As Carolina Trust's Brand Ambassador, I spend a lot of my time out and about in the grand strand area. Although we have seven branches that stretch across our large field of membership, most of my engagements tend to be in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area. However, I love the quaintness of our Florence County branches, which is why I was so excited to head out there for one of my recent Living Local Carolina Financial Friday segments.
Although we were there to film, I can't drive through Lake City without stopping by to see all of the murals. If you've never been out to the artistic little town, you're overdue for a day trip.
Lake City is home to the largest art festival in the southeast, ArtFields, which takes place every spring. However, artistic talent is celebrated year-round through the beautiful display of public art that adorns the city's walls. According to the Lake City Art Fields Collective, the public art program was initiated in conjunction with the ArtFields event to enhance community spaces during the revitalization of Lake City. The projects are meant to add unique accents in unexpected places. Each year, new artwork is commissioned to further their public art collection. Click here for a downloadable map of the art displays below:
ARTFIELDS COMMUNITY MURAL
Jessica Diaz, Morgan Funkhouser, Olivia Cramer, Sam Ogden
The artists worked with countless community members to create this mural for the inaugural ArtFields in 2013. Its imagery captures Lake City’s prominent railroad presence and the vibrance that ArtFields brings to the town.
THE GOOD OF THE HIVE
Matthew Willey
Artist Matthew Willey’s projects bring awareness to the dwindling population of honey bees and their importance as pollinators. Over the course of the last five years, Matt has created 27 murals with over 5400 hand-painted bees. He has reached hundreds of thousands of people and created large-scale works at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC, Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in NYC and Burt’s Bees Global Headquarters. He has collaborated with the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations (WCPUN) and NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks Public Art Program. He has painted in a Tony Winning Broadway star’s dressing room in NYC, at a fire station in the American south, at schools across the country, and at a farm in the Midwest United States.
FROM THIS MOMENT FORWARD
Herman A. Keith Jr.
The mural image was inspired by the Gee’s Bend Quilters and created with the assistance from Florence School District 3 students through the SC Rural Arts Project. Artist Herman A. Keith Jr. was born in Greenwood, South Carolina and received art education from Howard University and Landers University. He’s been a numerous year exhibitor in ArtFields and is passionate about sharing the power of art throughout South Carolina and beyond.
WRAPPED UP
Hand in Hand Creative
The artists created this image as an ode to Lake City’s agricultural roots. Its Sauls Street location is idea—right across from downtown Lake City’s iconic fruit stand. Andrew and Sarah Wilson are husband and wife collaborative artists who are inspired to create work that speaks of and to communities. In 2017, they decided to bring their modes of expression (painting + writing) together to create art for all, not just for some, and entered the world of murals. Andrew and Sarah believe in art that is inclusive, accessible, and thought-provoking. That is what they’ve set out to create in the public art realm. Hand in Hand Creative seeks to uncover the heart of the community they are creating for, in order to tell a meaningful story and to truly give back to the people who make the place.
INFINITE FLOWERS
Lance Turner
Inspired by nautical florals and the wonder that nature instills in us, artist Lance Turner created a beautiful mural featuring plants native to this area. Turner is a muralist from Tennessee whose style includes systematically rearranged grid paintings, process-based photorealist portraits, interactive environments, and murals. He has shown in more than 100 galleries through the United States and received his education from Savannah College of Art & Design and Memphis College of Art.
TRANSFORMATION
Donald Walker
This mural reflects the revitalization of downtown Lake City with its images of colorful butterflies moving through their transformative life cycle. It includes 30 hidden images! Donald Walker is an artist from Alabama who does indoor and outdoor murals. His work also includes portraits, book illustrations, creative designs for businesses, t-shirts, and logos.
UNTITLED
Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn
This artistic duo from Baltimore paints murals across the globe inspired by bright, geometric shapes. The strive to transform public spaces into vibrant experiences. Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn have been collaborating on large-scale murals, fine art and sculpture since 2012. Their mission grows from a simple desire to bring playfulness to public spaces and enhance people's lives through art. They believe that the aesthetics of ones environments can influence their emotions and state of mind. With a passion for people and design, Unterhalter and Truhn bring life to unsung spaces through abstract painting and sculpture. Their work explores themes of movement and symmetry, inspired by bold color combinations, patterns in nature, woven textiles and formalism. With consideration for the architectural surfaces of each environment, their dynamic paintings often curve around corners and spill onto the ground.
UNTITLED
Lance Turner
This mural spruced up an old storefront with a eye-benidng image. It was created with the assistance of visiting high school students during ArtFields 2018. Lance Turner is a muralist from Tennessee whose style includes systematically rearranged grid paintings, process-based photorealist portraits, interactive environments, and murals. He has shown in more than 100 galleries through the United States and received his education from Savannah College of Art & Design and Memphis College of Art.
