Southeastern Wildlife Exposition | 2/14-2/16 | Charleston, SC

The Great Outdoors

Wildlife art and conservation are celebrated during the annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition.

Taking place at destinations across Charleston, South Carolina, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition(SEWE) brings the top wildlife painters and sculptors from across the country to the Lowcountry every February. Each artist brings something different to the table, with mediums ranging from oil, acrylic and gouache, to bronze and wood sculpture.

Artwork by Thomas Brooks on display in the Gallery by SEWE.

The vivid charcoals of 2025 Featured Artist Ray Brown will be placed center stage at this year’s event. Brown’s Veiled, a dark and dramatic portrait of a moose emerging from the shadows, is the featured work and the subject of the official 2025 SEWE poster. “Being named the SEWE 2025 featured artist is truly an honor and a validation of the work I’ve done over the years, but more than that, it’s a full-circle moment for me,” says Brown. “SEWE was the first show where I exhibited my work more than 20 years ago. To be chosen as the featured artist takes me back to that first time I walked into the ballroom, and I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished in my career since then.”

Peggy Watkins, Blue Wing Morning, oil on linen, 30 x 24"

Other artists to explore during the 2025 event include Kathleen Dunphy, Vicki Robinson, Richard Clifton, Ron Thomason, Suzie Seerey-Lester, Art MaLay and more.

“In many ways I hope visitors can expect the unexpected,” says SEWE president John Powell. “The opportunity to witness over 80 complete bodies of work and engage with the artists throughout the weekend is extremely unique. SEWE will boast the Fine Art Gallery as well as Gallery by SEWE, which is a year-round expression of the weekend. The relationships we build with the artists is truly something the full staff looks forward to, and we cheer as our collectors find new work and new friends each year.”

Mark Horton, Showers Over the Shore, oil on board, 12 x 24"

Visitors can also expect a packed schedule of events throughout the weekend, including the Quick Draw Speed Sculpt and Auction, herding demonstrations, and flight demos with birds of prey, to name just a few.

“Our efforts to promote artists and conservation organizations are similar in that there are no geographic boundaries, and we want to lend support to both the established and the newcomer,” says Powell. “I believe there are few events in the country where you see both active and organic collaboration on such a large scale.”