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- Michelle Kaye
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- The Price of Rice
Against the Grain: Solo Exhibition by Michelle Kaye
Drummond Studio Gallery
12 Line Street, Suite 102
On View: Tuesday – Thursday
May 28 – May 30: 10:00am-2:00pm
June 5 – June 7: 10:00am-2:00pm
Artist Talk with Michelle Washington May 29 from 6:00-8:00pm
This art talk with Michelle Kaye will be hosted by Arun Drummond at the Drummond Studio Gallery The talk is named for Kaye’s “Against the Grain” solo exhibition examining the brutal legacy of rice plantations in the Carolinas and their foundational role in shaping the American South. Through large scale abstract paintings embedded with rice, symbolic imagery, and immersive installation, Kaye confronts the short and brutal lives of enslaved Africans forced to labor in rice fields. Works such as “Pharaohs and Masters” explore the conflict between profit and human cost, inviting audiences to reflect on inheritance, endurance and the true price of cultivation.
About Michelle Washington
Michelle Washington is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores themes of history, identity, and cultural memory. Drawing from extensive research and personal reflection, her practice engages with narratives of the African diaspora, particularly in the American South. ABOUT MICHELLE KAYE
About Arun Drummond
Arun Drummond is a Charleston-based artist and the founder of Drummond Studio Gallery. His work centers on Gullah culture, ancestral lineage, and the intersection of art, culture, and community. Through his gallery, Drummond creates space for artists and audiences to engage with meaningful cultural dialogue.
“Fervor”, aka Second Life Vol. 5, will feature 13 local visual artists who have utilized reclaimed art supplies by way of a White Elephant Supply Swap. Each piece they create for the show will include something they acquired from the swap! These supplies include, but are not limited to, clay, old magazines, a zen garden, yarn and wood scraps!
Guests are invited to explore what sustainability looks like in the Charleston art community.
“Fervor” will also include audio/visuals by Jack Powell and friends. Everyone should be excited to see the members of Hot Mustard perform again!
Jack Powell is an animator and composer who tells stories through found imagery and creative collaboration. His process derives from manufactured chaos from which he sifts and solves. The 2025 Gibbes Museum Visiting Artist’s multi-media solo exhibition is slated for fall of 2026. His Hot Mustard music project and Opus Thimble visual art projects can be found at opusthimble.com.
“Fervor” will be a fantastic collaborative effort of all involved. N
Date: Wednesday, June 3 from 5:00-8:00pm
Venue: Gibbes Museum of Art
Address:135 Meeting Street
Admission: Free
The Kids Craft Fair is a student‑run entrepreneurship event designed to empower young people through creativity, hands‑on learning, and real‑world business experience. The fair provides a platform for students to design products, interact with customers, and build confidence as makers and entrepreneurs.
Students have spent weeks and even months preparing their products, submitting applications, and learning real‑world business skills. Each student paid a vendor fee, and a portion of proceeds from the event will support the Charleston Animal Society, adding a meaningful community‑giving component to the fair.
This year’s visual identity was created by student illustrator Claire Sieverdes (June Moon Art), whose hand‑drawn flyer captures the playful, handcrafted spirit of the event.
Event Highlights
● Youth‑run vendor booths featuring handmade goods
● A wide variety of creative products made by local students
● Family‑friendly environment
● Free to attend and open to the public
● A chance to support young people learning real‑world skills
Date: Saturday, May 30 from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Address: 605 Rutledge Ave, Charleston
Admission: Free and open to the public
Purchases support student vendors + Charleston Animal Society
Piccolo Spoleto Artisan Showcase
Sunday, May 31 from 9:00am-3:00pm
Marion Square, 329 Meeting Street
Want to apply? Deadline to apply is May 1, 2026 MORE INFO HERE
Visit Marion Square to meet and browse a select group of invited local and regional artisans who will bring the goodies as well as exhibit handmade crafts, sculpture, and jewelry.
Exhibitors include:
Redux Contemporary Art Center: Creative Corridors: Analog and Bloom Where You’re Planted
Creative Corridors: Analog – For this annual group exhibition from the Redux Studio Artists, a theme is chosen to create a piece around. This year’s theme is Analog, which emphasizes hand-made, human made elements. Redux Contemporary Art Center Studio Artist Cindy Jesup will be exhibiting her new work Bloom Where You’re Planted in Gallery 1056 at Redux. This show will include 14 unique flora inspired paintings and collages. Both exhibitions will be on view for the remainder of Piccolo Spoleto.
Opening Receptions, Creative Corridors: Analog and Bloom Where You’re Planted
May 29 from 5:00-8:00pm
Redux Contemporary Art Center | 1056 King Street
Sip & Stroll with Small Opera
This Gardens and Galleries Art Walk Series transforms Charleston into a living stage. As you wander through downtown gardens and galleries, discover pop-up performances of opera favorites, musical theater, and poetry appearing in unexpected places. Sip, stroll, and let live music and poetry surprise you—blending visual and performing arts into one immersive evening. Featuring Small Opera and Charleston Poet Laureate A$iahMae, this elevated art-walk experience invites seasoned arts lovers and curious newcomers alike to encounter music, poetry, and art up close, outdoors, and in motion.
Join Small Opera for this FREE series.
Wednesday, May 27: Artwalk begins at the Pineapple Fountain at Joe Riley Waterfront Park (34 Prioleau Street), and continue to The Vendue (19
Vendue Range) and Robert Lange Gallery (2 Queen Street)
Wednesday, June 3: Artwalk begins Reinert Fine Art (179 King Street), American Gardens (174 King Street), The Gibbes Museum
(135 Meeting Street), Alkyon/Duckworth Gallery (120 Meeting Street)
artist. The exhibition will highlight the incredible talents, inspirations and collaboration of the artists.
Guests gather to celebrate the 10 artists working in pairs will present five collaborative art projects.
6:30 p.m.