West Pelzer to transform Municipal Center into art venue

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Beginning in April, the Town of West Pelzer will host a contemporary art venue in the Municipal Center on Main Street.  The “GRAND Gallery” will celebrate artists who have made substantial contributions to Upstate culture and will support emerging young artists by sharing their work with the public. The gallery takes advantage of West Pelzer’s position between Greenville and Anderson and seeks to celebrate artists from both communities while encouraging crosspollination. The series of invitational exhibitions was conceived of by founding director and local artist, Andy Gambrell, and is supported by Mayor Blake Sanders.
The 2019 – 2020 schedule of exhibitions includes: • Glen Miller, Upstate Artist and Instructor at Furman University: April 2nd – May 24th 2019 • Anderson University, Exemplary Fine Art Students: June 4th – July 26th 2019 • David Gerhard, Chair of Visual Arts, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities: August 6th – September 20th 2019 • Andy Gambrell, Upstate Artist: October 1st – December 20th 2019 • Peter Kaniaris, Upstate Artist and Professor at Anderson University: January – February 2020

The GRAND Gallery will feature Glen Miller as the inaugural artist.  Glen is an award-winning painter who has trained hundreds of artists in the Upstate.  He studied art at East Tennessee State University and did his graduate work at the University of South Florida and the University of Tennessee.  Since 1979, Glen has fostered Upstate culture by teaching art at all levels.  For many years he taught at Woodmont, Newberry, and Travelers Rest high schools.  In recent years, the artist has focused on teaching at the university level, presently serving at Furman University.  Glen’s paintings deftly blend masterful realism with magical storytelling.  According to the artist, he constructs fictions from invented figures and natural elements encountered on hikes, throughout his life in Southern Appalachia, and from his own back yard.  He says, “Nature is always a significant element in my work and exists as both fact and metaphor.”  Glen has had twenty-one solo gallery exhibitions, many group and juried exhibitions, and has been represented by Hampton III Gallery since 2003.  West Pelzer is proud to share Glen Miller’s inspiring paintings with visitors to The GRAND Gallery.

The Town of West Pelzer will recognize Glen Miller’s contribution to Upstate culture on April 2, 2019 at 6:00pm at the regularly scheduled council meeting in The GRAND Gallery.  A reception will follow the council meeting at approximately 6:45pm.   Glen Miller’s art will be on view from April 2nd through May 24th by appointment during regular business hours (Please visit www.westpelzer.com for regular business hours).

Images for Glen Miller’s exhibition: 1) “Burning,” 2018 2) “Wader,” 2018

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