Detta's Gardens - by Detta Cutting Zimmerman

Detta’s Gardens

During the month of November 2017, Art Central Gallery presents an exhibit of Detta’s Gardens, from artist Detta Zimmerman (1945-2014).  Some of these paintings, such as “Gardenias in the Backyard,” depict flowers from her own yard.  Others are beautiful scenes of peaceful outdoor spaces that invite the viewer to linger.  Natural landscapes round out the exhibit.

Detta loved gardens!  She enjoyed growing a garden and relished painting the bounty from hers as well as produce and flowers from others’.

Over the years, Detta visited many gardens and was inspired by the joyful colors and patterns.  She always took note of what seemed to work and what caught her eye.  Some of these ideas found their way into her own yard and some she used to create magical spaces on her canvases.

The viewer is invited to stop and smell the flowers, and enjoy a piece of fruit or a glass of wine before continuing along the dappled path.  It’s an invitation that is hard to refuse, as joyful trees and whimsical clouds beckon, and there is a day filled with possibility right around the bend.

Stop by Art Central, 130 Central Avenue, on Third Thursday, November 16, 2017 5-8pm for a reception with the artists. Visit the gallery through November to see some of Detta Zimmerman’s work that has not been shown for years.  More information is at www.artcgalleryltd.com. 

Morning Skies - paintings by Renee Bruce

Morning Skies—New Paintings from Renee Bruce

Artist Renee Bruce continues her fascination with clouds in her new series, “Morning Skies.”  The paintings are on exhibit at Art Central Gallery October 1-31, 2017.

While on a visit to Myrtle Beach with her family, the artist was able to spend a few early morning hours on the beach watching the sun rise.  “What a glorious start to the day!  I’ve been fascinated by clouds since childhood and was lucky enough to see a wonder-full display of shifting light and color,” says the artist.

“The rising sun is awe-inspiring any day, but I’m not usually awake for it!  So it was a real treat for the clouds to be so beautiful on the day I was there.  I really felt honored to witness nature’s gift.”

Renee’s joy over this uncommonly ordinary event is evident in her paintings.  Stop by Art Central Gallery on Short Central Avenue to experience some of this joy for yourself!

A reception for the artist will take place at the Art Central 19th Anniversary party on Third Thursday, October 19, 2017 from 5 pm til 8 pm.  Find more info at www.artcgalleryltd.com. 

"Splendor of Nature...In Pastels" by Faith Cuda

Art Central Gallery's September Exhibition is by Faith Cuda.  It is entitled, "Splendor of Nature....in Pastels".  Meet the artist at a reception on Third Thursday, September 21, 2017 5-8 pm.

It’s fair to say that Faith is excited about her work: "I'm passionate about pastels and this exhibit of my newest art is just the beginning of a grand adventure into this exquisite medium.  Because pastels are a blend of finely ground pigment with a minimal binder, they maintain their brilliance and vibrancy.”

The artist continues, “I chose the wonder of nature to display my new found love of pastels. From landscapes, to water scenes and even a fruit still life, we can all enjoy the wonders of the earth and what it produces.”

In this artist’s hands, nature whispers of a pathway in the forest that beckons us "Around the Bend" and to the stillness of "A Boat Docked" at sunset.

According to Alfred Billings Street, "Nature is man's teacher.  She unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eyes, illumes his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence."

Faith Cuda has felt the sway of Street’s words in "Splendor of Nature....in Pastels!"  The show will be featured at Art Central Gallery, 130 Central Avenue, Summerville, SC through September 2017. Visit the gallery Monday-Friday, 10-5 and Saturday 9-4 to see these paintings and more of the artist’s work.  Information about Faith’s art can be found at www.artcgalleryltd.com.

For the Birds by Delaine Walters

For the Birds

Does my reflection make me look fat?

Why did the rooster cross the road?

Why am I always last? 

