Georgia artist George Netherton ( left ) with his painting " Morning at The Cloister " ( above )
MORNING AT THE CLOISTER
| WRITTEN BY TERRI EVANS |
The alluring light of the Golden Isles renders a plein air painters ' paradise . A warm and welcoming sunrise soon spills into the day creating sultry shadows . Tinted sunsets await on the horizon for a spectacular day ’ s end . The light and landscape have long beckoned artists to these marshes , winding rivers , graceful sea oats and moss-draped live oaks . Ahhh to paint among the palmettos and palms , bursting with their crowns of green ; their slender blades forming individual silhouettes . And what better muse than the marsh ? Perhaps , the ocean ? Ever present . Never still .
These scenes are pleasantly predictable for painting , as it was recently for plein air painter , George Netherton , who relied on the glorious Sea Island morning light when he painted “ Morning at The Cloister .” Netherton painted the scene at The Cloister at the same time for several consecutive days . ( Visit georgenetherton . com to see his work and learn more about the “ Morning at The Cloister ,” oil , 18-by-24 inches .)
Netherton moved to St . Simons Island in 2004 and has been painting the area ' s coastal landscapes ever since . He is a member of Glynn Visual Arts ( fondly known as GVA ), the local nonprofit community arts center and fine art gallery . He and fellow artists and art lovers are enjoying a yearlong celebration christened “ Art of the Lowcountry ,” in honor of GVA ’ s 70th anniversary .
Throughout 2023 , locals and visitors alike will delight in Lowcountry arts activities , such as :
APRIL 4 – MAY 26 : Natalie Daise , " Greens Grow in My Garden " exhibition , Daise is a Gullah Geechee artist , storyteller and author from Georgetown , South Carolina . Opening reception April 5 at Portman Gallery at GVA .
JULY 6 – AUG . 4 : “ Art of the Lowcountry , Then and Now ” at Portman Gallery at GVA .
For more events and activities , visit glynnvisualarts . org . Look for updates including information on creative field trips to Sapelo and Cumberland Islands , indigo dyeing class , monthly open-air markets , a kids ’ summer art camp and more . GVA is located at 106 Island Drive , St . Simons Island , Georgia , 31522 . Call 912-638-8770 .
SPRING / SUMMER 2023 | SEA ISLAND LIFE 67