Stormwater Studios Resident Artists

Stormwater Studios Welcomes Lenayah Rayford, 2025–2026 Resident Artist

Stormwater Studios is proud to welcome Lenayah Rayford as our 2025–2026 Resident Artist. The yearlong residency will provide Lenayah with a dedicated studio space beginning in September 2025 and culminating in a solo exhibition at Stormwater Gallery in summer 2026.

Currently a Studio Art major with minors in Art History and Liberal Arts at Columbia College, Lenayah is set to graduate in December 2025. Her practice spans graphite, oils, acrylics, and graphic design, exploring deeply personal and emotional themes through diverse media. Her work has appeared in STYLUS magazine (2021) and been exhibited at institutions including Midlands Technical College, Columbia College, and the University of South Carolina, as well as more recent showcases such as Beyond Time in North Charleston (February 2025) and Artista Vista in Columbia (April 2025). Among her recognitions are the Nevitt Award for Outstanding Studio Art Major (2023–2024) and a feature on the cover of Columbia College’s The Criterion (2025).

Beyond her studio work, Lenayah has served as an Associate Juror for the Crooked Creek Art League and recently explored performance art in Brittany M. Watkins’ 2025 exhibition DO/DO NOT in Columbia, SC. Her creative journey began after graduating from Brookland-Cayce High School in 2019, when art became an essential means of expression during the uncertainty of the pandemic and a rapidly changing world. Since then, she has continued to develop her voice as an artist while contributing to the broader fine arts community.

The Stormwater Residency Program, reimagined to support recent graduates of Columbia-area art programs, is designed to help keep creative talent thriving in the Midlands. This year’s collaboration with Columbia College reflects that mission, expanding mentorship and professional development opportunities for emerging artists.

Funded in part by One Columbia for Arts and Culture and an anonymous donor, the residency provides studio space, mentorship from Stormwater’s resident artists, and a culminating solo exhibition. Lenayah was selected following a recommendation by Martin Lang, Studio Art Program Chair at Columbia College, and a competitive review process conducted by Stormwater’s resident artists.

Stormwater Studios is grateful for this partnership with Columbia College and proud to welcome Lenayah to our creative community. We look forward to witnessing how she continues to grow, experiment, and contribute to Columbia’s vibrant arts scene.

Resident Artist Michel McNinch Shares Her Experience: Litchfield Painting Workshop 2025

The Ladies of the Traveling Paints have gathered each year to celebrate art, friendship, and the ocean. Some joined once or twice, while others have attended nearly every year. Each workshop has been special in its own way—filled with early-morning sunrises, late-night painting sessions, laughter, and heartfelt hugs as we part ways. It’s truly been a miracle to share this much creative, supportive, and loving time.

This year, our focus was capturing the movement of water—that lively, ever-changing rhythm of the sea. My demonstration painting, described by AI as “a textured oil painting capturing the lively movement of the sea with expressive brushwork and a muted color palette,” made me smile. I’ll take that!

From sunrise to moonrise, every moment was splendid. Here’s to ten years of painting, friendship, and the beauty of the ocean—and to many more to come.

Read more about our creative journey and see more images at https://www.michelmcninch.com/litchfield-painting-workshop-10-year-anniversary 

Stormwater Studios Artist-in-Residence David Yaghjian Featured in Two South Carolina Exhibitions

This fall, Stormwater Studios artist-in-residence David Yaghjian will be featured in two solo exhibitions across South Carolina, showcasing both his expressive paintings and sculptural works.

At the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg, Yaghjian presents Partial Inventory, on view from October 16 through December 6, 2025, at the UPSTATE Gallery on Main at the Chapman Cultural Center. The exhibition, which opens with a reception on October 16 from 5–8 p.m. during the Spartanburg ArtWalk, features a series of symbolically rich paintings exploring human nature, spirituality, and the connections between personal experience and universal themes. For further information, please check the SC Institutional Gallery listings or contact Leah Cabinum, Gallery Director, at [email protected].

Later in the month, Yaghjian’s sculptural works take center stage in Acrobats at Mike Brown Contemporary in Columbia, on view from Thursday, October 30 through Saturday, December 6, 2025, with an Artist Talk on Saturday, November 15. The exhibition includes playful, imaginative sculptures—primarily made from cardboard—that merge whimsy with technical craftsmanship. These works reveal Yaghjian’s ongoing exploration of transformation, materiality, and motion. Mike Brown Contemporary is located on Lincoln Street in Columbia’s Congaree Vista district.
For further information, please check the SC Commercial Gallery listings, call 803-667-9990, or email [email protected].

Together, the two exhibitions highlight Yaghjian’s versatility as both painter and sculptor and his ongoing engagement with themes of humanity, energy, and creative play.

For further information, please check the SC Institutional Gallery listings or contact Leah Cabinum, Gallery Director, at [email protected].