Greenville Liberty Bridge in Rainbow by Jamie Calkin - 100 piece jigsaw puzzle
The lands of present-day Greenville, SC were once the hunting ground of the Cherokee and forbidden to colonists. Even so, around 1754 Richard Pearis, Greenville's first European settler, arrived in South Carolina to establish relations with the native peoples. By 1770, Pearis had sired a child with a Cherokee woman and received about 100,000 acres from the Cherokee - ultimately establishing a plantation on the Reedy River in what is now downtown Greenville.
Downtown Greenville is bisected by a wooded valley park containing the falls of the Reedy River. Falls Park on the Reedy is 32-acres and was founded in 1967 when the Carolina Foothills Garden Club reclaimed land previously used by textile mills. Dedicated in 2004, the park is home to the Liberty Bridge - a 345 ft. long pedestrian suspension bridge that curves around the 28 ft. waterfalls below (the site of the 1768 Pearis trading post, and later-built grist & saw mills). With cables on only one side, giving an unobstructed view of the falls, the structure looks as if it might be floating on air.
Originally a watercolor painting on 100% silk, Greenville Liberty Bridge in Rainbow, features Jamie Calkin's signature style - vibrant colors against a white background with loose black ink outlines.
If you keep up with Calkin's work you may notice a tendency to do versions of scenes "in rainbow". Jamie explains, “I like doing these for two reasons. First, because boy it looks good in water color! My art style is nothing if not bright! And second, to be an LGBTQ Ally and celebrate pride! I think it’s especially important to spread love through this image as a religious person in the South. Love is love, and rainbows are pretty".
A "mostly self-taught artist" (his words), Calkin began selling his playful renditions of Athens landmarks in 2001 - and today, expands to all of Georgia and beyond, painting scenes from other schools, cities, and various special locations, bringing local surroundings to life.
• 100 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle in cotton bag w/ VGP Travel Card
• Finished Puzzle Size: 11" x 16"
• Puzzle pieces on quality blueboard backing
• Matte Finish to reduce glare
• Recommended Age: 13+ Years