Overview
ABOUT
Living with Water, new artwork by Vida Miller and M.P. “Squeaky” Swenson. Living with Water, art exhibit is a tribute to the symposium. This symposium intends to address the complex question of living along the coast of South Carolina by examining the historical, cultural, ecological, and social research to be better equipped to address the challenges of living with water.
ARTIST BIOS
Vida Miller
Growing up the mountains of South Carolina Vida was taught to enjoy, appreciate, and respect nature. She still draws inspiration from frequent walks through the woods with her little Granny explaining plants, nature and listening to the sounds of the woods.
She has experimented with most all mediums over the years. Some of her earlier work includes awarding winning abstracts using materials from nature as an art medium.
She is particularly fond of landscapes and the ever-changing atmosphere that makes each day a new venture and challenge. Six or seven years ago she discovered pastel painting and was able to begin her pastel journey with a nationally recognized pastel artist. She continues to enjoy using this purest form of pigment to express her feelings in the landscapes of the area.
Miller is the former owner of the Gray Man Gallery and has studied with numerous nationally renowned artist over her 40 years of painting. Her work has been purchased by private and cooperate collections. She currently serves on the SC Arts Alliance Board and the SC Arts Foundation Board. Vida lives at Pawleys Island with her husband, Michael Carter and enjoys mentoring the next generation of young artists in her family.
M.P. “Squeaky” Swenson
Her work is inspired by the natural world. The painting starts by putting acrylic paint on board in a random fashion. The result is an accidental relationship of color, pattern or shapes. It’s improvisational painting, without referring to photos, sketches or drawings. It is a dialogue with the paint - intuitive painting. As paint or texture is added, an image will emerge that suggests a memory.
Symbolism is very important in her work. Water, the sun and the moon all play an integral part in creating tactile surfaces that in turn creates an immediacy with the viewer. Her most recent work features landscapes of Pawleys Island.
Swenson is the publisher of the Coastal Observer and has been painting for over 30 years and has studied with nationally known artists from all over the U.S. Her work is in private and corporate collections here and in Europe. She is the winner of numerous awards. She lives in Pawleys Island with her husband, Charles and her son, Trevor.
Exhibitions Objects
