MYRTLE BEACH, SC.-Following a tenth-anniversary year that included artistic genres from around the world, the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin launches 2008 with two exhibits showcasing the talents of artists in our own corner of the world.

On Jan. 13, the Museum opens The Smiths, A Lowcountry Family of Artists, featuring oil paintings by Betty Anglin Smith, Shannon Smith, Jennifer Smith Rogers and black and white photography by Tripp Smith; along with Michael McDunn: Works in Wood, featuring custom designed furniture by a gifted Greenville artisan.

Not only renowned as a close-knit family, the Smiths of Charleston are equally known for their extraordinary artistic talents. Betty Anglin and her 30-something triplets, Shannon, Jennifer and Tripp, intertwine their lives and their art. Betty’s marsh-front home and studio serve as the backdrop for her enormous canvases full of strong colors and ever-moving brushwork. Shannon, the world traveler, finds inspiration in subject matter she has encountered in the U.S. and abroad. Jennifer, mother of two youngsters herself, stays closer to home, capturing the historical sites and the coastal islands surrounding Charleston. And Tripp uses black and white photography to bring to life the hidden treasures of the barrier islands and natural vistas of the quickly dwindling pristine marshlands.

Exhibited with these works by the Smiths are finely crafted custom pieces of furniture by Greenville, SC artisan Michael McDunn. Whether commissioned to build a conference table, credenza or desk for a corporate office, or a Kiawah hunt board, walnut corner cabinet, or Kyudo audiovisual cabinet for some discriminating homeowner, master craftsman McDunn creates unique furniture pieces that serve as elegant and powerful centerpieces for any space.

The exhibit comprises some 28 works by the talented Smith family, along with 16 pieces by McDunn, and remains on view through April 17.

An opening reception will be held from 2 – 4 p.m. Sunday, January 13. Gallery talks on the exhibits will begin at 2:30 p.m. Regular gallery hours are from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Sundays, beginning January 10 for Pete the Cat and January 14 for The Smiths and Michael McDunn.

Admission to the Museum is free at all times, but donations are welcome. For further information, call 843-238-2510 or visit www.MyrtleBeachArtMuseum.org.

The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum is a wholly nonprofit institution located across from Springmaid Pier at 3100 South Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. Components of Museum programs are funded in part by support from the City of Myrtle Beach, the Horry County Council and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.