Photographs by local artist, Katherine Houghton, and collages by Washington, D.C., based artist, Megan Coyle, will be on exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery from August 1 to 31.
A production of the City of North Charleston’s Cultural Arts Department, the public is invited to attend a free reception at the gallery hosted by the artists on Thursday, August 2, from 5 to 7 p.m.
A Photographic Journey of Discovery: Women and Children Around the World by Katherine M. Houghton, Ed.D.
For many personal and professional reasons, photographer Dr. Katherine Houghton is compelled to visually depict and seek understanding of the lived experiences of women and children encountered throughout her world travels. Her exhibition, A Photographic Journey of Discovery: Women and Children Around the World, features images from the visual story captured during her two circumnavigations of the globe. About her show, Dr. Houghton says, “The purpose of my photography is not to impose my worldview, but rather expose others to multiple views and layers of the lives of women and children. Encountering the visual is a never-ending process that has neither beginning nor ending, instead it seeks to discover, uncover, and recover imagery.” Houghton’s eye for cultural context allows viewers to understand the complexities of these individuals’ challenges, whether they be historical, societal, economic, cultural, or political. “I invite the viewer to experience glimpses of the lives of these women and children by seeing, reflecting upon, and experiencing my photographs,” she says.
In addition to photography and travel, Katherine is an active advocate for access to higher education for a diversity of learners. She has been featured as a keynote speaker and presenter on topics including leadership in higher education, multicultural programming, students with invisible handicaps, higher education and single motherhood, and global issues impacting women and children. Houghton has worked in higher education administration on land and sea for over twenty years in both the United States and the Caribbean, holding positions such as administrator for the Semester at Sea program, University of Pittsburgh, and Institute for Shipboard Education; Dean of Academic Administration and Student Affairs at Ross University School of Medicine, Island of Dominica, West Indies; Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Wilson College, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where she established an awarding-winning residential program for single mothers and their children; and, in more recent years, Interim Academic Dean at the Art Institute of Charleston and Interim Academic Dean at The Art Institute of Cincinnati. She currently lives in Charleston, SC.
From Fur to Feathers – Animal Collages by Megan Coyle
As a child, Megan Coyle was always drawn to animals and frequently visited wildlife parks and the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. To this day, nature continues to be a great source of inspiration for the artist. In her exhibition, From Fur to Feathers – Animal Collages, Coyle strives to capture the richness found in nature by illustrating familiar creatures living in different habitats. “The complexities that appear in nature - the diversity of feathers and fur, and the characteristics that make each species different and exciting - make animals a highly desirable subject for me,” she explains. The featured body of work exemplifies Coyle’s unique style of “painting with paper,” a collage technique whereby she recreates the look and feel of a painting through the manipulation of magazine strips. “Collage is my preferred medium because of its versatility,” she says. Utilizing this method allows her to create artwork that captures the essence of a painting, but broadens her palette to include textures, patterns, and fragments of photographs from magazines.
Born in Alexandria, Virginia, Megan Coyle received a BA from Elon University in 2008, where she double majored in painting and creative writing. Although she was formally trained in painting, she began exploring collage in her free time and created a series of collage portraits for her senior thesis exhibition. Since college, she has continued to develop and hone her collage technique, which she calls “painting with paper.” Coyle has exhibited her artwork at the Ward Museum, Smithsonian Ripley Center, Art League Gallery, Krempp Gallery, and other galleries around the country. She has been internationally published in publications that include The Washington Post, Somerset Studio, and Papirmasse. She recently completed her first children’s book, Duck & Fish, which she both wrote and illustrated.Megan currently lives in Washington, D.C. and works as a collage artist and illustrator. For more information, visit mcoyle.com.
The North Charleston City Gallery is located in the Charleston Area Convention Center with free parking and admission during regular Convention Center operating hours 9:00am – 5:00pm, daily. The gallery is staffed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday only. Inquiries regarding artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at www.northcharleston.org.