Cait Patel talks with Eileen Blyth about her show opening this week at
Stormwater Studios
Stormwater Studios is a community gallery and studio space housing 10 resident artists. Among those residents is Eileen Blyth, a staple in the Columbia art scene for close to 30 years. In her upcoming exhibition, she seeks to explore the relationship between line and shadow in her abstract paintings and sculpture. The Shadow Line, at Stormwater. Set to open Tuesday, January 21st, the show will display somewhere between 30 and 40 pieces of her latest work. The opening reception will be held at Stormwater on Wednesday, January 22, from 5-8 pm and the show closes on Sunday, February 2nd at 4:00 pm.
Who is Eileen Blyth?
Eileen graduated from the College of Charleston with a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art. Shortly after graduating, she moved to Columbia, where she pursued coursework at the University of South Carolina in graphic design and illustration. She worked for several years for a local typography company in Columbia. She has had many other exhibitions around South Carolina in galleries such as Gallery 808 in Columbia, Art and Light Gallery in Greenville, and Carolina Gallery in Spartanburg. You may also have seen her metal drum sculptures in Columbia as part of a public art initiative.
What is the show about?
Her show, The Shadow Line, will display a variety of abstract sculptures and paintings that communicate with one another. Blyth’s sculptures are composed almost entirely of objects extracted from found pieces. She works primarily with wood, metal, and cement. The juxtaposition of the paintings and sculptures are quite visually interesting and leave the viewer wanting to know more. For her, the repeated reflection of shapes and lines throughout her work is almost a subconscious theme. Her paintings are colorful abstracts with fine, elegant lines that echo in her sculptures. The relationship between the two is clear and compelling. Blyth says she’s inspired by the way the light comes through the window of her studio and informs how she views her own work. She seeks to answer questions such as, “How does the lighting and shadow of a piece inform how it is understood?” and “How does the relationship between a painting and a sculpture affect the viewer?” Her goal is to intrigue the viewer to ask themselves what they are truly seeing, whether real or perceived. The simple lines, shapes, colors, and shadows of her work will do just that.
What is one of her favorite “found” objects in the show?
A few of the sculptures in the exhibition were produced from molds she bought at a garage sale held by the SC State Museum. When asked how the molds were used originally, she says they were likely for small structural pieces of the old cotton mill such as nuts and bolts. She uses them to create castings in cement to fabricate simple and unique shapes that she can use as an individual piece, or in conjunction with metal or wood to create a finished work. The combination of the hearty cement shapes with a delicate metal line produces something that is truly visually fascinating.
How does this show differ from previous exhibitions?
Blyth says this show could be considered in some ways less intentional than previous shows. She is largely influenced by the stimulus of her surroundings and says this affects how she starts to paint or sculpt from moment to moment. Often times, she may start with an idea that ends up changing and evolving as she goes through the creative process.
What’s up next for Eileen?
Blyth says she isn’t quite sure what’s up next for her and that excites her. She wants to take a step back and look at the progression of her work over the past year and possibly go back to the basics of drawing and sculpting. She is also exploring the idea of taking time to travel and be open to where that may lead her next.
by Cait Patel
For more about her show visit
https://www.stormwaterstudios.org/event/eileen-blyth
For more information about her work visit