Art is central to life, whether it’s a novel, a movie, a painting, weaving a sweetgrass basket, or simply how your granny decorates a birthday cake in her special way. It’s all art, and it can move the soul. Art can take on an even deeper personal significance if you know the artist and gain insight into their creative process.
The Lowcountry inspires creativity. There’s something in the air that pulls folks toward self-expression and gets their hearts stirred up. I’ve been fortunate to meet many creatives here in the Lowcountry, and from time to time I’ll write about those associations. This piece belongs to Jim Booth, the iconic Lowcountry artist who was also my friend.
I first met Jim at Brays Island Plantation in the mid-nineteen nineties when he and his wife, Virginia, had built a house at Brays. I was constructing my home more or less at the same time, and we often compared notes.
Having only recently moved back to the Lowcountry from Florida, I didn’t know Jim was an artist, and I certainly didn’t know how famous he had become. He was always very congenial and approachable, and without having spoken about our respective careers, we bonded over two primary things.
We were both Marine Corps veterans of Vietnam and avid outdoorsmen.
Jim was serving as head of the Brays Island hunt committee, so we had points of deep mutual connection.
One day, Jim asked me if I had ever hunted with a bow. I hadn’t, and I told him the only time I’d ever shot a bow was as a child at summer camp. I was miserably bad at archery. Most of my arrows missed the target and flew off into the woods, never to be seen again. Not an auspicious track record for becoming an accomplished bow hunter.
With typical Jim Booth generosity, he offered to teach me the basics of shooting a compound bow, and he patiently stuck with my initial ineptitude. Lo-and-behold, I soon began consistently hitting the bullseye, and I was hooked.
As for our Marine Corps experiences, we didn’t talk much, but we didn’t have to. We got it all out in a long chat, then let it be. And it was always there, the welded seam of shared experience and friendship.
Shortly into my bow training, I went over to Jim and Virginia’s house at Brays, and Jim invited me into his studio where he was working on his then-current work. All I remember seeing was a half-completed scene of pelicans flying over sand dunes in early morning light. Jim, a self-taught artist, was a master at capturing Lowcountry light.
Then something caught my eye.
“Holy sh*t, Jim! Are you the guy who painted those storm scenes of Charleston during Hugo?”
In classic Jim Booth style, he laughed his special laugh. “Yeah, those were big hits. Good for more than a few beers.”
In her epic book, Beacon of the Lowcountry: The Life, Art, and Legacy of Jim Booth, Jim’s daughter, Tracey Booth Owens, notes that prints of Jim’s ultra-famous painting, The Storm, sold out in three days. And if you ever want to buy a copy of Tracey’s stunning book, it’s available through Evening Post Books in Charleston: https://www.eveningpostbooks.com/products/beacon-of-the-lowcountry-the-life-art-and-legacy-of-jim-booth. The book is an exquisite and loving memorial from a daughter to her beloved dad.
While Jim and Virginia eventually left Brays Island to buy Prospect Hill Plantation closer to Charleston. Brays was a big part of their life when they were there.
Jim drew inspiration from the many breathtaking Brays Island vistas, and he painted profusely in his Brays home studio. There are many Brays Island scenes in Jim’s portfolio, and one of my favorites is Sanctuary Pond. The sunrise light is extraordinary. I have a signed print.
Jim passed away in 2021, but his legacy continues in the typical Jim Booth style of generosity and commitment to preserving the natural settings of his beloved Lowcountry. His daughters, Tracey and Diana, manage his artistic estate, and his paintings are sold or donated to support community and conservation causes. Daughter, Diana Booth, continues to manage the Jim Booth online gallery, which you can visit at https://jimbooth.com/.
Jim led a full, unique, and exemplary life. My purpose in writing this blog is not to tell Jim’s story.
Tracey’s book tells it all…or most of it, anyway.
My intention is to extol a great man and artistic icon who gave of himself to his nation, his family, his friends, and the Lowcountry itself. I am blessed to have known him.
