Image by Bill Mead http://www.scoopcontemporary.com/paintings.asp?artID=98 "Sock Monkey" by Bill Mead

SCOOP studios Contemporary Art Gallery welcomes Beaufort, SC based artist, Bill Mead, in his solo exhibit, “There’s Always Room for Jell-O” on view Friday, January 7th through January 29th.

The opening reception coincides with Broad Street’s “Gallery Row” First Fridays on January 7th, 5-8 p.m. and is free and open to the public.  Mead’s artwork is sure to kick any post-holiday blues away with imaginative art paired with complimentary refreshments. 

Bill Mead was helping a friend out by watching their roadside fruit stand in 2004 when he painted his first sign with a watermelon for $3. It lacked something and he created a Low Country landscape in the background. Instead of selling the fruit, he sold the painting. Soon, he could not keep up with the demand for his artwork, he quit his job in construction and the rest is history. 

Although Mead attended the Maryland Institute of Art and Atlanta College of Art, he calls himself a self-taught artist. Inspired by René Magritte, Mead’s surreal paintings are humorous, erotic and unique. His attention to detail of the Low Country that surrounds him paired with ridiculously large fruit and vegetables have tickled collectors with his wit. Co-Owner of SCOOP studios, Colleen Deihl remarks, “Bill Mead has been an artist with our gallery since its inception. People of all walks of life just love his work and in this foodie city, Charleston, it is a pleasure to feature our love of food and art together.”

 When asked about his artistic vision, Bill Mead writes, “Someone once said the difference between fact and fiction is that fiction has to make sense. Reality is fine as far as it goes but without imagination life would not be worth living. I guess if there's any point to my work it would be; Let's not take ourselves so seriously. My biggest challenge is learning how to circumvent the cognitive process. My brain is always wanting to process everything as if it were trying to figure out what's real and what isn't. When making art, what's real and what isn't doesn't matter.” 

SCOOP studios is located at 57 1/2 Broad Street and is open Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., or by appointment.