Image, courtesy of the artist: Yvette & Ansley, 2010, denim, 60 x 30 inches
Solo exhibition featuring works by Jim Arendt.
February 4 – March 2, 2026
South Carolina-based artist Jim Arendt’s denim portraits honor perseverance and making do. Arendt’s fascination with denim goes back to his childhood, when he watched his father patch his own jeans at night after work in Flint, MI. Since then, Arendt has observed and gathered the stories and likenesses of the working people around him. An attention to detail and care for authentic portraiture permeates Arendt’s sewn portraits, honoring the individuality of each person he portrays.
Artist Lecture & Closing Reception:
When
Monday, March 2, 2026
Artist Lecture: 5:00 – 6:00 pm CST
Reception: 6:00 – 7:00 pm CST
Where
Artist Lecture: 005 Biggin Hall
Reception: Biggin Gallery, 101 Biggin Hall
This event is free and open to the public. 005 Biggin Hall and Biggin Gallery are handicap accessible.
About the Artist
Jim Arendt is a Professor of Visual Arts at Coastal Carolina University. He received his BFA from Kendall College of Art & Design and his MFA from the University of South Carolina. He has participated in many residency programs, including the Vermont Studio Center, The Fields Project (Illinois), and From Waste to Art VI in Baku, Azerbaijan. Arendt has also been invited to teach at Penland School of Craft, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and Peters Valley School of Craft.
Arendt is the recipient of many honors and awards, including the 1st Place Award for his work in In the Round: 1st Biennial Outdoor Sculpture Competition (University of North Carolina Asheville, 2022), the Fiberart International 2019 Grand Prize, the South Carolina Arts Commission Visual Artist Fellowship (2014), and the ArtFields 2013 Grand Prize. His work has been shown in solo exhibitions across the United States and Canada, and in national and international group exhibitions including the Rijswijk Textile Biennial 2013 (Museum Rijswijk, the Netherlands), Fiberart International 2019 (Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA), and many more. Arendt’s work is included in the permanent collections of the South Carolina State Museum and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.