<b>Best Photos of 2013:</b> This is the exhibit you’ve all been waiting for: The Best of the Best! This year, the Photography Club of Beaufort is showcasing their Best of 2013 in a new location: The front salon gallery at ARTworks, 2127 Boundary Street in Beaufort Town Center. The exhibit will run from January 3 to 31. Each Photography Club of Beaufort member will professionally exhibit their very finest image taken this past year. It can’t get any better than that. Color photos, black and white images, landscapes, birds, animals, trees, portraits, abstracts and still lifes — a very diverse subject matter will be presented for public display and sale.   ARTworks is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m.

The opening reception will be on Friday, January 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The public is invited. Visit www.photoclubbeaufort.com for more information.

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<b>BAA showcases ‘Naïve’ artist:</b> As the New Year begins, art lovers are in for a unique change of pace. An exciting exhibit of new mixed media paintings by Neil Jansen, American Naïve artist and Bluffton resident, will open downtown at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery on January 6, 2014. The artist chose the title Naive, because his work is not created in all one subject matter or style. The Naïve artist has a genuine personality, distinguished by an original unmistakable stylistic independence. This cannot be duplicated. His subject matter varies from farm scenes of his beloved Berkshires to floral studies and farm and domestic animals. Neil’s cat portraits celebrate the lives of the felines who have found their way through his door over the years.

Neil studied at Pratt Institute and is a graduate of Ringling College of Art, Sarasota, Florida, where he majored in Commercial Art and Graphic Design.  While serving in the military, Neil helped develop strategic visual aids for training. In his free time he nurtured  his art by offering painting classes to his fellow soldiers. After the military, Neil began a 25 year career on Madison Avenue developing promotional campaigns for leading distillers. Neil, now living in Rose Hill, is an active member of BAA. Along with painting, Neil continues to be a creative consultant for leading department stores involving high-end  products. Neil’s work may be seen in Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. The BAA exhibit will run from Monday, January 6 through February 15. The opening reception for Naïve will be on Friday, January 10, 2014, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Beaufort Art Association Gallery, 913 Bay Street. For more information, please visit www.beaufortartassociation.com.

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<b>Comedian James Gregory will be at USCB:</b><b> </b>On Thursday, January 9 at 7:15 p.m., veteran comedian James Gregory, will be live on stage at USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. James Gregory grew up watching stand-up comedy on programs such as Jack Benny, Milton Berle and the Ed Sullivan Show. After some nudging from his friends, he started doing open mic stand-up in Atlanta and things just took off. Today he performs his down-home stories of food, funerals and funny relatives to sold-out theaters, working 48 weeks of the year. Early in his career he earned the moniker, “Funniest Man in America,” but, he’s quick to tell you, “At that time there were only 13 states.” His jokes are squeaky clean as, he says, “My mother wouldn’t let me tell them if they weren’t.” It’s the kind of show you could feel comfortable bringing your date or your grandmother. What’s really unique about Gregory is his appeal to people of all ages, races, creeds and colors. It’s not unusual to see three generations rolling in the aisles. He comes off as that funny uncle that everyone gathers around at family reunions, because he has the best stories — and so reminds people of their own families. For tickets and more information, call the USCB Center for the Arts at 843-521-3145 or visit www.funniestman.com.
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