Old Village Magazine

9 www.OldVillageMountPleasant.com | www.ColemanBoulevard.com feature online, implementing Instagram and other platforms to gain a wide audience. She noted that the rise of e-commerce aided her new project – folks were starting to trust shopping online more and more, and, what started as a collection of smaller pieces and gifts grew in time to include larger works. Now, a year after opening the physical gallery, Williamson and her team enjoy meeting several of the art collectors in person. “When we opened our doors, it was great to finally connect in person with people who’d known us online,” she said. The pieces at Charleston Artist Collective are local, and, as of the day I visited the gallery, there were 17 on the roster, including Anne Darby Parker, John Duckworth, Chelsea Goer, Susie Callahan and James “Squeakie” Stone. Williamson said she started with just six artists in 2010 and then “concentrated on bringing in different styles,” using social media and networking events to meet new contributors. Visitors to Charleston Artist Collective will find themselves awash in color and distinctive styles displayed in such a way that feels welcoming like the home of a tasteful friend, as well as intimate like a private studio. Williamson aims to keep prices affordable and create an “inviting” space to view and purchase quality local artwork. A native of Mount Pleasant, she also gives 5 percent of gallery proceeds back to local charities. “We’ve donated more than $140,000 so far,” she mused. “We just wrote a check to Lowcountry Food Bank – and we’ve supported everything from art to children’s relief to land conservancy. I think it’s important to give back to the community that inspires our artists.” Meanwhile, next door to Charleston Artist Collective is another gallery known as Heart of Gold. A venue for fine art photography curated lovingly by owner Aaron Zych, Heart of Gold is a must-see for lovers of photography, music and pop culture. Zych, who recently moved to the area from Brooklyn, ran a photography gallery in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan for 12 years. Because his “love and passion is photography” and the fact that the Lowcountry did not have many galleries devoted to the form, he opened Heart of Gold in the Old Village after learning through his connections, including neighbor Allison Williamson, that the space existed. The majority of photos displayed inside Heart of Gold – maybe 70 percent, according to Zych – are music photography, including rock ‘n’ roll greats such as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young – Zych’s personal favorite and the inspiration for the name of the gallery. Other photos highlight additional aspects of pop culture: a young Steve Jobs poses with an early Apple computer; Brigitte Bardot puffs seductively on a cigar. “Most of the photos I sell are film,” Zych said, adding that, like Williamson, photographers displayed at Heart of Gold include contacts he has known for a while, as well as new contributors. “Right now, I have 25 photographers on my website, and I am adding more daily,” he said. Zych’s enthusiasm for Heart of Gold is palpable – and rubbed off on me, honestly, as soon as I walked in. Sure, we both love music and culture, but seeing the photography on the wall really piqued the conversation, something that he takes seriously. “These aren’t just portraits; they’re conversation pieces,” he pointed out. “It’s exciting to see the enthusiasm people have when they come in, and I tell them the stories.” Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin is featured at Heart of Gold Gallery. Photo by Neal Preston / Heart of Gold Gallery.