The Mermaid Storm by Julyan Davis

The Mermaid Storm: Recent Works by Julyan Davis
On View Friday May 6 – June 25, 2016
Opening Reception, Friday, May 6th, 2016, 5 – 8 pmCHARLESTON, SC, April 14, 2016 – Join Helena Fox Fine Art for the Charleston Gallery Association’s Art Walk on Friday May 6, 2016 from 5 to 8 pm, where the artist Julyan Davis will debut his newest project The Mermaid Storm, featuring original landscape paintings benefiting Cypress Gardens and exploring the folklore of mermaids in the Lowcountry. This reception is free to the public.Julyan Davis is a British artist fascinated by the folklore and history of the American South. His latest project: The Mermaid Stormdonates 20% of all art sales to Cypress Gardens. These landscape and narrative paintings will depict the emancipation slave myth of Lowcountry mermaids as well as the “Mermaid Riots” in Charleston, SC in 1876. The capturing of a mermaid would bring about punitive floods and storms according to these legends.

In preparation for this work, Davis learned of the damage by last fall’s disastrous flooding to Cypress Gardens, where he had painted before, and where he had intended to set scenes from the story. As a result, the series now incorporates the opportunity to raise money for the restoration of the gardens, with 20% of proceeds from sales of artwork from the “Mermaid Storm” (donated by the artist and Helena Fox Fine Art) going towards the rebuilding of Cypress Gardens.  Davis has been given exclusive access to paint inside the gates of Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner, SC, which is currently closed to the public until further notice as they rebuild and preserve the gardens. Cypress Gardens Arts Foundation, Inc. is a 501C3. More information about the gardens can be found at www.cypressgardens.info

Helena Fox Fine Art specializes in fine American contemporary art located South of Broad in Historic Church Street. Gallery hours are Monday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday by appointment.