While the West often brings to mind classic images of Yosemite National Park, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, the Sonoran Desert and so much more, the region of the United States located east of the Mississippi River has brought abundant inspiration to those inspired by the sentiments of the American West. The Mississippi River itself is a sight to behold. The behemoth river runs the northern/southern length of the country, from its source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, down to the Mississippi River Delta in the Gulf of Mexico. All along the way, the river passes through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. 

Moving to the east, you’ll hit Western hotspots like Cartersville, Georgia, home of the Booth Western Art Museum. Hosting major shows and events throughout the year, including the cowboy-centric annual Southeastern Chuck Wagon Gathering, the Booth Museum is a 120,000-square-foot architectural wonder housing the works of such iconic names as Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, as well as contemporary masters like Howard Terpning. In Atlanta, collectors can explore the High Museum of Art, among other arts institutions. 

In Charleston, South Carolina, the annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition held every February, brings artists and art lovers from across the country in celebration of wildlife conservation and wildlife art. The 2021 event is scheduled to take place February 12 to 14. 

Traveling up to North Carolina, the city of Asheville is an art hub. The River Arts District near downtown Asheville is home to nearly 200 artists’ studios, many of which collectors can visit and explore. And Downtown Asheville Arts District, near the French Broad River, is yet another lively spot where artists can rent out studio spaces and display their work publicly.

The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art in St. Petersburg, Florida, showcases contemporary landscape and wildlife art of the West, born out of the passion of the museum’s co-founders Tom and Mary James. Upcoming exhibitions hosted by the James Museum include Artists for Conservation’s annual juried exhibition and Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories, adapted from the Phoenix, Arizona-based Heard Museum’s permanent exhibition. 

Collectors and admirers of Western art can also explore the Western landscape and wildlife art of pastel artist Lisa Gleim. Based in her hometown of Atlanta, the artist also spends a great deal of time at her second home in Big Sky, Montana.

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Lisa Gleim, Diesel, pastel, 18 x 18"

Lisa Gleim
(770) 919-7719
lisa@lisagleimfineart.com
www.lisagleimfineart.com
Pastel artist Lisa Gleim believes she has the best of all worlds. An avid traveler and graduate of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), she now calls Georgia and Montana home.

A Signature Member of Artists for Conservation, Gleim thrives outdoors. In both plein air and studio paintings, she depicts the low country marshes of the mid-Atlantic, Eastern coast lines and the wild animals and vastness of the Western terrain. Lisa Gleim, The Time Keeper, pastel, 34 x 32"

Her engagement with these varied genres aligns perfectly with her interests and skills of keen, unrushed observation and masterful composition. Add the vibrant, pure pigment of pastels and a realism style, Gleim shares the marvels of the outdoors, which often prompt the viewer to linger with a scene and contemplate each setting further. Landscape, animal and figurative elements are often combined in a single piece by this award-winning and nationally recognized fine artist. 

For years after graduating from PAFA, Gleim did primarily commissioned portraits, first in Philadelphia, then Atlanta. It was a patron’s unexpected request for Gleim to also paint a beloved pet dog in action swimming, which proved a very fortuitous turning point in her career.  Lisa Gleim, Twilight’s Descent, pastel, 20 x 24"

“To the magnificent challenge of capturing light and atmospheric effects on a subject, along with painting reflective surfaces, such as water, adding motion completed the picture for me, so to speak,” Gleim recounts as she refers to pieces such as Diesel.

Gleim’s pastels are in the collections of many individuals, corporations and museums.

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Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, The Blue Darter (Cooper’s Hawk and Bobwhite Quail), oil on Belgian linen, 16 x 18”, by John Banovich.

39th Annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition
Charleston, SC
www.sewe.com, (843) 723-1748
Celebrating its 39th annual event in 2021, Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) continues to present the finest in wildlife and sporting art. Held in Charleston, South Carolina, and known as the top wildlife art show in the East, SEWE features acclaimed and noteworthy wildlife artists from across the nation as well as Canada and South Africa. Boasting all original artwork, the Fine Art Gallery of SEWE encompasses nature-inspired art ranging from sporting and North American big game to African and landscapes. Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, Cougar Stand, oil on canvas, 21 x 25”, by Julia Rogers.

“In a year when all of us have spent time reflecting, and finding solace and escape in nature, I believe the artists’ work will reflect their views on where we have been and where we can go,” says SEWE marketing director Mary M. Roberts.An up-close look at artist Julie Jeppsen perfecting her work during a live painting event at a previous Southeastern Wildlife Exposition.

“The Charleston market has remained robust for many due in large part to behavioral changes with buyers and collectors spending more time at home. Creative viewing opportunities, including virtual, have provided collectors time with artists that are meaningful…Our goal is to continue to provide the platform for these relationships in 2021 and into the future.” – John Powell, SEWE executive director 

Every year, the show recognizes one accomplished artist, who creates the event’s anticipated featured painting. SEWE has named Mark Horton, known for his unique paintings of Lowcountry landscapes, as the 2021 featured artist. Artists honored with this distinction over the years have included Brett Smith, Carl Brenders, Luke Frazier, John Banovich, Dustin Van Wechel and Eldridge Hardie. The 2021 event will be held February 11 to 14.—

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