It’s 1p.m., and the sunlight is casting its hue against Randolph Hall, cascading shades of apricot and Princeton orange into the Cistern. The Cistern is engulfed in a sea of azaleas and the grass has just turned vivd green, carpeting the ground so many lay on. The spring air invites it all with open arms. In the far right corner, there is a familiar sight of a man in a shaggy white shirt and worn blue jeans, facing his canvas with a brush in hand. People watch, mesmerized by the swift and steady motions his brushes take as he orchestrates with ease and patience. With each upward and downward stroke he conducts a chorus of colors, composing a very meaningful masterpiece.
DAB, as he is recognized in the art world, is a local artist who paints historic buildings. He first began painting as a child, and was often punished for his tendency to draw and doodle in school. Growing up, his teachers were warned of his behavior at the beginning of school year and as the year progressed he was often banned from using coloring utensils.
“Eventually the children around me were banned from lending me anything, and it got to the point where I was just kind of isolated from the rest of the classroom,” DAB said.
Each year, for the past three years, as the spring months arrive, DAB returns to the Cistern to continue a painting of Randolph Hall. This spring, DAB plans to complete this project that he has faithfully been working. This unique painting of Randolph Hall, which many have seen progress over the years while passing through the Cistern, is estimated to be finished by the end of April.
While sports are played with rule books and refs, the rules of art are unstated; the game is individualized and abstract. Because of this, it is up to the artist to decide wether they will create truly authentic art.
Dating back to the 1400s, humans have been interested in the art of tracing. As technology advancements are welcomed into society, this technique has grown more popular than ever and has quickly begun distorting the original idea of painting. Today artist are able create “masterpieces” faster then ever by taking a photograph, projecting the image onto a projector, and then tracing the image onto the surface to be rendered. From there, the image can be painted, glazed, and sold anywhere from twelve to fifteen thousand dollars all within the span of a few short days. In Charleston there are over 125 galleries and many of them are filled with these types of paintings.
However, DAB considers himself to be a “real artist”. With no preliminary boundary lines beneath the paint, no tracing involved, and zero use of photography; DAB completes his art by drawing the painting with only the paint brush.Using a technique he refers to as “dabbery style”, DAB makes an effort to create a realistic image of this building. This method consists of three years worth of delicate layering using only a 20/19 inch or smaller brush.
DAB doesn't paint a picture of being a “real artist” in todays society as easy. Days are reliant on good weather and consist of long hours spent on his feet. As the cost of living in Charleston rises, the price of creating real art settles in as well. Still, his passion for painting has remained throughout the many difficulties.
“If I stand here at this easel then everything goes, well if I step away from the easel then all havoc comes. It’s just like if you were to take a gold fish out of a gold fish bowl and set it on the table, it would flip flop around. If you take me away from the paint then my gears aren’t running right, so if I just stay here and all is smooth,” DAB said.
As this spring is welcomed, so is a new season of completion. With each finishing touch performed in the last stages of this project, DAB continues to strive for authenticity within his work.
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