11:30am by Lee Garrard
Press Release
The City of North Charleston's Cultural Arts Department is pleased to announce that concurrent solo exhibitions of paintings by local artists Brad Carroll and Lee Garrard will be on display at Park Circle Gallery from November 3-24, 2021. A free reception will be held at the gallery on Friday, November 5, from 5 pm – 7 pm. The public is invited to attend.
Home and Away – Paintings by Brad Carroll
In his exhibit, Home and Away, Brad Carroll of Mt. Pleasant, SC, presents a collection of recent oil paintings. Bookmarked by foreign travel on one side and quarantine-inspired local observations on the other, these works feature whimsical compositions of architectural and natural elements that create an unexpected balance between geometry and biology. Home or away, Carroll pays careful attention to his surroundings and uses the environment as a model, guide, and point of inspiration. “Often, I'm catching a moment in time,” he explains. “I want to take hold of the viewer and briefly subjugate realism, to provide an alternative idea of what walking down the street and exploring our world can look like.”
Brad Carroll has been painting for more than 20 years, specializing in oil or acrylic on canvas. He received a Bachelor's degree in Media Arts from the University of South Carolina in 2004. His paintings have been displayed in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the Lowcountry. See the artist's work at www.bradcarrollpaintings.com.
The People You See Every Day – Portraits by Lee Garrard
Lee Garrard of Johns Island, SC, presents a collection of charcoal portraits and works in oil on canvas in his exhibit The People You See Every Day. Garrard's paintings celebrate the warmth, beauty, and eccentricity of our region and the people who live here. “I am inspired by the human form, especially faces,” he explains. “I love the way light reflects off the human body and I love the heat and sensuality of the South. The people have a lush sense of beauty and dignity about them.” Working mainly from photographs, Garrard aims to capture his subjects' expression, but also attempts to offer a glimpse into what might be going on in their lives or what they are thinking rather than revealing to the world.
A self-taught artist, Lee Garrard has been drawing the world around him since childhood. He is a licensed Landscape Architect with a passion and deep abiding respect for land and the people who inhabit it. His work has been exhibited in solo and group shows throughout South Carolina and he is a member of The Charleston Artist Guild. He is also a partner and owner of MedicineWheel Land Planning, a local design studio that practices Environmental Master Planning and Urban Design. Learn more about the artist at https://lgarrard.wixsite.com/lee-garrard.
The Park Circle Gallery is located at 4820 Jenkins Avenue in North Charleston, in what was formerly known as the Olde Village Community Building. Admission is free and free street parking is available on Jenkins Avenue in front of the gallery, as well as on the adjacent streets and in parking lots close by. The gallery is open 10:00am-6:00pm Wednesday-Friday, and Noon-4:00pm on Saturday. Staff and all visitors must wear a face covering while they are in the gallery. Hand sanitizer will be provided upon entry. For more information about PCG, call 843-637-3565 or email culturalarts@northcharleston.org. The Cultural Arts Department is currently accepting exhibition proposals for the space for July 2022-June 2023. Visit https://NorthCharlestonCulturalArtsDepartment.Slideroom.com to access the free application. Submission deadline is Tuesday, November 30, 2021. For information on other Cultural Arts programs and artist opportunities, visit the Arts & Culture section of the City's website at www.northcharleston.org.
