The Society of Bluffton Artists (SOBA) Gallery welcomes Sandy Rhodes as the Featured Artist in August with her beautiful “Wildlife Art and More” show. Come enjoy this wonderful collection of animals of all shapes and sizes plus several lovely still lifes, figurative paintings and lowcountry scenes. 

 

Sandy is a true South Carolinian with strong ties to Bluffton where her husband’s grandfather built a home on the banks of the May River almost 75 years ago. Now living in that same house for most of the year, Sandy considers herself lucky to be surrounded by the picturesque lowcountry. As she says, “Bluffton affords such beautiful scenery which lends itself to painting. Setting up a canvas, smelling the turpentine and oils from the paint are so satisfying, and there is nothing like looking out over the May River and getting lost in a piece of work.” You can see that local inspiration in Sandy’s paintings – you can almost hear the lapping of the gentle waves and imagine the softness of the curls in the spaniel’s fur just looking at them. 

Sandy has been painting and drawing since she was a child and was so interested in art that she majored in it, as well as sociology, at Winthrop College. She then taught art in public and private schools for many years, as well as private lessons in her home. To her delight several of her students followed up in arts related careers. 

After experimenting with different mediums Sandy has most recently returned to oils, feeling they give the best range of development and satisfaction. Originally her art was very detailed and technical but she’s enjoyed loosening up by using the old masters style of Impressionism, which allows a powerful statement of texture and color. Sandy is not limited by painting on canvas – she points out, “I have painted on anything that will hold still long enough,” including furniture, clothing, reclaimed wood, mail boxes and pottery. She enjoys painting wall murals and large divider screens. 

Please join SOBA to meet Sandy, enjoy “Wildlife Art and More,” and the work of over 100 other member artists at an opening reception with refreshments, Friday August 5 from 5-7 pm. 

The SOBA gallery is open from 10 until 5 pm Monday - Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am - 3 pm, and is located at the corner of Church and Calhoun Streets in Bluffton.

For more information visit sobagallery.com or call 843-757-6586.