The Best Charleston Art Galleries for Curating an Art Collection

Art is a form of expression. Where one individual piece of art can speak to many different people in many different ways. It’s also a way of capturing an emotion, a particular scene, or a fleeting moment in time. Filling your home with art can evoke certain moods and emotions that emphasize your home’s interior design. But you can also collect art for the simple fact that it looks beautiful on your walls.

Throughout the area are some of the finest art galleries along the East Coast. Discover the best Charleston art galleries to start your personal collection and learn more about a local artist with ties to the Island. 

The Best Charleston Art Galleries

1. Atrium Art Gallery

In a quaint historic building adorned with green shutters you will find the Atrium Art Gallery, home to a collection of contemporary and abstract works of art. Featured artists include names such as Liz Barber, Joseph Bradley, and Jessica Pisano. 

2. Anglin Smith Fine Art

Named after the artist whose work is mainly showcased here, Anglin Smith Fine Art is one of the top Charleston area art galleries. Betty Anglin Smith sold her first painting here in the ‘70s, and her name has been heavily associated with the local art scene ever since. Many of the artwork sold features scenes of the Lowcountry. 

3. Steve Hazard Gallery 

Masterpieces from the Steve Hazard Gallery range from contemporary art paintings, hand-blown glass accents, and one-of-a-kind sand carved crystal pieces. Each work of art is unique and ideal for collecting. 

4. Meyer Vogl Gallery 

You have likely passed the Meyer Vogl Gallery when walking through Charleston’s French Quarter. Filled with colorful artwork, these pieces would add a whimsical touch to any room in your home. Also offered are recurring plein air workshops to help you develop your painting skills. 

5. Mitchell Hill Gallery

Mitchell Hill Gallery is one of the largest Charleston art galleries you will come across. Housing of the work of over 30 artists and premier brands, this gallery will surely have several pieces that catch your eye. 

Kiawah Island Artist Profile: Teil Henley

An artist’s story gives you insight into why they create the things they do. Meet Teil Henley (née Duncan), the wife of PGA golfer Russell Henley who is an ambassador to the Kiawah Island Club. She is a local artist with a love for acrylic and oil painting. 

Get to know Teil Henley and who she is as an artist below. 

What drew her to art

Originally from Columbus, Georgia, Teil majored in art at Auburn University. It was a frustrating experience. She dove deep into the context and theory of her art rather than the technique. “To me, it was so much focus on concept that it turned me off from the technical process” she says. What about colors? What about style? Her paintings back then were tight, realistic. She graduated none the wiser on the business of art, the practical side of being a working painter.

After college Teil moved to Charleston and worked odd restaurant jobs and helped out in a preschool. After a few years, she stumbled upon Redux, the shared artist space on St. Philip Street. “I was blown away,” she says. “I saw a few women, young ladies, making art for a living. I didn’t even know it was possible to be an artist.” So she quit her restaurant job, took out a small loan, and secured a space at Redux. It was a very scary couple of years, she remembers. “It was constant doubting—in myself and in my work.” However, that risky first step of committing to art full time gave her the energy to completely focus on her craft.

Finding her footing in the art world

For the first year, Teil painted the odd commission and experimented. “It was trial and error. Every fifteen paintings or so I came up with something good, but everything else I would chuck.” She began attending figure drawing classes, and for two years she honed her skills. She switched from oil to acrylic, and developed a style. She painted the figures in classic loose form; the color schemes became fauvist and vibrant. Then something clicked.

“I opened up an online shop and went crazy emailing bloggers, asking them to feature my work. Then there was no looking back.” Teil moved on from figures into an era of beach and pool scenes with light happy palettes with angular figures and patterns. 

A look at her work

“I always reference a photo. When I am taking photos, light is everything. My process has a lot to do with light and shadow. It’s the way I manipulate colors and make my subjects dimensional.” Her paintings lie somewhere between realism and abstraction — bright shapes in concert to create the larger whole. “I start with a rough sketch, and then I’ll mess it up completely with underpaintings. Then those layers come through as happy accidents.”

Teil works in series. So far, she has created “beach babes,” “flowing dresses,” “pool scenes,” and “beach close-ups.” While her process is still very intuitive, Teil is meticulous about her brand, her promises to followers. In the end, she understands it’s all about finding a balance between inspiration and determination. Her social media following is massive and an entire series can often sell out in just one day.

“When I think of the future, I’m excited to push my technique and approach. I love moving on to a new series — learning to paint new subjects.”

To purchase a piece from Teil, shop her website. 

The Artistry Behind Each Kiawah Island Home

Each and every one of the homes on the Island, whether pre-designed or custom, are designed by the top artists in interior design and architecture. All residences are built to blend with the various landscapes Kiawah is known for, resulting in homes that are true works of art. 

To understand the value of owning a Kiawah Island home, we invite you to visit the Island for a chance to tour some of the greatest homes in all of the Lowcountry. To get started with planning, click the button below.