The Thibault Gallery, located at 815 Bay Street in downtown Beaufort, will feature the work of artist Alan Metzger during the month of June, according to gallery owner Mary Thibault.

[caption id="attachment_16920" align="alignleft" width="168"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Arts-Thibault-gallery1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-16920" alt="Alan Metzger and Mary Thibault." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Arts-Thibault-gallery1-168x300.jpg" width="168" height="300" /></a> Alan Metzger and Mary Thibault.[/caption]

Alan attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh a year after high school and after completing activity duty in the Marine Corp Reserve. He had several jobs in graphic design and advertising, and won various awards here and there. He was a business owner and worked in retail, and spent the past 15 years in advertising sales.

“After years of procrastination of dreaming of doing my art full time, I had this epiphany to quit my secure full time job, and finally use my God given artistic talent,” Alan said.

Last August, a friend emailed an entry form for a first commemorative poster contest for the International Polo Club in Palm Beach, Fla. “My response was that I had never been to a polo match and didn’t know anything about polo, plus you don’t realize how many good artists there are out there,” recalls Alan.

After more encouragement, he gave in and whipped out a very loose impressionistic painting of a ground level view of the pony’s hooves striking the ground. He emailed it to his friend, who quickly said that’s a winner, then he submitted it and forgot about it.

But he did win. “I had my daughter-in-law read it to be sure I read the email right, and then got a call from the ad agency confirming I had indeed won.”

In January, at the media launch, he autographed posters and was guest of honor for the polo match. “All the artist entries were auctioned off for a charity at the Polo Club and the president was the high bidder on my painting that now hangs in his office. Who would have thought? It gave me instant recognition in that elite community after only being a full time artist for just over a year,” Alan said.

“I continue to strive to be more of an impressionist, working in acrylics on canvas. Since winning the Polo Award, I have painted more equestrian paintings, but try other subjects such as tropical, birds, ocean scenes and, of course, the Lowcountry and historic Charleston. I feel really blessed and humbled to have my art accepted in such a short amount of time.”

For more information about the gallery, call 843-379-4278 or visit the website at www.Thibaultgallery.com.