Daniel Island-based painter Amanda McLenon wasn’t always an artist. Her career progressed from high school science teacher, to coral reef scientist for NOAA, to marine biologist performing research in Antarctica. Then, while earning her master’s in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston, McLenon dis- covered she could paint. A series of commissions for fishing tournaments and invitations to exhibit at various galleries fol- lowed. In 2012, she was named Lowcountry Artist of the Year by the Coastal Community Foundation and decided to pursue art full time.
McLenon’s passion for the natural world is evident in her paintings as she portrays various wildlife as larger-than-life images full of motion. Her style includes reverse painting on glass, incor- poration of antique maps and nautical charts, and organic drips of paint that emulate water in large scale canvas pieces. With a growing map collection, McLenon creates custom paint- ings for clients all over the globe. This year, her new series of work with herons, pelicans,
flamingos and egrets—titled Grace—will debut during Piccolo Spoleto.
