GREENVILLE, SC –The Reserve at Lake Keowee announced today that Jeffrey Callaham will be September’s Artist in Residence. The Reserve will hold a reception for Callaham on September 23rd from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. at the Hill House, where 15 of his works will be on display. Non-members can RSVP to this event by calling (864) 481-4010.
During his stay at The Reserve, Callaham will also teach art classes at local elementary schools. He will focus on using recycled materials to create works of art. Through a project Callaham has titled “Local Fishing,” children will paint used water bottles, turning them into fish that will be hung from classroom ceilings with fishing line. Callaham will also spend time in his studio, allowing residents to observe him as he creates a new work of art that will be presented to The Reserve at the end of his stay.
Callaham is not only an artist, but a storyteller. Inspired by memories of his childhood and the working life in McCormick County, South Carolina, he creates paintings that portray the stories of Southern culture. “I tell stories with my paintings, so everything usually begins with a story that I remember from my early years, growing up in rural South Carolina,” Callaham has said. Through his use of strong colors and his ability to make his characters come to life on canvas, he paints vivid images of life in the South. His works have been featured in the galleries of Daufuskie Island, Hilton Head, Edisto and Charleston, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina.
Callaham has surrounded himself with art his entire life. His mother, who was involved in the theatre, was a talented storyteller, while his father loved sculpting and working with clay. As a child, he sketched on notebook paper, boxes or any other material that he could find and developed his talents without any formal training during his early years. Once in high school, he began taking art classes and strengthened his raw skills. He soon developed a portfolio that enabled him to be the first person from McCormick County to be accepted to the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. Following high school, Callaham traveled to Atlanta to attend the Bauder College of Fashion Design and to New York to intern with fashion designer Mary McFadden. Callaham has also received a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from Lander University, a Masters in Education from Lesley University and is currently completing a doctorate in organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. He has also been listed in “Who’s Who in American Art.”
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