Charleston, Sunset on Rainbow Row

Over the years, my wife and family have joined me on many voyages of discovery to places all over the world. As an artist, I find exploration as essential part of creativity. One of our recurring discoveries is Charleston, South Carolina, where the heart of the Old South beats with a special vigor and still lives on. Here, surrounded by the pastel colors of pinks, golds, and grays provided by the weathered facades of Charleston’s famed Rainbow Row, we’ve discovered a world of romance and elegance.

When I travel to new places – when I set up my easel to create a Plein Air painting as I recently did in Rainbow Row – I am of course, working in the here and now. But when I bring the canvas back to my studio, then I allow myself to travel in time as well as space.

The feeling that I get when I visit Charleston is nostalgic and romantic, as if I had somehow stepped back in time. So, as I worked on my studio treatment of Charleston, Sunset on Rainbow Row, I attempted to re-create the sense of antique charm that I feel when I’m there. A storm is clearing, lights from the windows and ancient street lamps shimmer on the wet cobbled streets. The scene is suffused by the warm glow of memory.

I’ve filled the streets of my Charleston, Sunset on Rainbow Row with vintage cars and passersby wearing simple yet timeless garb. Step aboard the ever present horse-drawn carriage, a favorite conveyance of Charleston tourists to this day, becomes a magical transport to yesterday. Welcome aboard.