The Seabrook Island Artist Guild comprises over 100 members from Seabrook Island, Kiawah Island and Johns Island. Our members enjoy the beauty that surrounds us every day as well as learning from professional artists and each other, or simply enjoying our members’ artistic creations.
Artists in the Guild use a variety of media to create their works including oils, acrylics, watercolor, sculpture, weaving and more, as well as artistic crafts.
The purpose of the Guild is to stimulate the creativity of its members by providing opportunities to learn, exhibit their art and collaborate regularly with other artists at monthly meetings, demonstrations, classes, art shows and workshops. We also encourage interest in art within the community through outreach and local exhibitions, acquainting the public with the work of our members, and supporting local art school programs.
Contact: Michael Younginer, President: michael@younginer.com; Lee Fritz, Membership Vice President: leefritz9393@gmail.com
Website
Events
The Seabrook Island Artist Guild Presents: Labor Day Weekend Art & Craft Show
Mark your calendars for a celebration of creativity you won’t want to miss! The Seabrook Island Artist Guild invites you to our Labor Day Weekend Art and Craft Show, showcasing the exceptional talent of our local artists and craftsmen in one spectacular outdoor gathering.
📍 Sunday, September 6th | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
On the Green at Freshfields
Set against the charming backdrop of Freshfields Village, this vibrant one-day show brings together an extraordinary collection of original artwork and handcrafted treasures—each piece a testament to the passion and skill of our Guild members. Wander through a curated showcase of paintings, pottery, jewelry, and more, all created by the talented hands of your neighbors.
This is more than a shopping experience—it’s a chance to meet the artists behind the work, hear the stories that inspire their craft, and take home a one-of-a-kind piece you won’t find anywhere else.
Whether you’re a longtime art lover or just looking for a beautiful way to spend a Sunday, bring family and friends for a day filled with color, creativity, and community spirit.
☔ Rain date: Sunday, September 13th. The weather call will be made 1–2 days prior to the event—stay tuned for updates!
Don’t miss it—see you on the green!
From Surface to Statement—Mastering the Art of Abstraction and Texture
Two-Day Workshop: October 6–7
Live Demo: October 5 (Art Guild Meeting)
Workshop and Demo take place at the Oyster Catcher Community Center
What if your art could move beyond the canvas—beyond color and composition—and become something viewers can feel?
This October, the Seabrook Island Artist Guild invites you to experience an extraordinary creative breakthrough with acclaimed abstract artist Nadine Vogel—a dynamic teacher, inspiring speaker, and true creative force. Whether you’re just beginning your journey with acrylics or looking to push your work into bold new territory, this immersive two-day workshop will challenge, energize, and transform the way you approach your art.
Nadine’s path is anything but ordinary. A former corporate executive turned global business owner turned passionate, full-time artist, she brings a rare depth of life experience into her work. With a B.S. in Industrial Psychology from the College of Charleston and an MBA from Golden Gate University, Nadine blends analytical insight with fearless creativity. As a self-taught artist living between Folly Beach, SC and Highland Beach, FL, her work is deeply influenced by the rhythms of the ocean—and the rich, sometimes difficult experiences that have shaped her life as an author, professor, TV host, designer, consultant, mentor, wife, and mother.
Her philosophy is simple yet powerful: your most authentic art comes from experimentation, courage, and personal truth.
In this workshop, Nadine will guide you to:
- Develop a bold, personal visual language
- Use texture as a powerful storytelling tool—creating rhythm, depth, contrast, and energy
- Explore a sculptural approach to painting using palette knives, rollers, texture mediums, and unexpected tools
- Understand what truly makes an abstract painting successful—beyond just color and composition
- Evaluate your work through the lens of balance, focal point, rhythm, and contrast
Expect to get your hands dirty, your mind stretched, and your creativity ignited.
Nadine’s work spans non-representational abstraction to evocative cityscapes, seascapes, and florals. Her reputation as an engaging and magnetic instructor is well established—her live demonstration at Chroma 2025 in Miami drew a crowd of over 300, a testament to her ability to captivate and inspire artists at every level.
