Located at: 414 Whilden Street Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
HOURS: Open Monday- Friday: 10:00am - 5:30pm & Saturday: 10:00am - 3:00pm
Sunday by appointment
email info@charlestonartistcollective.org or call (843)-936-2022
An innovator and leader in Charleston, South Carolina’s vibrant visual arts scene, Allison Williamson is a nurturer of local talent and a nationally respected authority on the exhibition and sales of original works of art.
Williamson’s early interest in art led to a degree in Art History from Sewanee: The University of the South with additional courses at Parsons School of Design in Paris and an intensive study on Pre-historic caves in the South of France. Her passion for collecting original works emerged during her five-year tenure managing a gallery in Park City, Utah that specialized in Russian Impressionism. From there, Williamson traveled to Russia to visit her artists in their studios and personally select art for the gallery. She took her Russian works on the road, directing shows in Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Charleston and San Francisco among other cities across the US. Stimulated by her immersion in this creative world, Williamson found her professional calling.
Williamson’s twin boys were born in 2006, and she and her family returned to live in her hometown of Charleston, SC. Amidst the duties and demands of motherhood, she was tapped to serve as the curator for the estate of American artist, Don ZanFagna, cataloging his extensive body of work and orchestrating exhibitions in galleries and museums in New York, Aspen, Charleston and Tampa.
At the same time, Williamson began to develop relationships with local Charleston artists, organizing and promoting shows of their paintings. “After I assisted the Sullivans Island Plein Aire Painters with three shows of their sketches, studies and practice work, I found there was a heightened interest in collecting affordable, original art. My audience wasn’t limited to my professional contacts and buyers around the country,” she explains. “The concept for the original Charleston Artist Collective (CAC) - a Web-based gallery featuring rotating exhibits of affordable, original works by local artists - was born. I added the ‘giving back’ component of the business as a thank you to this wonderfully supportive community, and we took off.” In addition to its monthly online offerings, the CAC currently stages several annual shows. Always forward thinking, Williamson has since launched Atlanta Artist Collective (2014), Nashville Artist Collective (2016), Capital Artist Collective (Washington, DC, 2017), and Palm Beach Artist Collective (2022), all thriving under the leadership of local directors. Additionally, she has forged successful partnerships with national tastemakers including One King’s Lane, Serena & Lily and Chairish, expanding her business’s reach to an international level.
In the eleven years since she founded the CAC, Williamson has donated over $200,000 to non-profits in Artist Collective cities, supporting causes from children’s initiatives to land conservation. She has been featured in several media outlets including Charleston Magazine and Garden & Gun. Perhaps one of her most notable accomplishments, Williamson was the inaugural recipient of the American Red Cross’s Laura Hewitt Tiffany Award, given to recognize exceptional philanthropy in the Charleston community.
Williamson resides in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina with her husband, Bright and 15 year old twin boys, Ben and Henry.
Our mission of the Charleston Artist Collective is to provide an platform for local artists to grow their potential and to provide collectors, young or experienced, access to original affordable art while giving back to Charleston area non-profits and organizations.
The Charleston Artist Collective is a web-based business that provides an avenue for local artists to grow their potential and to provide collectors, young or experienced, access to small pieces of affordable original art. Collectives are significant to the Artists' practice by providing a vehicle for combining inspiration, ideals and approaches. Creativity loves company!
If you wish to see a painting in person, please contact us and we will make it happen.
Each month the artists paint their interpretation of a theme chosen by the Collective as a whole. The "themed" paintings are then available for sale online and a percentage of each sale benefits the designated local charity. Creativity has a conscience! If you would like to nominate a charity, please email info@
Every piece is original! The majority of our paintings are sold unframed, because we believe framing is personal. You may choose something rustic, modern, or classic. Framing your piece gives it the personality that you choose. We are happy to help you frame your piece just contact us!
Any sales within the state of SC, TN, GA and FL are subject to sales tax. All paintings are subject to a shipping and handling charge (starting at $15) based on size and weight of the work. All sales are processed through Shopify and will be shipped via USPS, FEDEX or UPS within one week. Please contact info@