“The St. James-Santee Episcopal Church in McClellanville, SC” oil on canvas painting was chosen for the Art Show at Cultural Council of Georgetown County in Georgetown, SC in 2016.
Beneath the sheltering canopy of live oaks draped in Spanish moss, the historic St. James-Santee Episcopal Church in McClellanville, South Carolina, emerges like a quiet Southern sanctuary suspended in time.
When I painted St. James-Santee Episcopal Church in McClellanville, South Carolina, I wanted to capture not only the beauty of the historic structure itself, but also the feeling of peace that surrounds it. The moment I saw the church resting beneath the ancient live oaks draped with Spanish moss, I felt as though time had slowed down.
I was drawn to the warmth of the wooden church against the deep greens of the Lowcountry landscape, the graceful Gothic windows, and the quiet pathway leading to the entrance. The old trees seemed to embrace the church protectively, as if they had been standing watch over it for generations. I added the small cardinal because to me it symbolizes spirit, hope, and the quiet presence of life within stillness.
As an artist, I am often inspired by places where history and nature exist together in harmony. Historic churches especially speak to me because they carry stories — of faith, community, hardship, celebration, and endurance. I try to paint not just what I see, but what I feel when standing in those places.
This painting was reflects my love for Southern landscapes, historic architecture, and the timeless beauty found in peaceful moments. I hope viewers feel invited into the scene and experience the same calm and reverence that inspired me while painting it.
The real St. James-Santee Episcopal Church was built in 1890 in the historic fishing village of McClellanville as a “chapel of ease” for the St. James-Santee Parish, one of South Carolina’s oldest Anglican parishes dating to 1706. The church is known for its Carpenter Gothic architecture, native longleaf pine and cypress construction
Currently, this painting is part of the private collection of Lynn and Ron Roman of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
— Janis Clary “O”