Newsletter

Our monthly e-mail newsletter is a visual departure from your ordinary e-mail. New paintings and events in the gallery and Charleston.
Its a refreshment for the senses. Short & informative.

Ben Makes New Friends

Ben takes some time off from the Gallery to meet children in the courtyard.
	Six year old Dylan, from Mt. Pleasant, was visiting Freshfields with his family when he saw Ben relaxing in the sunny courtyard. Dylan loves dogs and they became instant friends. Ben gave Dylan one of his books for "Show and Tell" at school.
Did Dylan give Ben a kiss or was he telling him a secret?

	In a nice shady spot, Ben and another new friend, Liam enjoyed looking at the pictures in his book.

Dobbin Painting raises $2500 for Romanian Orphans.

	Dr. David Wolf, a dentist from Indianapolis, is a participant in the Donated Dental Services program and volunteers two weeks of his time, skills, and money each year to travel to Oradea, Romania, to perform much needed dentistry on the children of Caminul Felix orphanage. He is also involved in helping the orphans of Haiti. When he walked into the Dobbin Gallery last winter, the topic of conversation turned from art to orphans, perhaps due to the recent adoption of two Haitian orphans by the Dobbin's daughter. The gallery wanted to be part of the effort to raise funds for these children and donated two paintings for "Remember the Children". One of these, an original oil painting of the Charleston battery by Alice Ann Dobbin, raised $2500 for the organization.


	Dr. Wolf with the children of Caminul Felix ("Happy Home")

Monsignor Rowland Blesses the Dobbin Gallery

	The Most Reverend Monsignior Charles Rowland of Holy Spirit Church on Bohicket Road, Johns Island arrived at the Dobbin Gallery on a Saturday during the Lenten season for a special blessing.

Monsignor commented that more business owners should take the opportunity to have their buildings blessed. As for the gallery, we had a bountiful day of sales that Saturday. We were honored to have the Monsignor extend the Lord's blessing to us.


Ben received a little blessing from the Monsignor, too.

Artist Mary Garrish, selected by National Park Service

to depict the Everglades and Dry Tortugas

On March 1, 2010, Mary Garrish, landscape artist with the Dobbin Gallery, began a three week long stay in Everglades National Park. Her purpose was to capture the beauty of the everglades and record it through her lovely interpretive representational oil paintings. Garrish has been selected to be one of only a few artists each year across various artistic disciplines given this opportunity.

The national park system has long understood the importance of artists to its existence. For over a century poets, writers, photographers and painters have captured some of our most memorable park vistas, and in many cases have contributed to their establishment and preservation. Each year, Everglades National Park has openings for 3-6 artists to live in the park for up to one month at a time while working to maintain this tradition.

The Artist in Residency program is not for everyone, but is designed to provide an opportunity to those who care about the environment and want to contribute as well as benefit from it. According to Garrish, she would like “to build a body of important work that will help the public understand these delicate ecosystems by capturing the complexity of them in my paintings.”

New Additions to the Family

In December and January, Bob and Alice Dobbin welcomed three new members to their family. The Dobbins are now proud grandparents of three little boys. Their son and his wife had a baby boy just before Christmas. Their daughter and son-in-law were in the process of adopting two siblings from Haiti when the earthquake struck. The boys were among the last orphans to be released to waiting US families.


The "E-Trade " Baby may have competition with this little guy.	The boys arrived in poor health. The little one even had pneumonia. Six weeks of loving care in their new family made a big difference. Their smiles warm your heart.

Original by Alice Dobbin to Benefit Our Lady of Mercy Outreach

Getting Ready for the Holidays

A special event for the ladies kicked off the holiday season at Freshfields Village. The Dobbin Gallery provided several tables of wines and gourmet treats catered by Heges Restauant.

Below:

The village sparkeled at night with the holiday trimmings.

Franz Porcelain Founder has Audience with Pope Benedict XVI

Franz is a world renowned porcelain which can be found in the Charleston area only at the Dobbin Gallery here in Freshfield’s Village. In a recent meeting, Pope Benedict XVI and Francis Chen, president and art director of Franz Porcelain recalled the history of Chinese and European creative collaboration. Spiritualism and aesthetics was the theme of the meeting during which Chen offered the “Cherry Tree and Grosbeaks “ Collection to the Vatican. The pieces are a limited work with the National Palace Museum of Republic of China and are based on the work of Guiseppe Castiglione (1688-1766). The collection is a one-of-a-kind creation done especially for the Pope.

Castiglione was an Italian painter, Jesuit missionary and court artist of the Ching Dynasty. He left Italy for China at the age of 27. He preached as well as painted. Renowned for his intricate figure, floral and fauna works, he endured three emperors and pioneered a Western painting technique with an Oriental flair. He was marveled as the pillar of the Qing imperial painting academy and his originals are classified as national treasurers in th Palace Museum’s collections.

