Great artists sometimes take years to produce a single portrait. Lowcountry silhouette artist Clay Rice does it in shy of 60 seconds with the aid of a piece of paper and a very sharp pair of scissors.
The man described by author Pat Conroy as a “great talent who combines soul and passion” returns to the South Carolina State Museum on Saturday, Oct. 15, to create keepsake silhouettes. Each profile silhouette takes Rice about a minute to cut and he estimates he’s cut more than 900,000 in his 32-year career.
Rice learned his craft from the master—his grandfather, famed South Carolina silhouette artist Carew Rice, who was described by poet Carl Sandburg as “America’s greatest silhouettist.” Grandfather and grandson were both celebrated in the State Museum’s exhibit Southern Shadows: 75 Years of Rice Family Silhouettes in 2005.
Cuttings from both generations of Rices are a part of the museum’s permanent collection, as is one of Clay Rice’s more recent works in silhouette sculpture fashioned from plasma-cut steel. “Lowcountry Sunrise” hangs just outside the museum’s Lipscomb Art Gallery and conjures a lyrical yet powerful image of the South Carolina marshes.
The art form that began in France in the mid-1700s, taking its name from one of its most famous practitioners, Etienne de Silhouette, has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Charming, unique and personal, these memorable keepsakes will be cherished for generations to come.
Prices for the silhouettes are $40 per person ($10 for additional copies, $20 for a 5 x 7 frame and mat).
Reservations are required and are still available. Visit the museum’s Web site, www.southcarolinastatemuseum.org or call (803) 898-4968 to make reservations or for information.