These questions are just some of the topics addressed by Delaine Walters’ eclectic new exhibit at Art Central Gallery, Summerville, SC.  “The Birds” will be on display through the month of August 2017, with a reception to greet the artist on Third Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017 from 5 pm til 8 pm.

Delaine loves to paint birds, and more than two dozen of her avian works of art will engage the viewer with suggestions about the birds’ inner thoughts as well as their outer beauty.  This show is all about variety.  From batiks, oils and watercolors to nesters, waders and singers, there is something here to please any art lover.  

No chickadee wants to be late for the meeting, and even egrets experience moments of tension on the home front.  The white peacock knows he’s “all that.”  The Partridge in a Pear Tree is here too!  Stop by to see who else is roosting at Art Central in August.

Find more information about Delaine Walters’ work at www.artcgalleryltd.com. The gallery is in the Summerville, SC Historic District at 130 Central Avenue; hours are Monday-Saturday, 10-5.

BRIDGES - photographs by June Sullivan

For the month of July 2017, Art Central is featuring photographer June Sullivan’s “Bridges.”

Her show and sale features mostly low country local bridges such as the old Cooper River bridges, the Ravenel, and others from Magnolia Gardens and Azalea Park. She has also included one of her personal favorites, the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia, the third longest arch bridge in the world, pictured here.

“I believe bridges capture our imagination,” says Sullivan.  “They are a common theme in art and literature because whether they are large steel giants or quaint wooden structures, they give us that sense of crossing over. They are full of memories of the past and anticipation for the future. I hope to engage the viewer in that feeling of leaving behind and going to and have them accompany me on the trip.”

Sullivan’s exhibit will be available July 1 through July 31, 2017.  Stop by Art Central and enjoy it.  Meet the artist at a reception on Third Thursday, July 20, 2017, 5:30-8:30 pm.

Skylights by Mary Ann Bridgman

“Sunrise at Litchfield” pastel by Mary Ann Bridgman 

“Skylights”—New Pastels from Mary Ann Bridgman

Mary Ann Bridgman is the featured artist at Art Central Gallery during the month of June 2017.

Her show and sale, "Skylights", is a collection of pastel paintings depicting various Lowcountry sky scenes.  The artist is enamored of the colorful, dramatic and quickly changing skies, especially at dawn and sunset.  This feeling of awe is what Mary Ann strives to convey with her pastels. 

The shapes and colors of the sky change so rapidly that she finds it most beneficial to take several photographs and then create her paintings in the studio.

Meet Mary Ann Bridgman at Art Central Gallery, 130 Central Ave., Summerville, SC, on Third Thursday, June 15th, 2017, 5-8 pm. More images are on view at the Art Central Website: www.artcgalleryltd.com

“Skylights” will be featured until June 30, 2017.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Renee Bruce - Sunflower

Join the artists of Art Central Gallery as they celebrate the beauties of spring!  This group exhibit will feature different media and styles, with each artist exploring the theme in her own unique way.


The show and sale will run from April 29-May 31, 2017 M-F 10-5, Saturdays 9-4.  More info is available at www.artcgalleryltd.com.

Yvonne L. Rousseau - Magnolia

"Loving the Low Country" by artist Christine Crosby

“From the beaches to the marshes, the landscapes and the creatures that inhabit them, my paintings portray my love of a lifetime living in the low country.” Christine Crosby

When viewers stand awestruck in front of one of Christie Crosby’s oil paintings, chances are they are feeling some of the same tugs the artist experiences.  As a local girl, born and bred, Crosby has spent many days over the years soaking up the sun and scenes of the land she loves.  And her devotion to this place shows in her paintings; they are filled with the energy, the serenity, the power of the vistas that abound in our corner of the world.

Crosby’s exhibit, “Loving the Lowcountry” will be on view at Art Central Gallery through the month of April 2017.  The Gallery is open Monday-Saturday, 10-5.  Meet the artist at a reception on Third Thursday, April 20, 2017 5-8 pm

Visit www.artcgalleryltd.com for more information.

