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Renea Eshleman, SCWS

 

   

 
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I especially enjoy creating nature compositions from photographs I take while traveling around the beautiful state of South Carolina. I strive to lure the viewer into wanting to “be there” in the painting to look for what is not obvious. My art includes representational, dream compositions, and some objective abstract. Having begun painting in traditional transparent watercolor, I mostly paint now on non-traditional surfaces using liquid and tube watercolor and acrylics.

The process of a painting usually begins with loosely pouring or rolling paint onto the paper or a polypropylene sheet (called Yupo), gently manipulating the paint to blend colors and make interesting textures, allowing the paint to dry, and developing the composition based on what the first layer suggests. This process allows me to combine imagined or suggested flora, fauna, insects, animals, and figures. Sometimes pieces begun with the pour method hang in my studio for weeks or months before they “speak” for development of the composition.

This approach to making art provides wonderful opportunities for happy accidents, flexibility to adjust the composition, and intrigue in the work.

Memberships: Trenholm Artists Guild (2011-12 publicity/newsletter, 2013-19 treasurer); SC Watermedia Society (2012 President; regional VP 2015-17, VP 2018); South Carolina Artists; Cayce Arts Guild (president 2017-19), Artists Guild of Spartanburg, Society of Experimental Artists

Select exhibits and awards:

  • Cherokee Art and Visitors’ Center, Peaches, Beaches, and Bar-B-Que; 2015 honorable mention
  • Columbia Museum of Art Contemporaries Artist of the Year Competition 2011, 2012
  • Lexington County Library, “Art Through the Ages” solo exhibit 2012
  • SC Festival of Flowers Juried Art Exhibit, Greenwood, SC 2011
  • SC Spoleto Festival Juried Art Exhibit, Charleston, SC 2010
  • SC State Park Artist in Residence 2012 and 2013
  • SC Watermedia Society juried exhibits:
  • Florence, SC 2009 award traveling show
  • Charleston, SC 2011
  • Columbia, SC 2012 award traveling show and signature member status
  • Anderson, SC 2014
  • N. Augusta, SC 2015
  • Myrtle Beach, SC 2016 award traveling show
  • Columbia, SC 2018 award traveling show
  • Florence, SC 2019
  • Trenholm Artists Guild, Columbia, SC; 2010 annual juried show honorable mention; 2012 annual juried show 2nd place; 2013 annual Still Hopes show 2nd place and People’s Choice
    Award; 2017 annual show 2nd place; 2018 annual show 2nd place; 2018 and 2019 Still Hopes show merit
  • Artists Guild of Spartanburg, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 annual juried show
  • USC Salkehatchie ArtFlow, 2015 honorable mention