by LYNN LAMOUSIN for charleston review | august 2008

Sandpiper and Edward Dare: Art Lovers Engineer Two Winning Galleries

 

transcribed

Julie and Mark Sweat have an eye for unearthing gems.  The husband and wife team’s talent manifests itself not only in their ability to spot artwork that is perfect for their clientele, but also in their knack for locating the perfect gallery space.

However, they are probably the only people who would have used the word “perfect” to originally describe the Sullivan’s Island building that now houses Sandpiper Gallery.  When the couple first purchased the Middle Street structure, the windows were boarded up, half the roof was missing, and the inside was full of mud and little creatures – all courtesy of Hurricane Hugo.

This was in February 2001, and at the time both Julie and Mark worked as engineers; however, they wanted to start their own business and after discussing different options they decided an art gallery was the right fit.  They both loved art, but Julie in particular had grown up appreciating and creating art.  Her mother dabbled in many different mediums and she also encouraged Julie to experiment. This creative environment gave Julie eclectic taste and a discriminating eye.  “It makes me look at things differently because I know what it takes to produce,” she explains.

Once the Sweat’s found the Sullivan’s Island storefront, Julie says it was like “Jumping off the Queen Mary into a rowboat – a pretty rowboat, though.” She laughs at the analogy but then matter-of-factly adds, “It really was very scary.”

Within one month, the couple moved from Raleigh, put all their financial resources into renovating the newly acquired building, and saw their income diminish when Julie left her secure career as an engineer to focus fulltime on their new business.  They spent months remodeling the building and finding the right mix of artists to represent.  Because of their hard work and “sweat” equity, the business took off almost immediately.  Even the difficult economy surrounding the September 11 terrorist attacks (which occurred four days before Sandpiper opened) didn’t hinder this determined couple and their stable of outstanding artists.

In 2005, the couple continued to make strides in the art world by opening their second gallery.  Usually a business will keep the same name when opening a new location, but as Julie explains it, “When we went to open the downtown gallery we didn’t call it Sandpiper because it didn’t fit the location.  All I could picture was a little bird burning its feet on the concrete.” 

Instead, they called their downtown gallery Edward Dare.  To find out more about the genesis of the gallery’s name, visit their current show “Who is Edward Dare?” which runs into July.  In this portraiture exhibition, the artists were asked to create a piece representing their vision of the gallery’s elusive namesake.  The breadth of styles, compositions and themes evoked from this simple challenge shows the diversity of talent handled by the galleries.

Catering to all price points, the paintings at Sandpiper and Edward Dare offer an array of subject matter including figurative, landscape, architectural and still life.  The galleries also showcase photography, jewelry, turned wood, textiles and sculpture.  Artists who are represented by the Sweats can have their work shown at both galleries. 

Even though the galleries share the same artists, the locations each have their own identity.  Sandpiper has a more casual feeling to match the relaxed atmosphere of Sullivan’s Island, and the Sweats usually display beachscapes, gift items, and whimsical work there.  At Edward Dare, you’ll find their more formal works, which seem to appeal to the downtown clientele and match the historic Broad Street location. However, don’t be put off by this small differentiation in styles; the art consultants at both locations are familiar with all the work carried by the two galleries.  Plus, in-home appointments can be scheduled so art lovers can “try out” pieces before purchasing. In addition, the Sandpiper Gallery offers custom framing and also holds classes and workshops for artists of all experience levels.

After seven years in business, Julie and Mark still put in long hours to ensure their business continues to be a success.  Mark still works as an engineer, but he is a big part of the galleries and Julie is quick to give him credit. “Mark is key to the business.  I couldn’t do it without him because he’s such a calming influence – and I need his strength.”  She laughs and jokingly adds, “I couldn’t hang the paintings without him.”

Sandpiper Gallery is located on Sullivan’s Island at 2019 Middle St.  Edward Dare Gallery is in downtown Charleston at 31 Broad St. #100.  On the Web, visit www.edwarddare.com for more information on both galleries.

 

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