Telfair Museums Examines Ossabaw Island’s Impact on Artists

The Telfair Museums in Savannah, Georgia, is showcasing 'Off the Coast of Paradise: Artists and Ossabaw Island, 1961–Now,' marking the first exhibition that examines the impact of the unspoiled barrier island on artists. This display highlights the Ossabaw Island Project and Genesis, which were multidisciplinary residency initiatives from 1961 to 1982. Co-curated by Erin Dunn and Beryl Gillis West, the grandson of the island's owner Sandy West, it features works from 32 artists, including a newly commissioned film by Allison Janae Hamilton. The exhibition is open until September 6, 2026, at the Jepson Center for the Arts. Sandy West transferred the 26,000-acre Heritage Preserve to Georgia in 1978, collaborating with then-Governor Jimmy Carter. Notably, the residencies also welcomed scientists and lawyers, alongside artists. Harry Bertoia developed his 'spill casting' technique through his collaboration with biologist Colin Pittendrigh on the island. Hamilton’s film 'Venus of Ossabaw' (2026) delves into marronage and the Underground Railroad to Spanish Florida. This fall, the Ossabaw Island Foundation and Arts Southeast will reinstate a residency program.