We often celebrate the amazing female entrepreneurs taking Charleston and surrounding areas by storm. Our pages are chock-full of real estate agents, retailers and everything in between. However, the more we dive into the many facets that make up the unique Charleston woman, the more we stumble upon women in artistic fields. The Holy City is beautiful—the beaches, the cuisine, the history, the architecture. It’s only natural that such a place would draw all sorts of creatives. Charleston is a city populated by hosts of painters, actors, writers, dancers and more, all who want to share
LAUREN ANDREU
Lauren Andreu is a muralist and fine artist based just outside the Charleston area in Columbia, South Carolina. I first discovered Andreu’s work hanging in the Public Works Art Center in downtown Summerville last summer. The painting was a man and woman facing away from one another, the color very understated except for a bright orange fusion radiating between them. I don’t know that a painting has ever said so much with such simplicity. Andreu is a master of emotion. She uses color in a way that draws the eye to the story the painting wishes to tell, the main idea not only clear, but alluring. If you want to be absolutely moved, visit LaurenAndreu.com to discover more about this amazing South Carolina native.
JENNY BROE QUINN
Jenny Broe Quinn, the founder of Charleston’s Dance Lab, takes her artistic talent to the stage. She believes in the power of movement and helps those of all levels and backgrounds discover more ways to express themselves through dance. Her style often mixes ballet, jazz, hip-hop and modern techniques with dashes of “Jennyness.” She and the staff at Dance Lab believe this kind of movement is literally built into our human DNA. It’s just about finding a way to bring it out.
Quinn affirms—as displayed on her website — “everybody can move, and when you move that thing to music, it’s a whole other level of ‘yes, queen!’ It’s amazing how good you will feel when you are doing exactly what you are made for.”
Check out DanceLabCharleston.com to embark on your journey, no matter where that journey begins for you, seasoned or novice. The goal at The Lab is for everyone to find their own self-expression and open doors they never knew they wanted to through music and dance.
MONICA ORD
Monica Ord is not technically a Charleston woman, but she sure does adore us. Ord is a philanthropist, film maker and fine artist from the Los Angeles area. However, she’s started gaining a following from collectors across the nation and has an affection for southern artistic hotspots like Charleston.
Ord said, “I’m incredibly thankful for the amount of designers embracing my art, and it’s very important to me to get it out in the South. Jason Moattar, who owns Moattar Rugs in Atlanta, purchased five pieces from me and so kindly wrote about me on his Instagram. Now I have an influx of design buyers in Georgia. Next, I’m hoping for the Carolinas. I love southern people so much.”
Ord does mostly black and white abstracts, which she situates in gold vintage frames for a unique look. Her art makes perfect centerpieces for gallery walls or elements of punctuation for nooks and sitting areas. I think we will begin to see a lot more Monica Ord in the American South. The ladies in that famed lower corner of the map will never resist those ornate casings. Her pieces perfectly mix modern brush strokes with antique framework, which is why they seem to complement Charleston so very well. Be sure to catch her on ABC’s Lowcountry Live this November, and visit MonicaOrdArt.com to learn more.
Charleston Women is thrilled to celebrate local women creating art here in the Lowcountry, as well as those inspired by the area. Please stay tuned for more female artists creating beauty in countless ways in the area we all chose for our own aesthetic. We’re here to make sure these inspiring women who’ve taken the road less traveled in their careers never go unnoticed.
By Lorna Hollifield
