Introducing
OUR 2023 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
Mar
March 22 thru March 25
Sheryl Stalnaker
Painter Sheryl Stalnaker finds joy in depicting saltwater life and the beauty of her surroundings. Capturing the feeling and energy of a scene in her paintings, Sheryl often starts a painting on location. Whether it’s a marsh and tidal river in the Lowcountry, an Atlantic coastline, or the rapids of a freshwater river, Sheryl captures the light, movement, feeling and energy of every scene with her paint.
“I paint with both a palette knife and a brush,” says Stalnaker. “I’ve always been attracted to art where you can see definitive marks from the artist’s hand. It has an energy that I’m drawn towards.” She uses paint straight from the tubes, sometimes mixing cold wax medium to add extra texture. “I do go through a lot of paint,” she says.
Stalnaker has shown her award-winning works in galleries along the East Coast, along with juried shows such as Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, Artfields, and the Telfair Museum of Art Fair in Savannah.
Apr
April 21 thru April 22
Jim Lauderdale
You’ll likely find Jim Lauderdale making music at any given time, whether he’s laying down a new track in the studio or working through a spontaneous melody at his home in Nashville. “It’s a constant challenge to try to keep making better and better records, write better and better songs. I still always feel like I’m a developing artist,” he says. This may be a surprising sentiment from a man who’s won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and taken home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. Jim will be joined by fellow songwriters Verlon Thompson and Lillie Mae to bring the magic of the music’s written word to Palmetto Bluff.
May
May 3 thru May 6
West Fraser
West Fraser was born in Savannah, GA in 1955. He is a true “Son of The Lowcountry”, with deep roots in Dorchester, S.C. dating back to 1695. He came of age on Hilton Head Island where he developed his love of the coastal environs that still today provides inspiration. One of the leading American artists in the representational and plein air tradition, he has built his career on richly painted, atmospheric vistas of cities, coasts, and the landscape throughout the United States and internationally – from the pristine Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia, to the hill towns of Tuscany. An inveterate traveler, he has painted throughout the Caribbean, Central America, Europe and Scandinavia. Yet his passion always draws him back to the marshes and landscape of his beloved Georgia and South Carolina Coast.
Jun
June 21 thru June 24
Stella Ranae Von Schmid
Stella Ranae Von Schmid is part of “The Slow Art Movement,” with her core art of botanical dyeing and printing derived from centuries-old folk traditions and recipes for coloring fiber and textiles with natural botanical dyes, combined with “printing” real leaves and flowers in their natural state. The basic principles are time, pressure, and heat. Stella is proudly self-taught, honing her craft for over a decade through intense research, hands-on applications, and tons of mistakes! She strives to take her work to a modern, eco-conscious place that is organic and sustainable, creating lasting heirloom quality work and continuing an advanced education with several global masters. Stella teaches classes and is a certified Sound Healing Practitioner when not creating her art. She hopes to integrate sound healing methods into the classes she teaches as a form of art therapy, creating mindfulness and relaxation.
Jul
July 19 thru July 22
Mary Frances Maker
Inspired by uniquely textured objects in nature, Mary Frances Maker believes beauty is found in imperfections. As a native of Columbus, Georgia, Mary Frances is now settled close to home in Atlanta.
She is a fan of neutrals, effortless dressing, and a constant mess maker. Having fresh flowers in her home is a must and you are likely to find Porter, her bernedoodle pup, by her side. After marrying her college sweetheart in 2018, Mary Frances gained the fitting last name “Maker” and it continues to serve her well in her business. Expanding their family with a daughter in 2021, Mary Frances now more than ever values the community and sentiments her pieces embody.
Aug
August 23 thru August 26
Alan Shuptrine
A painter known for his realistic watercolors, oils, gold leaf, and handmade framing, Alan Shuptrine’s bold yet sensitive and thought-provoking works are in the permanent collections of several American museums and hundreds of corporate and private collections nationwide. Born the son of recognized painter Hubert Shuptrine (1936-2006), Alan has continued the legacy of realism that both Andrew Wyeth and his father Hubert established. Having taught and exhibited his works in Florence, Italy, Alan has now garnered international recognition as well. Shuptrine continues to create themed collections of his work while planning future museum exhibitions, speaking engagements, and appearances at national literary and art showcases and workshops.
Sep
September 20 thru September 23
Melissa Bridgman
Melissa Bridgman is an alumna of Salem College in Winston Salem, NC, where she received her degree in History and American studies. During this period, she spent three semesters interning and exploring the collections of the Reynolda House Museum of Art and the Museum of Southern Decorative Arts, enriching her love of art, pattern, printmaking, fine textiles, ceramics, and the folk traditions of North Carolina. She holds a Master’s in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi, where she studied documentary fieldwork, art history, and self-taught and folk art. Melissa has been a teaching artist with the Memphis Brooks Museum and the Greater Memphis Arts Council. A full-time potter, she also teaches ceramics and floral workshops for adults in Memphis. She spends her time in her garden and studio with her family in her hundred year old bungalow in historic Midtown Memphis. Her work has appeared in Garden and Gun, Southern Living, Southern Home, and Okra magazines.
Oct
October 18 thru October 21
Susan Mayfield
Susan Mayfield is an award-winning artist known for using bold color and luminous light in her pastel and oil landscapes. A native South Carolinian and life-long resident of the Lowcountry, she moved to Colorado 15 years ago, splitting her time between life on the Carolina coast and her home in the high mountain desert of Colorado. Currently, she paints and teaches from her studio in the small mountain town of Salida, CO.
“I grew up and spent most of my life in the semi-tropics of the Lowcountry of South Carolina, a place surrounded by water, where the marshes, rivers, and swamps provided endless subject matter for my paintings. I moved to the high mountain desert of Colorado, another stunning location where water is more scarce, but its power is evident in every canyon and mountain range there. I am grateful to live in and paint in both of these incredible landscapes.”
Nov
November 15 thru November 18
Burls & Steel
Burls & Steel, led by Ben and Sydney Spurrier, is a small business based out of Charleston, South Carolina, that creates hand-forged knives for everyday life. The husband and wife duo work together with Ben as the creator and maker and Sydney managing the marketing and photography. They love creating works that can be used on a daily basis, but that are also one-of-a-kind works of art.
By preserving “the old way” of creating, you won’t find anything they sell that isn’t handmade with love. From kitchen to outdoors knives, Burls & Steel have something for every aspiring home chef or hunter. Using old world techniques but adding a touch of modern flair, that’s Burls & Steel.
Dec
December 9 thru December 6
Cacky Rivers
Cacky Rivers was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, and considers herself a true Lowcountry “salty” girl. Her father greatly impacted her love of wildlife, nature, and birds. One of the greatest gifts he gave her when she graduated college was a Peterson’s bird book and a pair of binoculars. On the inscription, it said, “slow down and enjoy!”
Recently, Cacky took up wildlife photography and has yet to look back. Not only is this a true passion for her, but she also enjoys learning and sharing her knowledge of birds with others. It brings her so much joy knowing she can be an advocate for our fine feathered friends.
curious about life at the bluff?
