paintings
In August 2020, i had my first solo show at Redux in Gallery 1056. I created a body of work of map paintings based on some of my favorite places around the Charleston area. Some of the places highlighted include: the Stono River, the Cooper River, Johns Island, and Folly Beach.
For a group exhibition at the Miller Gallery (in Charleston, SC), a dozen local artist were invited to paint skateboards based on any sort of musical inspiration.
After much debate (oh, the endless possibilities!)… I decided to use the Crosby, Stills, & Nash song, “Southern Cross” - a song that conjures adventure vibes, being on the water, sailing, and traveling. Drawing from my current exploration of coastal maps, I painted the Intercoastal Waterway as its runs by Sullivan’s Island and the Isle of Palms, SC. These barrier islands fit perfectly onto the shape of the skate deck with the ICW running the length of it, a symbol of travel by water.
Opening reception for “Summer Sessions” at the Miller Gallery
Charleston, SC
August 24th, 2019
“SOUTHERN CROSS” / acrylic paint on birchwood skate deck, coated in epoxy resin
From beginning to end, many layers of acrylic and a makeshift epoxy station later, this was such a fun project, and I was honored and excited to be included in the show!
Thank You to Miller Gallery!
A few of the settings: Linville Gorge, Beech Mountain, and Topsail Island in North Carolina, John's Island, Rockville and the Congaree Swamp in South Carolina...
Here's a preview of the available assortment:
where I will be turning my house into an art shop for a day!
Cleaning out the studio and all of the art that has accumulated!
Need art for empty walls in your house? Looking for a few early Christmas pressies? I'll be selling everything from (unframed) mini watercolor drawings (lots under $20) and greeting cards with my art printed on them ($5) to large abstract pieces - everything will be priced to sell!
Follow me on instagram ( ----> gretmackintosh) to see pics of the pieces i'll be selling with prices of each - posting a different one every day until the sale!
A recent commission for a wedding gift.....
I took some watercolors and water soluble crayons on our canoe adventures in the Congaree Forest the other weekend and created some swamp-inspired tiny landscapes….
For the past few years I've been painting themed Easter eggs for each member of a friend of mine's family here in Charleston - it's not something I would want to do in mass quantities (hello miniature painting + on a hard to hold wooden egg) but it's a refreshing change to switch up subject matter and medium and challenge myself in different ways - and every year this commission project surprises me in new ways....
She gives me a rundown on the important events of the past year for her little girls (castle beds and purple blankets for the babies!) and for her and her hubs, and I do my best to represent that on a wooden egg for everyone's Easter basket!
I should also say that this is originally inspired by my mother and an artist named "Bonnie" in NC that paints easter eggs (among many other things like faux finishes and murals). My mom has kept up this tradition my entire life, so I have a representation of each year of my life painted on a little wooden egg that my mom pulls out at Easter - and it's SO fun to look back at them all now!
So, this year, a trip to NYC was on the list, so I decided to paint the NYC skyline with the Statue of Liberty front and center (this was also in the list). I love the way it turned out so much that I've been pondering reasons to do more miniature skyline paintings...
2016 is already off to an incredibly busy start with the animal portraits ...but before I get too submersed in the new year, it's nice to look back at some of my work from last year....
Here are a few in-process shots I took while painting this cute little Yorkiepoo named Dixie.
I always start by putting a few coats of color on the background (that way, there isn't any bare canvas peeking through if certain spots of the background do show through). Then, I sketch the animal onto the canvas in pencil and build the paint up from there! It's neat to see the phases captured in pictures - It gives it a sorta color-by-numbers look to the process. The highlights and the details always come last, along with a coat of varnish for protection.
...and on a side note: with Christmas right around the corner (crazy, I know ), the holiday commission orders are already coming in! Turn around time is usually around 4-6 weeks depending on size of painting, so contact me soon to get on the list!
I'm planning to spend some time this weekend sitting in front of this (cool and refreshing) painting (in this 100 degree heat!!). Snow-eating-Lou has been patiently waiting on the easel for way too long.
This pair of paintings went to my parents this year on Mother's & Father's Day.
An Eastern Chipmunk for Fulton and a Snowy Male Cardinal for Moms (both are acrylic on wood panel / 8"x 8" in size).
The inspirational images i used off of the inter-webs (below)...