Similar to Franz Porcelain’s effort to unite European and Chinese aesthetics, Castiglione’s works blended the Eastern method of brush strokes and the Western concept of three-dimensional depth. Employing modern porcelain technology, Franz reproduced the fruitfulness of the cherry tree and the lively pose of the finch and restoring the world of classical painting to a three-dimensional plane. “Cherry Tree and Grosbeaks” symbolizes the strong link between faith and art as well as the call for world peace.

Charity Benefit & Auction

Low Country Wine and Beer Festival
3rd Annual Event on the Green at Freshfields Village

September 6 5-8pm

Don't miss the chance to bid on this fabulous painting.

"Marsh at Sunrise"

The Dobbin Gallery has donated this 30x40 original framed oil painting for the festival auction. The artist is the nationally recognized and award winning painter, Mary Garrish. She is currently featured in the September issue of "American Art Collector" magazine.

Music by the Cobblestone Jazz Trio

Door Prizes

Silent and Live Auctions

Advanced tickets $25 At the Gate $30

Proceeds to benefit Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic

Taste brilliant wines from around the world. Sample fine craft beers and enjoy splendid flavors of local cuisine.

Ladies Night Out at Freshfields Village

Reduced Prices, free gifts, wine & hors d ouvres

Tuesday, Sept. 22 5-8pm

The Dobbin Gallery joins more than 15 stores and boutiques in Freshfields Village to host an event especially for the ladies. The Gallery will be offering a 15% discount and the first ten customers will receive a free gift.

Special Artist Promotion

"The Chefs" Wenshi 12x16

We are featuring a special promotion of small originals by Wenshi. For a limited time, the 8x10 unframed paintings will be selling for $175 and the 12 x 16 paintings will be selling for $275 unframed. Framing is available. This is a great time to buy these palette knife paintings by one of our most popular artists. Consider these colorful and textural additions for your home or for gift giving. Wenshi normally paints large (24x30 to 36 x48) and he created these smaller pieces especially for us to introduce his fine art to new customers. If you are interested, don't hesitate. They are selling quickly at these prices. See Wenshi's artist page for these specially priced originals. Special pricing ends Sept. 30, 2009.

Easter Events at Freshfield's Village and the Dobbin Gallery

It was a perfect week-end for visiting the islands. The weather was beautiful.

	Lots of family fun on the "green" at Freshfields Village, including a live band. The "Easter Bunny" made an appearance, too.

People enjoyed the gallery's art display in the courtyard.

Artists for Conservation Names Alice Ann Dobbin Signature Member

Charleston Artist, Alice Ann Dobbin was honored to be accepted into this prestigious group. The organization includes members from 27 countries. It represents the world's leading collective of nature artists. Its mission is to support wildlife and habitat conservation and environmental education through art. Membership is limited to 500 and includes such renowned wildlife artists as Robert Bateman and John Seerey-Lester. Dobbin's philanthropic efforts are both local and nation-wide. She has supported or contributed her work to benefit numerous nature causes including Ducks Unlimited, the Charleston Animal Society, Wild Horse Rescue and World Wildlife Fund.

Grand Opening Gala for Freshfields Gallery a Hugh Success

	The art was hung. The weather was beautiful. We were blessed.

Tables for wine and hors d' oeuvres were set up in the courtyard outside the gallery. A wide assortment of hot and cold delicacies from Heges restaurant was fabulous.

Ben, the Gallery mascot arrives dressed in his formal attire.

	After weeks of preparation, owner, Bob Dobbin took a minute to pose before the festivities. Ben, the "Famous Gallery Dog of Charleston" was there, too. To their delight, everyone was impressed with the inviting atmosphere of the gallery as well as with the art.

Entertainment was twofold. Live Jazz by the Kain Naylor Ensemble was interspersed throughout the evening with gospel music by the The Plantation Singers.

	The almost 200 guests were mostly from Charleston, Kiawah and Seabrook Islands, but some came from as far away as Atlanta and Hilton Head.

The courtyard provided a nice backdrop for the gallery. t

	(l-r) Artist Craig Reynolds with Bruce Bishop, President of PC&L Agency.

B J Ernst, owner of the Josie Edell Gallery and her father Mr. William Ernst.

	Artists attending were (from left) , Craig Reynolds, Colleen Weisman, Eve Herbick (guest artist from Seabrook Artist Guild), Alice Ann Dobbin and Deborah Pellock.

A family photo. Featured artist, Alice Ann Dobbin with husband Bob and son, Matthew and daughter-in-law, Caroline.

Gallery Hosts Receptions for Seabrook Island Art Guild Members


For several consecutive months the gallery featured a different member of the Seabrook Island Art Guild and hosted a reception for each artist.

Dobbin Gallery Hosts Reception for Mary Garrish


	Several new works by Mary Garrish were featured during the reception for the artist on Friday of Memorial Day weekend. With wonderful appetizers from Hege's Restaurant, the event was a festive occasion.

On Saturday morning, in the courtyard, Mary demonstrated her skillful techniques of painting from reference photos.