Ultimately, there are only a few kinds of art galleries. There are the ones where everything is beautiful, yes, but the space is so chilly and the art is so expensive that it’s terrifying to touch even the doorknob. There are the kinds of places where everything is so hokey and Thomas Kincaide-y that you need the promise of free box wine and cheese cubes in order to visit. And then there’s Rebekah Jacob’s place on King. Everything in the joint is beautiful and singular, and no two shows are ever the same. Take, for instance, their latest, Vente d’été! It’s a celebration of original works on paper. The range of stuff is incredible — oil paintings, photography, sketches. And their subjects are no less varied, from the spackled patterns of Tarleton Blackwell to the contemporary figures of Cynthia Knapp. The group of art lovers who showed up for the opening of Vente d’été was diverse, too. Returning College of Charleston students mingled with art collectors of the South of Broad varietal, tourists lured by free champagne, and a mini-dachshund named Lucy. While Lucy seemed mostly drawn to the abstract oil portraits of local artist Sarah Haynes and the lickable faces of the attendees, we were partial to the intense, surreal work of Kevin Earl Taylor. This exhibit runs through Labor Day, so don’t miss it. You might not get to hang out with a puppy, but you’ll see some of the most elegant, thoughtful work the Lowcountry has to offer.
Kirsten Schofield for the Charleston City Paper, August 26, 2014