April has been branded “Eat Local Month” in the Lowcountry and Charleston Supported Art, LLC, is offering up a visual feast for “localvores” consisting of curated collections of artwork by artists living and creating in our community. The group has established an easy, affordable, and fun way to get original pieces by Charleston artists into the hands of new and seasoned collectors through the sale of seasonal shares of art based on the community supported agriculture model. Individual shares are priced at just $425, and contain four original pieces of artwork produced by a select group of local, established and emerging artists. The shares are limited and will be delivered through exclusive pick-up events for each season – spring, summer, and fall. The debut pick-up event of the year, dedicated to the spring season, takes place on Thursday, April 23, at Faculty Lounge (391 Huger Street, downtown Charleston). Shares may be purchased at www.charlestonsupportedart.com, or at the event.

The twelve artists participating in the second year of Charleston Supported Art (CSA) were announced in February and the public was invited to get to know them and their work at a Meet and Greet event at Redux Contemporary Art Center shortly after. The gathering provided potential shareholders a glimpse of the quality and variety in styles and media of the works offered in each of CSA’s 2015 seasons.

CSA’s spring season features works by Chambers Austelle, Elizabeth Calcote, Chris Nickels, and Karin Olah. The four artists will be present at the April 23 pick-up event to mingle with patrons and speak about the 32 pieces of original artwork they each created specifically for and exclusive to Charleston Supported Art. The pick-up event, open to current and prospective shareholders, will be the first time these works will be revealed. The pieces, which include paintings, block printed textiles, digital illustrations, and mixed media works, will not be available for purchase anywhere else.

For more information about Charleston Supported Art or to purchase a share online, visit www.charlestonsupportedart.com. Spring shares may be purchased and carried home on the night of the pick-up event. Summer and fall shares may also be reserved, with pick-up events scheduled for August 6 and November 5 respectively. Questions or requests to be added to the CSA mailing list should be directed to info@charlestonsupportedart.com.

About CSA’s Spring Artists
Chambers Austelle is an artist and educator born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. She received her BA in Studio Arts from the College of Charleston. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is currently featured on the cover of the April 2015 issue of Fresh Paint Magazine. She participated in Piccolo Spoleto’s 2014 Juried Exhibition at the City Gallery and was the recipient of the President’s Choice Award for Photography from the College of Charleston in 2011. She currently teaches at Redux Contemporary Art Center. Austelle works from her home studio as a photographer and painter. Her work is surreal in concept, influenced by her interest in Biology and Psychology. She employs fundamental elements and principles of design to explore the complexity of human perception.

Elizabeth Calcote started printmaking while attending the College of Charleston. After graduation, she worked in a Chelsea PR firm until she returned to the Lowcountry and became the Teacher’s Assistant at the College of Charleston printmaking studio, eventually becoming an instructor. Then she began conservation mounting, stretching, and framing at Artizom Framing Gallery. Inspired by textiles she framed for collectors in Charleston, Elizabeth researched ways she could start creating them herself. Since 2013, Elizabeth has applied her printmaking background to textiles, creating a system of linoleum printing on naturally dyed silk that uses both Western and Eastern methods. With an interest in design, pattern, and nature, she uses symbols to illustrate the narratives of figures from the past. Her collections of scarves and pocket squares are available for purchase at IBU at 183 King Street in Charleston, SC.

Chris Nickels is a digital illustrator who lives and works in Charleston, SC. Originally from Athens, GA, Chris attended the Savannah College of Art and Design where he earned his BFA in Illustration. When he puts down his pen he enjoys the outdoors, graphic novels, old cameras, and trying new foods. He loves conveying a narrative through images, whether it be an abstract interpretation or a memorable scene.

Using fabric, Karin Olah works in a manner that mimics the flow of paint from a brush. Intricately cut, placed, and pasted textiles are combined with gouache, acrylic, and graphite to create Collage Paintings that are deep in color and texture. From a small-town upbringing in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, her interest in Amish quilts and textile traditions led her to study Fiber Art at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. For several years following art school, Karin managed a textile studio in New York City, developing colors and patterns for clients, including Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, and Peter Marino Interior Architects.Now applying her fabric know-how to the realm of painting, Karin exhibits her collage art in solo and group shows throughout the Southeast. Her work has been featured in American Contemporary Art, Art Business News, Charleston Style and Design, and Charleston Magazine, on the covers of Black and White: Birmingham’s City Paper and Carolina Arts, and as the image for the Charleston Farmers Market 2006 and 2007 posters and street banners. Corporate Collections include pieces in the Carolina Contemporary Collection of MUSC Ashley River Towers, Citadel College, City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, and Shoestring Publishing Company. She is a former board member of Redux Contemporary Art Center. Karin is the Client Happiness Officer for ArtBizCoach.com.

About Charleston Supported Art, LLC
Charleston Supported Art is a platform to connect emerging and established artists and collectors.  Launched in November 2013, the program is part of a nationwide movement that has developed in over 40 communities across the country and is the first of its kind in Charleston. Organizers include Kristy Bishop, Camela Guevara, Erin Glaze Nathanson, AnneTrabue Nelson, and Ann Simmons. Supporters include Artist & Craftsman Supply, Básico, Blue Ion, Cannonborough Beverage Company, Charlie Town Prints, Faculty Lounge, Frothy Beard Brewing Company, Ink Meets Paper, Lowcountry Local First, Mixson Bath & Racquet Club, Paige Schaberg Photography, Redux Contemporary Art Center, The Cut Company, and Wine Awesomeness.