“Gullah-Geechee Island” is the name of the next Beaufort Art Association (BAA) show, featuring the artwork of local artist Amiri Geuka Farris. The show starts May 1^st and runs through June 30^th, and will feature a “pop-up” shop of a variety of handmade small and medium size pieces of art, as well as t-shirts, postcards and a music CD, all made by Farris.

An opening reception with the artist will be held on Friday, May 5^th, from 5 to 7:30 pm at the BAA Gallery at 913 Bay Street in Beaufort. The public is invited, and light refreshments will be served. Also on exhibit will be the artwork of other local artists who are members of the Gallery.

Known for dynamic, powerful artwork that combines an alluring blend of vivid colors and layered textures, Farris’s new work displays a greater focus on what he calls “a celebration of history,” with references to important cultural elements like the land, storytelling and artistic traditions. At the heart of Amiri’s artistic vision is the desire to capture the essence and tell the history of the Gullah-Geechee people and their way of life. His dedication to that vision was rewarded in 2012 when he was the co-recipient of a prestigious award for preservation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 2008, he was named “Artist of the Year” by the historic Penn Center on St. Helena Island in Beaufort. His work has been featured in more than fifty one-man gallery shows across the U.S., including Washington, DC, and the York W. Bailey Museum at Penn Center National Historic Landmark.

Farris received his Masters of Fine Art in Painting following his BFA in Illustration and Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). His academic appointments include Professor of Fine Arts Foundations and Graphic Design at Georgia Southern University, and Professor of Fine Arts at Savannah State University. He is currently a professor of Studio and Fine Arts at SCAD, as well. His studio is located at the Sea Island Art Center at USC-Beaufort campus, and is open by appointment. For more information about him and his art, visit www.amiristudio.com.

Chartered in 1957, the Beaufort Art Association is a tax-exempt membership organization. Currently, about 175 local artists belong, with about 65 of them exhibiting their work in the Gallery. To find out more, go to www.beaufortartassociation.com, or call 843-521-4444.