As an avid lover and consumer of the arts, I have been on the lookout for an art museum near enough that I don’t have to make a day trip out of a visit. This past weekend I finally had a day to myself to explore, and what I found was amazing. The Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum sits just 5 minutes from Market Commons and 1 minute from Springmaid Pier. Their mission is to be one of the finest visual arts museums in the Carolinas. They engage the community and visitors through unique exhibitions and interactive, educational, and creative programs for people of all ages. The museum is a non-profit and free to visit (which is always exciting as a college student). This museum doesn’t have a long history like the Metropolitan or MoMA as it first opened its doors to the public 25 years ago in June 1977, but they focus on our local community. Right now there are two artists on exhibit: Natalie Daise and Jonathan Green.
Natalie Daise is a self-taught artist from Georgetown, SC who uses mixed mediums to tell stories. Much of her work explores the traditions of the African-American and Gullah-Geechee communities and the process by which creative action shapes these communities. The current exhibit at the museum is Natalie Daise: The Greens in My Garden. This exhibit features paintings comprised of striking oil-and-metal-leaf portraits of both family members and friends, adorned with sweetgrass-woven jewelry, traditional African-patterned clothing, and bright halos, all with the symbolic roots of her Gullah upbringing – collard greens and garden flowers. She has earned many awards in her career and was even featured on a Nickelodeon show. Her art is some of the most moving and visually striking that I have seen. One of my favorite collections consists of her subjects with various flowers such as canna lilies, dandelions, morning glories, star jasmine, and magnolias. The imagery is powerful and beautiful with golds and greens highlighting the rich brown tones of the subjects.
The other artist on display is Jonathan Green, a Charleston resident, who is regarded as one of the most important painters of the American South, particularly the South Carolina Gullah community. His art consists of sweeping, dreamy Lowcountry vistas filled with bright and boldly patterned dressed figures. His exhibit, Jonathan Green | Embracing Gullah Spirit, showcases these themes with bright colors that demand attention and awe. One of my favorite pieces was Earth to Earth, an oil painting that draws on images of death and memorials. It is not as bright as other pieces but the contrast in elements and objects that one has to pick out from continued viewing makes it a spectacular piece. Another piece, done in his more notable style of a landscape with bright colors, is Special Moments, which showcases a mother-daughter pair enjoying the water and balloons (another theme in a lot of his works). Their white dresses against their dark skin and the deep blue water make this gouache piece one to admire. His imagery is striking in the contrasts between the subjects and their environment as well as their attire.
Opening on October 27, is an exhibit that showcases works from their Waccamaw Arts & Crafts Collection, Burgess-Dinkelspiel Collection of Southern Art, and Gifts and Purchases Collection. A Quarter Past highlights the museum’s 25-year history of community and art.
This small museum among the high energy of Myrtle Beach makes it a true treasure. The workers are personable and knowledgeable and always willing to share information about the exhibits (both current and future). I highly recommend visiting this little gem for a bit of local culture and art.