To kick off the new year, Beyond The Gallery has united three of Charleston’s premier and award – winning artists, Chris Dotson, Joyce Hall and Martin Ahrens for the upcoming exhibition, “Collective | Eclectic,” an exhibition celebrating diversity in the creative process. The exhibit will feature small and large works in a range of mediums from watercolors, pen & ink to oils, acrylics and pastels. Hosted by The Real Estate Studio, 214 King Street, in historic downtown Charleston, the exhibition will remain on view January 5 – February 15, 2011, with an opening- artist reception, free & open to the public, set for January 14, from 6-9 PM.
“Collective | Eclectic” has been developed to unite fellow artists and shed light into their imagination and distinctive personal approach. The exhibition unfolds with a general theme of diversity in the arts. Viewers can expect to encounter an eclectic selection of some of the artists finest works, inspired by life, their creative drive and everyday experiences. Works exhibited will further showcase the artists diversity of personality, style, subject matter, influences and artistic range.
Chris Dotson, originally from Newport News, VA, and now residing in Charleston, SC, received his B.F.A. from Appalachian State University in 1996 and has been involved in the visual arts for over fifteen years. His latest work is composed of a wide variety of mediums and ranges from visual realism to imagined realism and abstract. “I look for something beyond the representation of a subject, attention is given only to each shape’s interaction with surrounding shapes, and it’s color in relation to the other colors within the image.”
Joyce Hall, grew up in the heart of Maryland horse country where at an early age she began observing and drawing horses. After teaching the equestrian program for Tulane University and establishing programs for the College of Charleston and the Citadel she retired, devoting all of her time to painting and teaching art. Her works, composed primarily of oils, have been featured in major art publications and have earned her an extensive list of national awards, museum tours and international exhibitions, too numerous to mention, as well as memberships in many prestigious organizations. More recently Joyce was selected as a finalist for the Blossom II, Art of Flowers, international Juried art competition and national museum tour exhibition, premiering at the Naples Museum of Art, February 4th, 2011.
Born in 1933 in Louisiana, noted portrait artist, Martin Ahrens began painting in the 1950s while attending Tulane University. He attended the Chicago Institute of Art and for over forty years has been painting, sculpting and teaching, winning awards in national shows. In the early 1980s Ahrens completed a painting of the America Silver Medal Winner in the International Ballet Competition and was later selected to paint the 25th Anniversary painting for the Meridian House International in Washington DC. In 1986 Ahrens moved to Northern Maryland and founded Everedy School of Art & the Everedy Gallery. In 1990 Ahrens sold the Gallery and School and returned to New Orleans to marry Joyce Hall, a noted artist and horsewoman. He currently makes his home in the South Carolina Lowcountry, and with his wife, owns The Studio, a multi-media school of fine art in the West Ashley area of Charleston.
COLLECTIVE | ECLECTIC : ARTIST RECEPTION & OPENING FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2011 6 – 9 PM