James Moore Rhett (1893 – 1941)
Bill’s grandfather (and William’s great-grandfather) lived, worked, and painted all his life in Beaufort. His pieces, created mostly in inks, pastels, and charcoal are charmingly naive, almost oriental in their design. He was able to capture the essence of the South Carolina Lowcountry with a few simple strokes, a very difficult task for most artists. Sometimes he made etchings, which he then gave to family and friends as Christmas cards.
Also, on occasion, he painted small coastal scenes in India ink, a technique that is as unforgiving in its application as is any medium. We are very pleased to have been able to reproduce a few of these works that we have inherited.
