Show Preview | Kevin LePrince - Southwest Art Magazine

Charleston, SC
Reinert LePrince Fine Art, March 8-29

Kevin LePrince, The Third Wheel, oil, 8 x 24.

This story was featured in the March 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Order the Southwest Art March 2013 print issue, or get the Southwest Art March 2013 digital download now…Or better yet, just subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!

Charleston-based artist Kevin LePrince presents a solo show this month at Reinert LePrince Fine Art, a gallery and studio he co-owns with fellow local artist Rick Reinert. The show, titled Local Color, opens on March 8 with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. and runs through March 29.

Kevin LePrince, Lighting the Harbor, oil, 13 x 19.

LePrince graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1992 with a degree in economics, then spent the next 12 years in the securities brokerage industry. But in 2004, he left his position as a vice president with a major firm to pursue a career as a professional artist. “[Art is] something that has always been in my blood, it just got away from me for a while,” LePrince says.

The primarily self-taught artist paints alla prima using thick, broken brush strokes and a limited but vibrant palette. “The paintings I like most have a shorter brush stroke that leaves part of the scene unpainted,” LePrince says. “This way there’s something left unsaid, so the viewer can bring their own interpretation to the piece.”

This month’s show features 15 to 20 new works in oil. “What I really wanted to do for this show is focus on color,” LePrince says. Recently, the artist spent a period of time painting in black and white. “This was an excellent learning experience for me because I felt like I was having trouble with values,” he says. For this show, however, LePrince was excited to “bring the color back” in a rich, dramatic, and effective way.

The works in the show portray various subjects found throughout Charleston, including pelicans and other birds, beaches, marshes, water, boats, and sunsets, as well as a few images of the city’s lively culinary scene. Some of these works—like the pelican pieces—create a lighthearted and fun mood, while others are meant to be a simple yet beautiful documentation of the artist’s hometown. “I hope that viewers will get a sense of what a friendly, hospitable city this is,” LePrince says, adding that above all else, he wants his work to make people smile. —Lindsay Mitchell

contact information
843.793.4765
www.reinertleprince.com

Featured in the March 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
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Southwest Art March 2013 print issue
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