Venue, a premier exhibition space. An ArtWalk reception will be held 5-9 p.m. This comprehensive show may be viewed during normal business hours, Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg, SC will present artwork from various members in its Fall Members Show, Nov. 1-27, and an opening reception will be Thursday, Nov. 19, 6-8 p.m., in the Guild Gallery at Chapman Cultural Center. Both the exhibit and reception are free to the public.

Tina Gwata
Deep Sleep

Artists will include Susan Hopps, Betsy Skipper, Gesa Hueckel, Joana Darwin, Carol Funke, Dian Hammett, Dwight Rose, Stacey Bevill, Thomas Rickis, Tina Gwata, Elizabeth Winters, Carolyn Alexander, Pamela Stevens, Amy Weaver, Sara Setzer, Cleveland Gossett, George Loudon, and Sam Phal.

Artworks will span from watercolor to digital and handmade paper to oil and acrylic paintings.

Stacey Beville
Peace

“Exhibits rotate each month, and usually they feature one or two artists, with a common theme running through their selected works,” Caitlin Boice, Executive Director, said. “Our Fall Members Show is special because there are no limitations to medium, style, or theme. Plus, we can show off pieces by a dozen or more members at once. It’s an exhibit that gives people a better idea of what the Guild is and who represents us.”

Dwight Rose
Topaki Cafe Stop

Artists’ Guild of Spartanburg, created in 1957, serves as a source for creative art in the community by promoting, fostering, and cultivating knowledge of the visual arts and of local artists. It strives to provide enrichment and artistic education for its members as well as the community at large, and thus encourage a deepening appreciation, understanding, and love of art among the citizens of Spartanburg and surrounding counties.

The Guild Gallery is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. For further information, contact Boice by emailing ArtistsGuild@SpartanArts.org or calling (864) 764-9568.