As we come out of our cozy holiday shells and start blinking in the cold winter sun, Jasper invites you to visit Sound Bites Eatery where both the food and the walls are comforting and warm.
Jasper’s featured artist for January is photographer Charles Hite, whose work is engaging and inspiring.
Charles is a lifelong resident of Lexington County. A retired U.S. Army veteran Hite started paying closer attention to his art in 2009 at the tender age of 60. His love of nature in all aspects can be seen in his images. When asked, he enthusiastically shares the stories of his images with others and he enjoys listening to their experiences, thereby gaining information about interesting subject matter. Many of his images are of nature, old buildings, historic sites, and astronomy related events.
Most of his images are visually accurate, but he no longer feels constrained to “take what the camera gives him.” Instead, he embraces the freedom to use available tools and capture techniques to render his impression of the scene before him, much like a painter, to make the subject his own.
In the artist’s own words …
I have lived in Lexington County of SC all but 2 years of the 74 years I have been alive. The other 2 years were spent in Germany while serving in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1971. During my time in the Midlands, I have seen a lot of change. Some good and some not so good…but mostly good.
I do not photograph people (except family) …for money or pleasure. It is too much like work for me. Instead, I enjoy nature and “things” …especially old “things.” And it seems the older I get the more I like old things. I like to be outdoors and take my time with my subjects. I like to be at the site well before the good light begins and watch the scene develop and well after the good light in the evening. I capture the scene and then I spend leisure time there.
As you can see from my images, there is no rhyme or reason to what interest me. Fortunately, some of my work has been juried into several shows and exhibitions. Some shows that I’m especially proud of are these:
Columbia Metropolitan Airport 2014 Exhibition
Rosewood Art and Music Festival…several years.
ArtFields in Lake City, SC, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
SC State Museum 30th Anniversary Art Exhibition - 2018
Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston, SC – 2019, 2022