West Fraser was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1955, and raised in nearby Hinesville until 1964, when his family moved to Hilton Head Island. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Fine Art’s degree in 1979. The following year in Savannah, he worked independently as an illustrator and began his first serious painting in watercolors. From 1980 to 1984, he lived in Buck’s County, Pennsylvania, and began traveling up and down the New England coast to paint maritime subjects and harbor scenes. In 1984, he settled in Charleston, continued his work in watercolor through the late 1980s. The realistic, detailed marine compositions from this period resulted in early critical recognition, with a 1984 two-man show at the Grand Central Art Galleries in New York City, and his first one-man exhibition at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston in 1986 through early 1987.

By 1986 Fraser had already evolved in a looser, more lyrical watercolor style, and by 1989 had started producing his first oil paintings created from life in open air—en plein air—a style based on an impressionistic rendering of light, color and atmosphere on the forms of landscapes, city scenes, and marine views. Since then he has explored his vision in this vein—constantly developing his formal and expressive skills in portraying subjects ranging from panoramic urban rooftop views, to intimate streetscapes, to remote island marshlands. Working in plein air liberated Fraser from his studio, placing him into the rich fabric of urban life, or by contrast, into unspoiled natural environments, where he has recreated the light and colors of seasons, times of day, and varied atmospheric effects on landscapes and city scenes.

PERMANENT MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

Greenville Country Museum of Art, Greenville, SC

Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA

Masterworks Museum Collection, Hamilton, Bermuda

Midway Museum, Midway, GA

Mission, San Juan Capistrano Museum, CA

Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA

Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH

Telfair Museum of Art, Savannah, GA

CORPORATE AND INSTITUTIONAL COLLECTIONS

Amelia Island Plantation Company, Florida

Anson’s Restaurant, Charleston, SC.

Arizona Bank, Arizona

Bald Head Island Company, North Carolina

Bank of America, Georgia, North & South Carolina

Bower and Knight Yachts, California

Bray’s Island Plantation Collection, South Carolina

Callawassee Plantation, South Carolina

Carolina First Bank, South Carolina

Carolinas Restaurant, Charleston, SC.

Cousteau Society, Virginia

Disney Corp., Florida

Evergreen Lines, Taipei, Taiwan,

Fenco, New Jersey

Fraser Yachts, San Diego, California

Heritage Classic Foundation, Hilton Head Island, SC

MBNA, Maine

OOCL, Taipei, Taiwan

Palmer and Cay, Georgia

Palmetto Bluff /Crescent Development Corp., South Carolina

Piggly Wiggly Corporation, South Carolina

Professional Mortgage Company Collection, South Carolina

Roper Foundation, South Carolina

Sea Island Company/The Cloister, Sea Island, GA.

Sea Pines Plantation Company, South Carolina

South Carolina Governors Mansion, South Carolina

South Carolina National Bank, South Carolina

Spring Island Plantation Company Collection, South Carolina

The Boathouse Restaurant, Charleston, SC.

The Signal Companies, South Carolina

The State of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

The White House, Historic Foundation, Washington, DC.

Thompson Industries, New York, NY.

US Department of State, US Embassy, Ottawa, Canada

SOLO MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS

April – June 2007, Bakersfield Museum of Art,Bakersfield, CA, As I See it, Paintings by West Fraser

April – June 2002, Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville , SC, Charleston in My Time, Paintings of West Fraser

June – Sept. 2002, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, Charleston in My Time, Paintings of West Fraser

Oct. 02 – Jan. 2003, Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA, Charleston in My Time, Paintings of West Fraser

Sept. – Oct. 1995, Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH, The Color of Light, PaintingS of West Fraser

Nov.1986 – Jan. 1987, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, Coastal Watercolors by West Fraser

GROUP MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS

Art in the Embassies Program, Ottawa, Canada

Art in the Embassies Program, Tanzania

Bakersfield Museum of Art, Bakersfield, CA

Clinton Library, Little Rock, AR

George H. Bush Library, College Station, TX

Gerald R. Ford Museum News, Grand Rapids, MI

Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC

The Hubbard Museum of the American West, Ruidoso Downs, NM

Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, AL

The Irvine Museum of Art, Irvine, CA

The Johnson Library, Austin, TX

The Ottawa Art Gallery, U.S Embassy, Firestone Collection of Canadian Art, Ottawa, Canada

Laguna Art Museum, Laguna, CA

Mariner’s Museum, Newport News, VA

Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA

Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT

The Nixon Library, Yorba Linda, CA

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, Speigel Grove, Fairmont, CA

