"Father and Son: The Legacy of Randy and Lyon Hill"

Gallery West, located at 118 State Street in West Columbia is proud to present an extraordinary exhibition presenting the work of two artists, father and son, exhibited together for the first time. Father and Son: The Legacy of Randy and Lyon Hill, from January 20 through February 28, 2015, will open with a reception on Tuesday, January 20 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Randy Lee Hill (1947-2013) was a South Carolina artist and historian. Born in Greenwood, SC, he attended the Citadel and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of South Carolina. During the 70s, he kept a studio in Columbia on the corner of Richland and Main during which time he painted murals and ran a frame shop and gallery in Five Points. His paintings and silkscreens featured the Congaree and Santee rivers and swamps. After living in several other southern cities, he eventually settled in Charleston in the 90s. There he became one of the city's most sought after tour guides, continuing until his untimely death in 2013. His time in Charleston changed the focus of his paintings to reflect his new environment: the LowCountry and historic Charleston buildings. One such painting has been the cover for the Historic Charleston visitor's guide. 

Lyon Forrest Hill (b.1975) lives and works in Columbia, SC. His wife is artist Jenny Mae, with whom he regularly collaborates. Lyon studied painting and printmaking at Savannah College of Art and Design, the University of South Carolina (under some of the same professors as his father), and the University of New Mexico. Since 1998, he has been a puppet maker and performer with the Columbia Marionette Theatre, where he has designed and built puppets for over thirty productions.

In 2007, he attended the Puppets in Prague workshop, a marionette-carving workshop conducted by master woodcarvers in the Czech Republic. His production of Frankenstein has been performed at regional and national puppet festivals. In addition to his work in puppetry, he creates paintings, comics, and short films. His puppet short films have been included in the video series Handmade Puppet Dreams, curated by Heather Henson, and shown around the world. His film Junk Palace has received an UNIMA citation, one of the highest honors in the puppetry community. His latest short film, supine: a dream, is funded by the South Carolina Film Commission.

Lyon cites his father as his main influence in becoming an artist. This is his first opportunity to share his father's work and display alongside him.

Programming during the exhibition will include two events, one afternoon performance featuring a family oriented puppet presentation, and one evening of a series of performances geared towards a more mature audience. Dates and times to be announced.