Local Treasures at Greenville County Museum of Art

“The Wyeth family has an extensive group of artists, don’t they?” I ask Paula Angermeier, Head of Communications at the Greenville County Museum of Art (GCMA). As we’re ascending the stairs to the main gallery at the museum, she confirms, “They’re kind of a dynasty, honestly.”

I had the pleasure of touring the museum galleries with Paula to learn the story behind our world-famous collection of Andrew Wyeth’s, the youngest child of famous illustrator N.C. Wyeth. The muted tones, realistic compositions, and familiar subjects reflect a shared artistic vision that runs through generations of the Wyeth family, revealing a deep connection to the land and its people.

“Part of what makes the Wyeth family so interesting is they didn’t really go to a lot of places to paint,” Paula notes. “They just painted what they knew.” As we walk alongside Andrew’s work, we stop at a painting of an apple—simple, yet probably full of hidden meaning. His familiar angles and simple subjects evoke a feeling Paula describes as “comfortable loneliness.” It’s the perfect way to put it.

Unlike the bold experimentation of abstract expressionism and modernism in his time, Andrew’s realism wasn’t always well received by critics. “He wasn’t pushing the envelope the way other artists getting attention were,” Paula explains. But his value has stood the test of time, with a 2023 auction sale hitting $23.3 million. That’s what is so fascinating about the economics of art—one moment a piece might be considered by the market to be worthless, and the next, it’s breaking records.

The GCMA isn’t looking to capitalize on this rise in value, though. Instead, they continue expanding the world’s largest public collection of Wyeth’s work. “We now have 65 finished watercolors, some temperas, and a rare self-portrait,” Paula says, proud of what this collection means for Greenville. Their goal isn’t quantity, but a well-rounded representation of Wyeth’s career.

The museum’s relationship with Wyeth dates back over 50 years. A pivotal loan of his work in the 1960s helped shape its identity, and in 1974, local businessman Arthur McGill secured a collection from a Hollywood producer, placing it on permanent loan to the GCMA. That collection’s sale in 1989 left a void, but the museum has since rebuilt its collection of Wyeth’s, bringing visitors from all over the world.

Wyeth’s work has a unique place in the GCMA’s collection - alongside an impressive collection of American art including work by contemporary American artists like Jasper Johns and William Henry Johnson. The museum also has a significant focus on Southern art and subjects, holding the world’s largest institutional collection of pottery by South Carolina’s David Drake, a medium they wish to expand upon.

Whether you’re drawn to Wyeth’s quiet introspection, the bold strokes of contemporary art, or the storytelling of the South, the GCMA offers a collection that continues to evolve while staying true to its mission. Exhibits rotate every two months, and every Sunday at 2 PM, the museum hosts a free event, inviting the community to engage with art in meaningful ways. Learn more at gcma.org.

This article was written by Sterling Crawford and originally published by TOWN Magazine. View the article on TOWN’s website here: Local Treasures at Greenville County Museum of Art - TOWN Carolina