Renea Eshleman, SCWS
Telephone: 803.767.5505
E-mail: reshleman@sc.rr.com
I especially enjoy creating nature compositions from photographs I take while traveling around the beautiful state of South Carolina. I strive to lure the viewer into wanting to “be there” in the painting to look for what is not obvious. My art includes representational, dream compositions, and some objective abstract. Having begun painting in traditional transparent watercolor, I mostly paint and create collage now on non-traditional surfaces using liquid and tube watercolor. Gouache, and acrylics.
The traditional approach to painting watercolor, acrylic, and mixed media is where I know what the composition will be before I begin the painting. It is predictable. However, many times the process begins with loosely pouring or rolling paint onto the paper or a polypropylene sheet (called Yupo), gently manipulating the paint to blend colors and make interesting textures, allowing the paint to dry, and developing the composition based on what the first layer suggests. This process allows me to combine imagined or suggested flora, fauna, insects, animals, and figures. Sometimes pieces begun with the pour method hang in my studio for weeks or months before they “speak” for development of the composition.
This approach to making art provides wonderful opportunities for happy accidents, flexibility to adjust the composition, and intrigue in the work.
Art Samples, Select Exhibits & Awards, Memberships below
Bird of Paradise
Zinnias Gazing Watercolor
Smell the Roses
Flight Lesson
Sunflowers In Time
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Cherokee Art and Visitors’ Center, Peaches, Beaches, and Bar-B-Que; 2015 honorable mention
SC State Park Artist in Residence 2012 and 2013
SC Watermedia Society juried exhibits:
Florence, SC 2010 award traveling show
Myrtle Beach, SC 2016 award traveling show
Columbia, SC 2018 award traveling show
Florence, SC 2019 award traveling show
Columbia, SC 2022 award traveling show
Pickens, SC 2023 award traveling show
SC Watermedia Society Plein Air Event
Newberry, SC 2021 merit
Trenholm Artists Guild, Columbia SC
2010 annual juried show honorable mention
2012 annual juried show 2nd place
2013 annual Still Hopes show 2nd place and People’s Choice
2017 annual show 2nd place
2018 annual show 2nd place
2018 Still Hopes show merit
2019 Stil Hopes show merit
2020 Still Hopes show 2nd place
2022 Suzy Shealy Memorial Award
2023 Still Hopes show honorable mention
2023 annual show People’s Choice
2024 Still Hopes show merit
Cayce Arts Guild, Cayce, SC
2021 annual Still Hopes show first place
2024 merit
2025 3rd place professional
Artists Guild of Spartanburg; annual juried shows for 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020
USC Salkehatchie ArtFlow
2015 honorable mention
SC State Fair
2015 merit (amateur)
2021 purchase award professional
2024 First Place print
Fairfield County Arts Council 2024 Still Life show Third Place
Spartanburg Community College Giles Library gallery exhibit and artist’s talk 2024
Vista Art Guild, Rooted juried exhibit April/May 2025 at the Richland County Library
Crooked Creek Art League, Chapin, SC
2019 Still Hopes show
2020 Still Hopes show
2021 Annual show Second Place
2021 Annual show Third Place
2022 Annual show patron
2024 Annual show patron
2024 Annual donor
2025 Still Hopes Best of Show
2025 Annual donor
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Memberships: Trenholm Artists Guild (2011-12 publicity/newsletter, 2013-20 treasurer, 2020-23 co-president);
SC Watermedia Society (President 2012, regional VP 2015-17, VP 2020, President 2022, signature member)
Cayce Arts Guild (president 2017-2023, 2024-2025)
Artists Guild of Spartanburg
International Society of Experimental Artists
Crooked Creek Art League (Still Hopes show chair 2019)