“How We Git Gullah” by Saundra Renee Smith
Saundra Renee Smith, a local Gullah artist, captures the essence of being an authentic Gullah/Geechee native of the Lowcountry in “How We Git Gullah,” an exhibit on display at Art League of Hilton Head July 6 through Aug. 13.
Smith’s work is nostalgic, showing simplistic and innocent scenes of a symbiotic existence with the earth, guided by the wisdom of the ancients.
Inspired by the beauty of her native St. Helena, Smith’s paintings feature lush green fields, moss-covered oaks, and rivers “carrying food, health, and Gullah folk tales on every tide.” She uses colorful acrylic paints and mixed media on all manner of materials, including canvas, board, glass, vinyl and tin.
“Gullah” means “kinfolk.” The exhibit is a tribute to the notion of a cultural family with a homeland ranging down the East Coast from North Carolina to Florida in a swath known as the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Corridor. The exhibit will have short stories of Gullah life interspersed among the artworks. “My aim is to foster communication, connections, and a sense of cultural humility,” Smith said.
“How We Git Gullah” will be on exhibit through Aug. 13 at Art League Gallery, 14 Shelter Cove Lane on Hilton Head Island.
An opening reception, free and open to the public, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. July 6 at the gallery
Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, and 90 minutes before every Arts Center performance.
For more information, visit artleaguehhi.org or call 843-681-5060.
Art League of Hilton Head is the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit visual arts organization on Hilton Head Island with a synergistic art gallery and teaching Academy.
Art League Academy welcomes artists and students in all media at all skill levels, including true beginners. Taught by professional art educators, students can choose from many art classes and workshops that change monthly.
