ARTIST PROFILE: Paul Moore and Congaree Pottery

An artist of few words, Paul Moore’s medium of choice is earth.

“It’s old, but it’s versatile,” he says.

JASPER: When did you first begin to pursue visual art? Where and when did you train, or are you self-taught?

 MOORE: I was lucky to have opportunities as a child to create at home, even before elementary school. A beginning pottery class at the City of Columbia Art Center in 2003 was my introduction to ceramics.

JASPER: What mediums in visual arts do you typically use and why?

 MOORE: Earth. It’s old but versatile.

JASPER: Where do you work now and where do you show your work?

 MOORE: Mostly at Southern Pottery Studio.

JASPER: Who have been your greatest influences as an artist?

 MOORE: My parents and my 5th Grade art teacher, Mrs. Norris.

JASPER: What do you feel makes your art unique?

 MOORE: My eyes. My hands.

JASPER: Who is your favorite SC-based visual artist and why?

 MOORE: Dianne Gilbert. She creates with joy.

JASPER:  What are you working on now, will w get to see it, and if so, where, and when?

MOORE: Ending the “Congaree Swamp” carved series. At the Cottontown Art Crawl of course!

The SC State Museum is Showing the Arts Some LOVE -- Art Day at the SC State Museum!

The South Carolina State Museum will be celebrating South Carolina visual art and artists by presenting a day of hands-on activities, artist demonstrations, behind-the-scenes tours of the art collection and much more at Art Day on Saturday, March 1 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

According to Anna Kate Twitty, PR manager at the museum, "Art Day offers a unique look into South Carolina [visual] art and artists with activities for all ages.  The event will feature hands-on 'creation stations' from University of South Carolina’s Art Education Department, which will focus on South Carolina art from the State Museum’s collection. Guests will have the opportunity to interact with and see demonstrations by South Carolina artists, Paul Moore (pottery), Gene Speer (printmaking), Brian Rego (painting), Alicia Leeke (painting), Herman Thompson (sculpture) and Rick Wells (painting)." 

South Carolina art and artists, like Paul Moore (pictured), will be featured.  Photo courtesy of the S.C. State Museum

We also hear that there will be live music along with special guided "behind-the-scenes" tours of the museum’s art storage areas, (which, by the way, contain over 4,000 works of art!)

“South Carolina has an incredible representation of visual culture across the state, spanning over 300 years,” says Paul Matheny, chief art curator, S.C. State Museum. “This rich cultural diversity is easily overlooked.  Art Day at the State Museum brings our visual culture to life for our statewide community and beyond.”

For the aspiring or emerging artists, the museum is also sponsoring their inaugural College Art Day on Friday, Feb. 28 from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. According to Twitty, student artists are invited to explore South Carolina colleges and university art departments, meet current students and faculty from colleges from across the state, including Coker, Lander, Winthrop, Furman,  and Francis Marion universities as well as Columbia College, Spartanburg Methodist, and USC - Beaufort, and hear from alumni applying their art degrees in their professions.

“We’re looking forward to hosting College Art Day, which will offer a forum for middle and high school students to discover the vast educational and professional art opportunities that are available in our state,” says Matheny.

(Event guests at Art Day and College Art Day will have the opportunity to explore the museum’s permanent galleries and the temporary exhibition, This Just In, which features highlights of recently acquired artifacts representing art, history, natural history and science/technology.  Both events are included with museum general admission or membership. Visit scmuseum.org to learn more.)