Show Preview | Southeastern Wildlife Exposition

Charleston, SC
Various locations, February 13-15

Grant Hacking, Scouting the Territory, oil, 30 x 40.

Grant Hacking, Scouting the Territory, oil, 30 x 40.

This story was featured in the February 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art February 2015 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!

Hundreds of artists, exhibitors, and experts in wildlife and nature art converge in Charleston, SC, this month for the 33rd annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. The largest and longest-
running event of its kind in the U.S., SEWE is a three-day celebration of wildlife and nature through fine art, conservation education, sporting demonstrations, and more. This year’s event takes place February 13-15 at nine venues throughout downtown Charleston—and with more than 40,000 attendees expected, SEWE Executive Director John Powell says it’s “poised for another spectacular year.”

Highlights of the weekend’s art events include the Quick Draw/Speed Sculpt event on Friday and the Duets and Quartets event on Saturday, in which two painters and two sculptors create original works in front of a live audience while the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Quartet performs in the background. Of course, the featured artist’s exhibit is always one of the most anticipated aspects of the event. This year’s featured painter is Grant Hacking, a New Hampshire-based South African artist whose oeuvre includes figurative work, architecture, coastal scenes, and landscapes in addition to his innovative wildlife compositions. “Grant is incredibly talented, and collectors and art lovers have known this for a long time,” says Powell. “His years of experience on multiple continents give him a unique range of subject matter that is truly awe-inspiring,” he adds.

The official 2015 SEWE poster features Hacking’s painting of a North American bobcat, titled SCOUTING THE TERRITORY. Hacking was inspired to create the piece because he was “struck by the intensity and grounded strength of such a small cat” after an encounter with one of the creatures. “Despite his size, I got that same feeling I get when watching a leopard or lion,” he says. “I composed the painting with a mass of solid rock to reflect the strength of the cat as he confidently scouts his territory for signs of intruders,” he explains, adding, “There is no doubt that this elusive and majestic creature is deserving of being showcased.”

Other participating artists include prominent sculptors such as Karryl, David Petlowany, and Kim Shaklee; painters Chad Poppleton, Kathryn Mapes Turner, C. Ford Riley, Karla Mann, Kyle Paliotto, John and Suzie Seerey-Lester, and Virginia Vaughan; and many others. —Lindsay Mitchell

contact information
843.723.1748
www.sewe.com

Featured in the February 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art February 2015 print issue or digital download Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!

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