24 Jul “People” by Rhian Swain in Augusta & CO. Gallery
“People” is a solo exhibition of artworks created by Augusta based artist Rhian Swain. This showcase is a mixed display of recent and archived works over Rhian’s cultivated career and friendship with the Greater Augusta Arts Council. Her infamous “Festival People” has become synonymous with the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival, that happens annually in downtown Augusta, GA. Rhian draws inspiration from the human figure. By painting them in their bold, uniqueness, Rhian brings the vivacious qualities of the human spirit to life through her work. “People” is one view at Augusta & Co. Gallery, located in Downtown Augusta, GA at 1010 Broad Street. The exhibit is free and open to the public from June 26 – October 2, 2025, Monday – Saturday from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. A reception will be held August 1, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
You can find out more about Rhian Swain and her work by visiting www.augustaarts.com/galleries.
About the Artist:
Rhian Swain has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Atlanta College of Art. She is a painter, photographer, designer, illustrator, writer, and former talk show host. She owns RedWolf Advertising, an ad agency that provides marketing services to national and international clients for 30 years.
In 2024 Rhian had three major exhibits in Augusta, GA; one at Sacred Heart Cultural Center, another called “21st Century Goddesses” at the Ellis and Anne Johnson Gallery, and a three-month showing of her traveling exhibition “Breaking the Barriers: Women Who Impacted the Arts” at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History. The series of paintings was partially funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibit has been met with critical acclaim and will continue to tour for the next several years.
Rhian was inducted in the National Association of Women Artists in September 2023 and currently serves on the Board of the South Carolina Chapter. In 2025 She was appointed as Co-chair of the PR Committee for NAWA National in NYC. Rhian is past President of the Greater Augusta Arts Council and currently serves on their board.
She’s curated several themed shows that featured the work of local and national artists. She recently had three paintings on exhibit in the Burroughs Chapin Museum in Myrtle Beach South, Carolina, as well as a piece at the Salmagundi Club, in New York. She currently has two paintings in the Brook green Gardens’ prestigious Rosen Gallery, a painting in the Lenovich Gallery in New York and an exhibit at the Laney Museum of Black History called “A Thousand Words.”
Rhian has been exhibiting and selling artwork regularly for 40 years. She works in many mediums, including acrylic, watercolor, multi-media and digital (non-AI) painting. She loves to infuse symbolism into her pieces. Humor and bright colors are often found in her work. Her recent creative explorations have included merging figurative and abstract techniques that evoke an emotional impact and working with new techniques.