Artist Lynn GreerSince the age of eight, Lynn Greer has been a resident of Greenville, SC. She attended the University of Georgia and graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design. After eight years as an Art Director, she left to join the ranks of "poor starving artists." Since then she had made a living as a working artist; painting commissioned works, organizing one-woman exhibits, taking part in outdoor arts festivals and entering juried competitions.
Lynn is a member with excellence of the South Carolina Watercolor Society, a signature member of the GA Watercolor Society, and a board member of the Metropolitan Arts Council in Greenville. She has been included in juried exhibitions across the country and was recognized as one of twenty emerging artist in the US by American Artist Watercolor Magazine. She lives in downtown Greenville with her husband Henk VanDyk.
Lynn loves working in the watercolor medium. The fluidity and unlimited ability to surprise, both add to the enjoyment of painting for her. She is exhilarated by the process and product of painting watercolors and feels fortunate to be able to communicate her joy to others through her work. We discovered Lynn many years ago at a local Arts Festival and have collected and admired her beautiful florals, landscapes and portraits ever since.
Lynn is well known in South Carolina for her paintings of Beach Ladies. We are offering prints from her original watercolors of them in our collection of her work that can be purchased from our website.
Lynn was featured in Greenville Business Magazine in November 2009. Below is an excerpt of that article...
GBM: How old were you when you picked up the paint brush for the first time?
Greer: In the 2nd or 3rd grade I was painting in school with inexpensive tempura paint. By the 3rd grade I knew I wanted to be an artist. I didn't know what that meant, but I knew it was what I wanted to do. Attending the Fine Arts Center my senior year in high school was a huge factor in continuing my arts education.
GBM: What have been the most important stepping stones or highpoints of your career?
Greer: Realizing I could actually make a living as a painter, being recognized as one of "20 Emerging Artists in the US" in American Artist Magazine, and becoming a board member of the Metropolitan Arts Council as a voice for artists.
GBM: What local artist particularly inspires you?
Greer: Carl Blair, a well-known landscape painter, has been a mentor to me since I took a summer painting class from him at the Greenville Art Museum during my college years. His paintings are truly inspiring and he has been a supporter and mentor for over thirty years!
GBM: Tell me a little about your current series of paintings.
Greer: My current body of work focuses on the glow of lights in urban, suburban and rural settings. I am interested in color, contrast and the various stages of evening light. The lights are the stars. The architecture and surrounding landscape play supporting roles.
GBM: How much of a full time artist's daily grind is actually spent doing art?
Greer: I would say that I spend about 70 percent of my time doing art and 30 percent handling business. If you want to make a living at this, you have to understand the business of art. I started out as a graphic designer, so I have a little background in business and the importance of marketing. Everyone can be successful as an artist as long as they follow a few rules of business: learn to market yourself, meet your deadlines, and provide good customer service.
GBM: Why is it important for local businesses to support the arts?
Greer: Arts events provide inexpensive marketing opportunities for local businesses. It is just a mutually beneficial relationship. Artists use local businesses and artists participating in events downtown that bring people to the business in the area. If a local business needs something for the walls, and wishes to promote a spirit of community, it just makes sense to buy from a local artist.
GBM: What role have banking institutions played in the growth of Greenville's arts community?
Greer: The banks have been critical to the development of Greenville's thriving arts community. I have paintings in the permanent collections of County Bank, First Citizens, and Carolina First. Also, Carolina First plays a big role in Artisphere in the spring and Wachovia is a major sponsor of Open Studios (November 7th and 8th).
