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 Aside from the pristine beaches, fabulous weather, fine dining, and action packed history, Charleston, South Carolina is fast becoming a destination spot for art lovers and artists alike. With the Piccolo Spoleto, an annual celebration and display of art in every form, along with the beautification of the city with finely crafted sculptures in every corner, and the expanding effort to keep the arts in our schools and community with programs and several events either put on or supported by the Charleston Fine Art Dealers Association, it was inevitable that someone would eventually add an art tour to the abundance of guided explorations Charleston has to offer. It is our true good fortune that partners Martha Sharp and Karen Hagan were the ones who organized such a tour.
These women, both artists themselves, have put together a chic and polished art tour with an insider's view and understanding of the world of sculpture and canvas that invites the tour patron into the world of color and light and opens his or her eyes to an educated glimpse of medium, technique, and style of the works hanging in many of the upscale Charleston galleries. The entrée into the art world is a wonderful experience and the added facet to the gem this tour is for participants, is the insider's introduction to gallery directors, owners and at times, the artist themselves.
This last would not be available to someone self touring the galleries because, while admiring the art, one could be standing right next to the creator without ever knowing it. Martha and Karen are on a first-name basis with the who's who in the Charleston art community and are well acquainted with not only the renown galleries and artists, they also have a familiarity with lesser known, up and coming artisans; the ones to watch as skills are honed and reputations are developed.
Having been a frequent visitor to the Charleston galleries and art walks myself, I was so pleased to be introduced to lovely galleries that I had not yet discovered, and likely would not have if it were not for the know-how of someone familiar with the geography of the town and the artistic landscape of Charleston.
The tour is not designed for in-depth study of any one particular style or artist but rather covers a variety of mediums, and is paced so the art admirer absorbs some history and insight as they begin to develop a feel for their own particular tastes in art and they learn to understand and apply the language of the art world: strokes, lighting, shading, composition, etc. This is neither a lecture tour nor is it in any way boring. These terms are effortlessly learned during the walking tour, through conversation and they are easily absorbed as the guide exudes obvious enthusiasm for her subject.
Martha and Karen are more than tour guides; they are art educators and are open, friendly and eager to answer any and all questions. The reward for this type of education is the sense that one is much more conversant in the field of present-day art and more confident the development of one's own taste and opinions about the works. There is no question that anyone, from the neophyte with a passing interest, or someone who is somewhat familiar with the world of art as well as the avid collector will learn new things, gain new perspectives and thoroughly enjoy the program presented by Charleston Art Tours. Every tour is perfectly designed, choosing a select grouping of galleries to suit the 1½, 2 or 3-hour tour so the mind is not overloaded and the legs are not over taxed. The tour can be taken many times and never be duplicated due to varying group members and a fresh selection of galleries for each tour.
The tour group, never exceeding an intimate eight participants, offers an opportunity to meet like-minded admirers from every corner of the world and so the interaction between tour members lends an added facet of interest as opinions are expressed and experiences shared. As the group is led on a pleasant walk from one gallery to the next, people have an opportunity to share stories and take in sights of the city, one of which, is often street artists painting plein air, (outside) to take advantage of the Charleston light, ancient buildings and unique skylines. Personally, the opportunity to meet and speak with my tour-mates was as much a part of the enjoyment of the tour as was the tour itself.
This program is of such desirable quality that The Gibbes Art Museum of Charleston has asked the women of Charleston Art Tours to collaborate with them in designing a tour that highlights pieces by contemporary artists displayed in the museum whose work is also found in area galleries, allowing people to make the connection that there are modern day impressionists, realists, portrait artist who create museum quality work that is available to the public: the new masters, if you please, such as Amy Lind, a young and gifted artist who has created a series of feminine profiles exquisitely capturing the simplicity, complexity, and uniqueness of feminine beauty in impressively accurate light and detail or Mary Whyte, a precision watercolorist, who portrays depth of emotion and detail of character in her subjects one would never expect possible in such a medium.
Charleston Art Tours offers an informative, enjoyable, upscale tour packed with exclaimed wows and hushed admiration enough to keep one returning for more. This is a tour to which tourist and locals alike can return many times and due to the 35 galleries in the French Quarter alone, have new experience every visit. Whether you are an aficionado, a casual collector or one with a budding interest, Charleston Art Tours is a service that will deepen your understanding of the artists' world and through insight and enlightenment, will enrich your own. For more information or to book a tour, Visit their website.
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