Elliott to East Bay ~ A lasting impression!
Charleston is a great walking city! East Bay Street is lined with some of the best restaurants, galleries and shops. It leads you out past Rainbow Row, to White Point Garden and The Battery. Therefore, it is a very busy street both with cars and tourists. But, if you take some of the side streets you might just discover some of the most charming, quintessential Charleston neighborhoods like Elliott Street!
Elliott to East Bay by William R. Beebe, 11 x 14, Oil on board, $2500
Elliott to East Bay is my latest painting in what will become a series of small Charleston scenes that I am calling Lasting Impressions of Charleston. Little Pink House on Tradd is another painting in this series of works. Each scene has left a lasting impression on me from when I first discovered them.
Elliott Street is a narrow street, so narrow that there are no parked cars. It is lined with historic homes, most of which are accented with colorful window boxes, planters, gas lanterns, and highlighted at night by the old fashioned street lights.
My first painting of Elliott Street, entitled A Look Down Elliott Street, was a much larger and more refined work than this painting. Elliott Street to East Bay was painted in a plein air style, with a focus on light and shadows, intentionally leaving out the smallest of details.
Light flows in-between buildings, creating a spotlight effect on the pavement and architecture. At the same time, the buildings cast dark shadows across the street. Together, it is a chiaroscuro effect that I find helps make a strong painting.
I hope you like this painting and the impressionist style that I employed.
I’m excited to start my next Charleston scene. I have many to choose from so it won’t be easy. Thank you for reading my blog and for your interest in my art!
“One of the joys of being an artist is having the freedom to follow my passion….”
What’s next?
Drawing by William R. Beebe