You may have noticed the colorful mural recently painted on the side of the Goody’s building at Town Square Center in Williamston. Though not officially a part of the Envision Williamston Mural Contest Program, it is related.
Artist Andy Gambrell, who resides in West Pelzer, painted the wall mural for Jim and Mike Simpson.
Gambrell is a mid-career American Painter. He studied art and art history at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts, Furman University, The School of Visual Arts in New York City, and at the University of Miami. His work has been featured in over eighty exhibitions, and is collected internationally.
Gambrell explained his inspiration for the mural featured on the prominent wall in downtown Williamston.
“The mural is titled, “The Dream,” referencing West Allen Williams’ vision of founding a town around the mineral spring. The spring and the natural abundance surrounding it are painted in a semi-abstract style to allow simple shapes to showcase color. The flowers are timeless and universal, inviting viewers to imagine their own vision for Williamston’s future rather than referencing images from Williamston’s past.”
Beginning with the magnolias on the left and moving clockwise, the flowers in the painting are: magnolias, meadow sage (in the background), hydrangeas, black eyed susans, Carolina jessamine (SC’s state flower), daisies, blue bells, poinsettias, purple cone flowers, gaillardias, and honeysuckle.
All of the flowers are indigenous to the Upstate except for poinsettias, which were brought to the US by South Carolinian Joel Poinsett in 1825 and now are a part of our Christmas celebrations.
“I painted the picture to complement Envision Williamston’s urban renewal efforts,” Gambrell said.
The painting is 8 feet high and 24 feet wide, painted with flat exterior latex paint. It was painted in five days. The materials and location were provided by Jim and Mike Simpson of Ace Hardware. The mural is the property of Jim Simpson.
Gambrell has trained artists for thirteen years and has developed extensive university curricula in painting and art history. He served as Director of High School Operations for the Princeton Review Headquarters in South Florida, Director of the University of Miami’s CAS Gallery, and founding director of UM’s Wynwood Project Space. He has taught for the University of Miami, Elizabeth City State University, Furman University, and the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta and Hong Kong.
He maintains his internationally recognized studio practice in West Pelzer. He also lectures nationally, writes art criticism, and mentors a diverse group of exceptional aspiring painters.
For more information on Gambrell and photos of his art, visit his website online at www.andygambrell.com
