Terry Brennan helped shape the visual arts community in the Lowcountry. He's a former president of the Art League of Hilton Head and the Society of Bluffton Artists.
Now, he's taking more time to shape his own art.
The Bluffton resident's latest exhibit, "Lowcountry Splendor" runs Monday through Sept. 22. He retired on Hilton Head Island about 20 years ago after a career as an engineer in Chicago and picked up painting.
Brennan (not to be confused with the Beaufort found object artist of the same name) explains how he came to love the Lowcountry.
Question. You've been working on this show for about year. What's in it?
Answer. It's called "Lowcountry Splendor" because it's mostly paintings from around here. It's a lot of beach scenes, marsh scenes, shrimp boats. There's going to be a variety for everybody.
Q. How do you get inspiration for your paintings?
A. I've gone around the Lowcountry from Cumberland Island in Georgia up to Charleston, and I carry my camera. I take pictures. I'll get home and take the sky from one and the marsh view from another. There's a lot of beautiful marshes between here and Beaufort. The same with the beach. I'll go to the beach in the morning with a camera then go back and paint the scene.
Q. Have you always painted the Lowcountry?
A. When I was in the Midwest I'd paint lots of barns. But nobody down here buys barns. People seem to like Lowcountry scenes more, and as it so happens I enjoy painting them.
Q. Did you paint much before you retired?
A. I did very few paintings before I came down here. I've been down here 19 years. As soon as I came here I joined the art league.
Q. How did you learn to paint?
A. I've taken classes from some of their very accomplished teachers. I knew when I retired I wanted to paint. This turned out to be a perfect area with the scenery and the arts community here.
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