Palmetto Silhouettes: Black-and-White Folk Art Celebrating South Carolina

Palmetto Silhouettes: Where Darkness Meets Light (and South Carolina Shows Off A Little Too)

There’s a moment in the Bible’s Creation story that artists understand instinctively: “In the beginning…”—before form, before detail, before color—there is darkness. And then, there is light. That’s exactly where Opa begins.

When Opa creates a Palmetto Silhouette, he doesn’t start with color, texture, or fine detail like most artists might. He starts with black. Pure DARKNESS!

From there, Opa carefully introduces white—LIGHT—until the scene reveals itself. Every image lives entirely in the eternal tension that exists between darkness and light, shadow and revelation. No gray. No shortcuts. Just contrast doing all the heavy lifting.

And somehow, out of such simplicity, something familiar—and meaningful—emerges.

Seeing “The Look” Without Saying a Word

Opa has spent a lifetime as a caricaturist—more than 70 years. That means he knows how to spot “the look”—the essential shape, posture, or outline that makes something instantly recognizable.

In caricature, that skill usually comes with a punchline. In Palmetto Silhouettes, it comes with restraint. These works still involve exaggeration and distortion (old habits die hard), but the goal is not humor. The goal is provocative beauty—art that gently slows you down and invites contemplation.

A bridge becomes more than steel. A church becomes more than brick. A lighthouse becomes more than navigation. They all become ideas—quiet reminders of place, memory, and belonging. And everything is based in South Carolina—the Palmetto State.

Standing on the Shoulders of South Carolina Greats

Every artist has mentors—even if they’ve never met them. Opa freely tips his hat to two South Carolina artists whose work has helped shape his visual instincts:

• Clay Rice, known for bold black-and-white compositions that let contrast do the talking.

• Jim Harrison, whose deep affection for the South Carolina landscape shines through every scene.

Palmetto Silhouettes aren’t copies. They’re more like conversations. A respectful nod to those influences—followed by a step in a new direction.

Opa works in the same state as those artists who inspired him. He has the same love for the Palmetto State too. But he speaks with a very different voice.

Folk Art for Thinking People

Opa’s silhouettes live comfortably in the world of folk art—art rooted in place, memory, and shared experience. They aren’t loud. They don’t try to explain themselves. And they don’t beg for attention.

They simply are.

Viewers bring their own stories:

• “I’ve walked that boardwalk.”

• “That’s the church where we were married.”

• “That bridge means I’m almost home.”

If the artwork makes you pause—even for a few seconds—then it’s doing its job. And that makes Opa a happy folk artist.

More Than Art: Sharing Palmetto Pride

Palmetto Silhouettes are designed to be shared.

That’s why they’re finding artistic homes as:

• Greeting cards

• Postcards

• Digital artwork

They are small, tangible ways to say:

• “This place matters.”

• “This is where I’m from.”

• “This made me think of you.”

Opa lovingly calls them Palmetto Silhouettes, but they might just as easily be called thoughtful love letters to South Carolina—written in black and white.

The Artwork ... The State ... The Story …

Enjoy the artwork! Love the Palmetto State. And share your Palmetto pride with family and friends—one silhouette at a time. They’ll appreciate it because sometimes, when you strip things down to black and white, you actually see more clearly than ever.

And that, dear friends, is the quiet magic Opa builds in behind Palmetto Silhouettes.

Our Story …

Palmetto Silhouettes are available as greeting cards, postcards, and digital artwork—simple ways to share South Carolina stories with the people you love.

That’s our story, and we’re sticking to it.