Artist Profile: Noelle Brault Makes A Statement with Light

JASPER: When did you first begin to pursue visual art? Where and when did you train, or are you self-taught?

BRAULT: I first began to pursue visual art in 2008 when I started taking lessons from Michel McNinch. I was always interested in art but never did anything about it until then. I took 5 years from Michel and then took several workshops from other artists.

JASPER: What mediums in visual arts do you typically use and why?

BRAULT: I paint in oil. I like the rich colors and how you can mix them. They feel natural to me.

JASPER: Where do you work now and where do you show your work?

BRAULT: I work as a Manager of Software Development at Southeastern Freight Lines. I show my work currently at Over The Mantel gallery. 

JASPER: Who have been your greatest influences as an artist?

BRAULT: Other contemporary artists have influenced my greatly including my teacher, Michel. Also, Shannon Smith Hughes of Charleston, Jason Sacran and Randall Sexton influence me just to name a few.

JASPER: What do you feel makes your art unique?

BRAULT: What makes my art unique is the way I manage light.

JASPER:  Who is your favorite SC-based visual artist and why?

BRAULT: I suppose my favorite SC based artist is Shannon Smith Hughes of Charleston. I love the energy and excitement in her pairings and also the way her paintings glow.

JASPER:  What are you working on now, will we get to see it, and if so, where, and when?

BRAULT: I am always working on a new painting. Right now, I'm working on a nocturne of the Jekyll Island Hotel and also an old truck at Price's tree farm. They will be available at the Cottontown Art Crawl on March 13th.

4th Annual Cottontown Art Crawl is Coming Up - Saturday, March 12, 2022, from 10 am to 3 pm

The fourth annual Cottontown Art Crawl will welcome 115 artists to show and sell their original work in the downtown Columbia neighborhood. The event will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2022, from 10 am to 3 pm with more art, more artists, more food and more fun for visitors.

In 2019, the historic neighborhood in downtown Columbia, S.C. held the first Cottontown Art Crawl. The event drew hundreds of people to explore the neighborhood and its businesses and garnered the 2019 Neighborhood Program of the Year from the Columbia Council of Neighborhoods. The event has seen significant growth since. The 2022 event will be the largest yet sponsored by the neighborhood.

“The Cottontown neighborhood is looking forward to supporting the Columbia arts scene on March 12th,” said organizer Julie Seel. “Artists will be selling their work throughout the entire neighborhood. Some of the artists are emerging, some are quite accomplished, and some are award winning, juried artists. So, we truly have something for every level of art enthusiast,” said Seel.

This event is entirely outdoors and spread over several city blocks, but social distancing and masks are encouraged. The organizers of the event are committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all and providing an opportunity for artists to showcase and sell their work safely.

Due to the success of the last three Art Crawls, this year boasts many more artists than previous years, as well as an accessibility and entertainment corridor on the 2200 block of Sumter Street with artists, food vendors and entertainment. While artists are located throughout the neighborhood, the corridor is intended to be more accessible to individuals with mobility issues. 

The event is FREE and open to the public and will also feature live music featuring local bands and performers at Indah Coffee’s outdoor stage. The main host station will be located at 2200 Sumter Street, where information and maps will be available. Maps will also be available at specially marked post boxes throughout the neighborhood.

For more information about CAC and to see work by artists, please visit the Facebook and Instagram pages, or email jseel1@sc.rr.com.