Kate Salley Palmer’s Pop-Up Show Is Oct. 20

Since she started oil painting two years ago, Anderson Artists Guild member Kate Salley Palmer has amassed about 150 pieces. During one of their weekly open studio painting sessions at the Blue Ridge Arts Center, she and fellow artist Liz Purcell, known for her colorful watercolor portraits and figures, pondered what to do with all this art since Purcell had quite a collection of our own. “We thought it would be nice to show people what we had done, at least,” said Palmer.

So they started looking at possible venues, everything from Clemson University’s Madren Center to the local fire station. They ended up at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson, where they rented a room for one night. “They were very welcoming,” said Palmer. “This is the first art show they’ve ever held.”

Palmer, long known for her political cartoons, often uses her oil painting to capture small moments. One Cube at a Time shows her granddaughter putting ice in glasses as she sets a table. Morning Golfers is about her brother and friends heading out for a round in golf carts. UNO shows four family members playing the card game UNO.

Capturing multiple people, not to mention objects like golf carts, can be challenging, especially in making the people the right size in comparison to each other. But she has been honing her craft with great dedication over the past two years. About 30 of her pieces will be on display for the show.

One of Palmer’s influences is Norman Rockwell, whom she admires for his storytelling ability. Her own stories of the beauty of everyday life will be on display and available for purchase during the “Oil and Water Art Show” pop-up on Friday, Oct. 20, from 6-9 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson, located at 200 Pendleton Road in Clemson. Refreshments will be served, and all are welcome.