South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC

Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH

White House Historical Association, Washington, DC

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

August 27 – September 2 2010, Plein Air Painters of America: On Location with the Plein Air Painters of America,  ArtSpace Gallery, Association of Jackson Hole, Jackson, WY

November 2009, Claudia Heath Fine Art, Charlotte, NC, Group Exhibition

November 2009, Helena Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC, The Siren Call of the Sea and Shore, Group Exhibition

October 2009, Salmugundi Club, New York, NY, 126th Annual Member’s Exhibition

October 2009 – Dec 2012 Plein Air Painters of America, American Legacy: Our National Parks: Haggin Museum, Stockton, CA;  City of Lake Charles, Louisiana; 

 
Museum of the Southwest Midland, Texas

; 
Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts , Springfield, Massachusetts

; 
R.W. Norton Art Gallery, 
Shreveport, Louisiana; 
Booth Western Art Museum , Cartersville, GA; 
Washakie Museum and Cultural Center, Worland, WY

April 24, 2009, California Arts Club Pasadena, CA, 98th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition Invitational

November 17, 2008, US Embassy/Firestone Collection of Canadian Art/The Ottawa Art Gallery Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, At Home West Fraser and The Twentieth Century Landscape School as Represented In the Firestone Collection of Canadian Art

November 7, 2008, Helena Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC, Another Look, Paintings by West Fraser, One Man Exhibition

September 2007,Crystal Cove Alliance Crystal Cove, 5th Annual Tropical Gala and “Coastal Splendor” Invitational

May 17, 2008, The Irvine Ranch Conservancy Irvine, CA, Heritage 2008 Exhibition 2nd Place Award *

April 26, 2008, California Arts Club, Pasadena, CA, 97th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Invitational

November 2007, Helena Fox Fine Art Charleston, SC, Inside & Out, Group Exhibition

September 2007, Crystal Cove Alliance, Crystal Cove, CA, 5th Annual Tropical Gala and “Coastal Splendor” Invitational 2nd Place Award *

May 2007, Fraser Fox Fine Art, Charleston, Support American Fishermen, One Man Exhibition

April 12 – June 12, 2007, Bakersfield Museum of Art, Bakersfield, CA, As I See It Paintings by West Fraser, One Man Retrospective Exhibition

February – June 3, 2007, Clinton Library Little Rock, AR Eye of the Artist, White House Impression, Invitational

January 2007, The Governors Mansion Columbia, SC, Unveiling of Official Portrait of Governor Mark Sanford

November 2006, Fraser Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC, As We See It, Charleston and the Lowcountry, Group Exhibition

May – August, Gibbes Museum of Art Charleston, SC, Painters in Paradise: The Masterworks Bermuda Collection

2006, Traveling Museum Exhibition, USA Painters in Paradise: The Masterworks Bermuda Collection

January – May 2006, White House Historical Association Washington, DC. White House Impressions: The President’s House Through The Eye of The Artist, Invitational

1999 through 2006,

Gerald R. Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, MI, Eye of the Artist, White House Impression, Invitational

The Nixon Library and Birthplace, Yorba Linda, CA, Eye of the Artist, White House Impressions, Invitational

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Spiegel Grove, Fremont, CA Eye of the Artist, White House Impressions, Invitational

The Johnson Library, Austin, TX

Eye of the Artist, White House Impressions, Invitational

George H. Bush Library College Station, TX, Eye of the Artist, White House Impressions, Invitational

2006 – 2009, Art in Embassies US Embassy, Ottawa, Canada, Paintings on Loan at Ambassador’s request

November 2005, Fraser Fox Fine Art Charleston, SC, Six Masters on Cumberland Island, Group Exhibition

October 2005, Fraser Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC, Stockholm and the Midnight Sun, One Man Show

June 2005, 20th Annual P.A.P.A Exhibition & Sale, Lake Tahoe, NV, Invitational

November 2004, The Lodge, Sea Island, GA, Inaugural Sea Island Art Exhibition, Invitational

March 2004, Claudia Heath Fine Art, Charlotte, NC, Two Person Show

January 2004, Fine MJW Art, Balboa Island, CA, Four Person Show

October 2003, SAPAP, Santa Catalina Island, CA, Invitational

October 2003, Charleston Renaissance Gallery, Charleston, SC, West Out West, One Man Show

January 2003 – 2010, Governor’s Mansion, Columbia, SC Paintings on loan at Governor’s request