“Water Works – Passages of Water” by Debbie Grogen

Debbie Grogen will be exhibiting her newest collection of paintings at Art Central Gallery during the month of March.  The show is titled “Water Works, Passages of Water”, and will encompass a collection of paintings in ink, watercolor, oil, and pastel that feature focal points of water in some form. 

Why Water Works?  Man has always been inspired by water — hearing it, smelling it in the air, playing in it, walking next to it, painting it, surfing, swimming or fishing in it, writing about it, photographing it, and creating lasting memories along its edge.

The muse is no less powerful for Debbie and has stirred her to honor various bodies of water in her work.  Included in this exhibit are paintings of the Swamp Garden at Magnolia Gardens and a marsh scene rendered in pastels, as well as a watercolor of cypress stumps and trees in still, highly reflective water.  There will be some surprises for all to see incorporating water and the variety of different mediums together.   Please join us for the Third Thursday Reception on March 16, 2017 at Art Central from 5:30-8:30 pm. 

Visit www.artcgalleryltd.com for more images.

"BE MINE" by Jan Dalton

"February is the month of Hearts and ‘Be Mine', as in Valentine.  I’ve been reflecting on my newer art and how it would relate to 'Be Mine'.  Even though I paint flowers and landscapes, my heart always returns to my love of animals, and this year I have created 3 new pieces for the month of February:

The turtle says to the sea: 'Be Mine’. Years ago I had the pleasure of diving with sea turtles. In my memories they always seem to be smiling, gracefully moving through the water as if to say: 'The sea is mine… it belongs to me.'

 If you venture out to the local plantations you will find the animals, and among the animals you will find a 'Sassy' rooster saying to the hens: 'Be Mine...you belong to me.'  He struts as he walks, scratching at the dirt, proud and puffed up.  And if you arrive early enough, I’m sure you would hear him wake up the farm with his morning hello.

 'The Water’s Edge' is an image of the forest, where the baby elephant greets the heron in the tall grass at the water’s edge. Though he may roam through the forest and play among the trees, he will always return to the water’s edge because the water says: 'Be Mine…you belong to me'.

 Please enjoy my new pieces on display throughout the month of February and be sure to stop by Art Central in Summerville and visit with me on Feb. 16, 2017 (3rd Thursday) from 5:00 to 8:00 pm".
       - Artist Jan Dalton

Visit artcgalleryltd.com for more information

BIRDS EYE VIEW by M. Faith Cuda

Bird’s Eye View

Art Central Gallery is paying tribute to B.I.R.D.S. in our January exhibit by artist of the month, M. Faith Cuda.

Yes, it is a cooler season and you might think that our birds have left us, but many of our feathered friends remain with us.  As they soar above they have a true "Birds Eye View" of all that lies beneath.

So if you were asked, "What's the most common year-round bird in The Carolinas?" Answer? Carolina Chickadee....

If you were asked "What's the smallest bird in South Carolina?"  Answer? The beautiful Hummingbird...

If you were asked "What's the tall and stately bird you see slowly stalking the shallow wetlands of the lowcountry?"  Answer? Right again, the Great Egret...

And if you were asked "What is the most amazing colorful back-yard bird you see in the summer in the Lowcountry?"  Answer?  Why, of course, it is The Painted Bunting, our signature sculpture bird sitting atop our Art Central building.  The Painted Bunting is our B.I.R.D.S. (Birds in residence downtown Summerville) contribution!

During the cool of winter, we hope you will take some time to stop to view majestic birds in flight and listen to hear the melodies they sing!  Take time to visit Middleton Place and Magnolia Gardens to watch the strutting peacocks, and take a drive to the beach to see the soaring seagulls along our beaches.

But don't forget to come to Art Central to see many paintings of these truly wonderful birds.  You won't regret it!  Meet the artist, Faith Cuda, at a reception on Third Thursday, January 19, 2017 5-8 pm.  Visit www.artcgalleryltd.com for more information.