$2,200

Fred Jamar has brought a new infusion of intellect and energy to Charleston’s art scene. Born in the village of Stembert in Southern Belgium, near the site of the Battle of the Bulge, he has been a world traveller through most of his adult life. Central among Fred’s many interests is a lifelong love of painting. When he was a small boy, his mother would sometimes paint little floral scenes and give them to her children. He also had a neighbor who created backdrops for theaters. Stimulated by these and other examples, he developed a great zest for artistic creation. As a child, he would paint on bed sheets, on cardboard, anything flat. In the Merchant Marines, he used discarded tarps from the engine room. To this day, he enjoys process more then product. The smell of the oils and turpentine, the texture of the canvas, sensuality of brushes and paint are more important to him than any result.

His recent work has been dominated by Charleston cityscapes – not seen, however, with the traditional eye. The sky is generally very dark, inky “Prussian” blue, and starless. The trees are assembled color masses, balloon-like in appearance, and the buildings are intensely vivid in form and color, an impression heightened by the overhanging darkness. The paintings are bright – but also lonely. The mood is stock still. Most have no human or animal figures. It is as if Edward Hopper painted an abandoned carnival at 3:00 A.M.