2002-2003, Arts in the Embassies, US Embassy, Tanzania, Paintings on loan at Ambassador’s request

2002-2003,

Greenville County Museum of Art, SC, Charleston in My Time: Paintings of West Fraser

Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, Charleston in My Time: Paintings of West Fraser

Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA, Charleston in My Time: Paintings of West Fraser

September 2002, Charleston Renaissance Gallery Charleston, SC, France, One Man Show

September 2001, Charleston Renaissance Gallery, Charleston, SC, Italian Sojourn, One Man Show

May-June 2001, Charleston Renaissance Gallery, Charleston, SC, Daws Island: A Painter’s Passion

November 2000, Charleston Fine Art Annual, Charleston, SC, Southern Impressionism

March 2000, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC, 100 Years: 100 Artists

May, 2000, Charleston Renaissance Gallery, Charleston, SC, West Fraser Paints Charleston, One Man Show

1999 Through 2004, White House Historical Association, Washington, DC, White House Impressions: The President’s House Through The Eye of The Artist, Invitational

March 1999, Charleston Renaissance Gallery, Charleston, SC, Spirit of Place

July 1999, Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, Laguna, CA, Juried Invitational; Bronze Prize *

November 1999, Charleston Fine Art Annual, Charleston, SC, Seen and Unseen, One Man Show

September 1998, White House Historical Association Commemorative Calendar, Washington, DC, Guest Artist

April 1997, Robert Hicklin Jr., Inc., Spartanburg, SC, As We See It, The View from Charleston, Two Person Show

September 1997, Arts for the Park, Jackson Hole, WY, Annual Juried, Top 100

November 1997, Plein Air Painters of America, Catalina Island, CA, Guest Artist

June 1996, Red Piano Gallery, Hilton Head Island, SC, New Paintings, One Man Show

November 1996, Kershaw County Fine Arts Center, Camden, SC, Recent Paintings, One Man Show

August 1995, Big Horn Galleries, WY, CA, CT, CO, Landscapes, Group Show

September 1995, Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH, The Color of Light, One Man Show

February 1994, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, Lure of the Lowcountry, Group Show

April 1994, Red Piano Gallery, Hilton Head Island, SC, One Man Show

April 1993, C. Duncan Connelly, Atlanta, GA, The Paintings of West Fraser

August 1993, The Gallery at 4 India Street, Nantucket, MA, One Man Show

February 1991, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, Contemporary Charleston, Invitational

June 1991, The Hubbard Museum, Ruidoso Downs, NM, The Pursuit of Excellence, * American Master, Invitational

August 1991, Ewing Gallery of Art, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Contemporary Charleston, Invitational

December 1991, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, CA, Contemporary Charleston, Invitational

September 1990, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, Charleston Maritime Heritage

September 1990, Huntsville Museum of Art, Huntsville, AL, Red Clay Survey

April 1989, Stobbart Gallery, Hilton Head Island, SC, One Man Show

July 1989, John Stobbart Gallery, Hilton Head Island, SC, One Man Show

July 1989, ASMA, Maryland Historical Association, Annual

1988 – Present, Heritage Classic Foundation, Hilton Head Island, SC, Annual Portrait of Winner

1988-1990, Art for the Park, Jackson Hole, WY, Annual, Juried, Top 100

April 1988, John Stobbart Gallery, Hilton Head Island, SC, One Man Show

August 1988, Southern Watercolor Society, Chattahoochee Valley Art Association, La Grange. GA, 12th Annual, Juried

June 1987, Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC, South Carolina Realist, Four Person Show

February 1986, Grand Central Galleries, New York, NY, Siren Call of Sea to Sail, Two Person Show

December 1986, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, One Man Show – Retrospective

March 1985, American Watercolor Society, Canton, OH, Annual Juried, Mary S. Litt Award *

September 1985, Mariner’s Museum, Newport News, VA, Juried

1985 – 1990, Mystic International, Mystic, CT, Annual, 1985 Award of Excellence *

November 1985, Guild of South Carolina Artists, Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC, Annual, Juried, Best of Show *

July 1984, Grand Central Galleries, New York, NY, Clean Air and Snug Harbors, Two Person Show

December 1984, Allied Artists of America, Juried, John Young Hunter Award *

March 1983, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, Annual, Juried

November 1982, Palmer Gallery, Bluffton, SC, The Lowcountry, One Man Show

1982-1993, Knickerbocker Artists, Annual, Juried

1981-1982, Joe DeMers Gallery, Hilton Head Island, SC, One Man Show

* Awards Received