City Art

Imagine Cocky prancing around a wedding reception or a dramatic Tarleton Blackwell diptych painting (12 feet by 9 feet) or a mile of molding ready to be made into frames for art at the new Adesso Building. That’s what one might find at City Art between Gervais and Lady on Lincoln Street in the Congaree Vista.

Partners Wendyth Wells, Heather Noe and Randy Hanna have 75 combined years of experience as artists, entrepreneurs, framers, gallery consultants and art supply dealers. City Art is their home and a place where artists gather. In addition to a full-service framing department and the largest fine arts supply store in the state, the City Art building houses an award winning art gallery and rental space for wedding receptions, parties, and small trade shows.

Gallery Director Wendyth Wells supervises three separate gallery spaces and consults on projects as small as a single painting for an individual home to large corporate accounts like the new Adesso building on Main and Blossom and the Vista Bank. The gallery areas provide a unique backdrop for all kinds of rental needs and include Hootie and the Blow Fish as guests.

Yes, the framing department has worked on African tribal belts, buffalo hides, wedding dresses and even shot guns. And the most fun project? Framing designer Heather Noe says that’s an easy answer. “We designed a collage of memorabilia after soul singer James Brown was honored at Lincoln Center in Washington D.C.” Randy added, “We stretched and framed portraits of JFK and Bill Clinton to be used for the movie Nailed when it filmed here this spring.

College students, professional artists and those who paint for therapy or fun feel like a ‘kid in a candy store’ as they roam the aisles and peruse the large inventory in the lower level art supply store.

The newest component of the City Art family of services is Art Xpress – an on-line art supply service. Randy Hanna’s happiest day as the manager of this new service when he took an order for Charles Reid signature brushes from pop/jazz icon Tony Bennett.