Join us for her live demo on October 5, then dive deeper in the full two-day workshop on October 6–7.
This is more than a class—it’s an invitation to see your art differently, to take risks, and to discover what’s possible when surface becomes statement.
Spaces are limited. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most compelling voices in contemporary abstract art. Her website: aheart4art.com.
With October providing some of the most energizing weather of the year, we truly encourage the Seabrook and Kiawah community to participate in an empowering and innovative workshop.
The mechanics: Sign up by emailing garyk1@comcast net. Secure your registration in the following two weeks with payment by check. Make your check(s) out to the presenter, dated the first day of the workshop. Include contact information and whether you need a gate/parking pass (see Policy & Procedures, at bottom). Send to Gary Kunkelman, 2116 Royal Pine Drive, Seabrook Island, SC 29455.
If you have questions, the answer is just a click away at garyk1@comcast.net.
August Artist of the Month – Marie-Helene Grabman
“I draw with my scissors,” says Marie-Helene Grabman, gently dismissing the idea of templates or mechanical cutting devices when asked about her process. Her work—intricate, delicate, and remarkably precise—is created entirely by hand.
Marie-Helene practices scherenschnitte, a centuries-old art form in which detailed scenes are cut from a single sheet of paper. Originating in 16th-century Switzerland and Germany, this tradition began as a religious craft in alpine communities before evolving into the richly expressive folk art we recognize today. Now, it is a discipline practiced by few, and mastered by even fewer.
For Marie-Helene, the art form is deeply personal. She traces its roots to her grandmother, who would enchant her grandchildren by telling stories while simultaneously bringing them to life—cutting images from paper with a small pair of embroidery scissors. That early exposure planted a seed that would later flourish into a lifelong artistic pursuit.
Although she earned a degree in journalism and communications from the University of Detroit and built a career as a television news assignment editor and later in corporate advertising, Marie-Helene returned to scherenschnitte in the 1970s as a creative way to engage her four children. What began as a simple pastime soon evolved into a refined and distinctive artistic voice.
Her work departs from traditional flat paper cuttings. Instead, she creates subtle three-dimensional compositions by carefully lifting elements from the background using spacers and minute applications of adhesive. The result is a sense of depth and shadow that distinguishes her pieces from pen-and-ink drawings or prints, giving them a quiet, sculptural presence.
She likens her process to wood carving: “You start with a blank resource and create the art by cutting parts away,” she explains. Precision is everything. To achieve it, she has studied framing and calligraphy, traveled to Europe in search of the ideal tools, and ultimately settled on an unlikely instrument—microscopic eye-surgery scissors.
Marie-Helene’s dedication has brought her international recognition. Since her first fine art show in 1980, her work has been exhibited across the United States, Europe, and Asia. A defining moment came when she was one of only five American artists invited to participate in Going West: Swiss Folk Art in America at the Swiss National Museum.
Her work has also reached one of the most distinguished settings in the country. In 1999, she was commissioned to create an ornament for the Christmas tree in the White House Blue Room—an honor that placed her work in the permanent White House collection.
What does it take to create a scherenschnitte? “Surgical scissors, acid-free papers—and lots of patience,” she says with a smile. “Being a perfectionist helps too.”
Her connection to the Lowcountry began decades ago when three of her four children attended the College of Charleston. What started as annual visits soon became something more. Drawn by the beauty of the area—and a bit of serendipity through a family connection on Kiawah—Marie-Helene and her husband, Mike, discovered Seabrook Island and decided to make it their home. That was 22 years ago.
Today, Marie-Helene Grabman continues to practice a rare and exacting art form, preserving a tradition that might otherwise fade with time—one careful cut at a time.
Reception: Tuesday, August 4, in the Lakehouse
Time: 4:30 – 6:00 PM
We have so much more to show and tell you about us in our website, http://www.seabrookislandartistguild.com, or use the QR Code.
Artist Workshop – Megan Aline
Seabrook Island Artist Guild is offering a free demonstration by renowned local artist, Megan Aline. This event will take place on Monday, Sept. 14, Oyster Catcher Community Center from 1:30 to 3:00. No registration needed. The demonstration is free and open to the public.
Megan Aline, who weaves landscapes and silhouettes into paintings of otherworldly beauty, will demonstrate her unique approach at the September meeting of the Seabrook Island Artists Guild.
Winner of the coveted award of excellence at the 2023 “American Women Artists” national exhibition, Megan balances realism with symbolism to capture the movement of light, water, and trees that recall her childhood in Maine. She constructs her works through layers of acrylic paint and intricate masking techniques.
Megan’s paintings center around feminine silhouettes that bring to mind 19th century cameos. But instead of single-color silhouettes, her profiles are typically filled with serene and meticulously-painted woodlands. The result is both intimate and universal. Appreciation to detail and form are as important to her work as the easy grace and melodious balance of the overall composition.
“As an artist I spend a lot of time reflecting inwardly as I paint outwardly,” she says. “I like the idea that we have an ‘inner landscape,’ a map created from emotions, ideas, and sensations collected throughout our lives.” To that end, Megan’s paintings might contain, for example, trees that stretch like dancers, light filtering through imagined forests, and anonymous figures that become vessels for reflection and transformation. Her work is in numerous public and private collections.
Megan studied at Universidad de los Andes in Venezuela, Regent’s College in London and the University of New Hampshire, where she earned her BFA. She further refined her skills at Rhode Island School of Design.
She is co-owner with husband, hyper-realist Robert Lange, of one of Charleston’s premier galleries, Robert Lange Studios.
Date: Monday, Sept. 14, 1:30-3:00
Location: Oyster Catcher Community Center
Registration: N/A
Cost: Free
Living Room Gallery – Special Exhibit
What comes after a wildly successful debut? At the Seabrook Island Real Estate Office’s Living Room Gallery the answer is simple: something even more captivating.
Following the tremendous response to the inaugural exhibition, The Treasures of Seabrook Island, the gallery and Seabrook Island Artists Guild invite you back for a three-month exhibit featuring four extraordinary artists—each with a distinct voice, medium, and perspective.
Each has been given their own wall and a challenge: to dazzle, surprise, and inspire. Together, they create a rich, immersive experience designed to engage not just your eyes, but your imagination and sense of discovery.
Step into luminous, dreamlike landscapes with Meg Homeier, whose experimental mixed-media works blend alcohol inks and acrylics into shimmering, ever-changing compositions. Her pieces invite quiet reflection, drawing you into abstract “scapes” that feel both familiar and otherworldly.
Feel the wind, the salt air, and the power of the sea through the work of Rob Bavier. Trained as an architect, Rob captures maritime life with remarkable sensitivity—whether it’s the hush of a sunrise cove or the thrilling energy of a field of boats surging forward as a race starts.
Discover the delicate intersection of science and art with Sarah Keiser, whose keen observational skills—she’s a practicing physician—bring extraordinary clarity and beauty to the flora of Seabrook. Her collection, inspired by the Rosebank Farmers Market, invites you to pause, look closer, and smile.
And then, prepare to play as Rod Morris brings a sense of wonder and whimsy with his imaginative sculptures crafted from exotic woods and repurposed car parts. Visitors are encouraged to touch, explore, and connect samples of the raw materials with his creations. From curious creatures to a step-by-step butterfly story, it’s a hands-on journey that delights children and adults alike.
Abstract or realistic. Serene or energetic. Visual or tactile. This exhibition has something for everyone—from the sailor to the botanist, the engineer to the dreamer.
Curious?
Come see for yourself. It’s not just art you’ll observe, but art you’ll experience. The exhibit runs through September.
The Gallery is in the main lobby of the Seabrook Island Real Estate Office, open Monday to Saturday during normal business hours. Invite family and friends to share this unique experience.
Gary Kunkleman
VP of Education – SIAG
