Gullah Images: The Art of Jonathan Green

Coming to Beaufort. Watch for the opening of The Jonathan Green Maritime Center in partnership with USCB.

Art is the highest expression of the human spirit and a cornerstone of civilization.

A Vision of the Lowcountry

To understand the soul of the Lowcountry, one must eventually look through the eyes of Jonathan Green. Widely considered one of the most important contemporary painters of the Southern experience, Green’s work is a vibrant, color-saturated love letter to his Gullah Heritage.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan at his home on Daniel Island. My editor and I visited him with a specific vision: to see whether we could weave his evocative art into a collection of recipes and stories that define this region. Seeing his work in person is a transformative experience—the colors aren’t just seen; they are felt.

Raised by his grandmother in Gardens Corner, South Carolina, Green was the first person of Gullah ancestry to receive formal professional art training, graduating from the School of Art Institute of Chicago. His paintings, often described as “narrative realism,” do more than document a vanishing way of life; they celebrate the dignity, spirituality, and communal joy of a people who have preserved West African traditions for centuries.

Jonathan’s art serves as the visual heartbeat of our Lowcountry journey—a vivid reminder that every recipe carries a story, and every story finds its way home.

During my visit, he leaned in and said, “I want you to follow me to the kitchen.” There, he pulled back cabinet doors to reveal rows of jars: vegetables grown, harvested, and canned by his family and friends in Yemassee. “This,” he said, with a quiet, unmistakable glow of resonance, “is what I am most proud of.”

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Pat Conroy’s foreword to "Gullah Images: The Art of Jonathan Green" (1996) is a celebrated piece of writing that beautifully captures the essence of Green’s work. Conroy, a fellow South Carolinian who deeply understood the Lowcountry, wrote about Green with a sense of profound reverence.

• The “Child of the Veil”: Conroy opens by noting that Jonathan Green was born with a caul (a rare fetal membrane covering the head), which in Gullah culture signifies a child touched by magic and destined for a special role. Conroy refers to him as “the child of the veil,” whose destiny was to bring “inordinate grace” to his community through art.

• The Storyteller: He describes Green as the rarest of 20th-century painters because he “dares to tell a story.” Conroy argues that there is a narrative flow in Green’s work that binds it to a central theme of Gullah life.

• One of the most quoted lines in the foreword, Conroy writes:

  "The Gullah people depicted in Jonathan Green’s world look like they got dressed while staring at rainbows."

• Mythic Grandeur: Conroy compares Green’s work to the ancient cave paintings in France, noting that they both possess a "mythic grace and nameless grandeur." He credits Green with discovering himself as an artist by "narrowing his vision so finely" to the life along Highway 21, from Gardens Corner to Yemassee.

  In meeting him on Daniel Island, I saw exactly what Conroy meant—that his work is a shining, authentic record of a culture that refuses to be forgotten.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. If my work resonates with you, I invite you to upgrade to a paid subscription and help safeguard this legacy for those who follow. May this region we call the Lowcountry dwell in our hearts eternally. As one of the final unspoiled sanctuaries along the Eastern Seaboard, its soul must be preserved through the timeless union of art and the written word.

While my role is that of the storyteller and chronicler, your support ensures these stories—and the art that defines them—reach the generations that come after us.

Preserve the Legacy. Join the mission.

As a thank you for being a Guardian of the Lowcountry, I am sharing a recipe that celebrates the spirit of that Yemassee kitchen—a dish that feels like “staring at a rainbow” on a plate.

The Heirloom Okra & Tomato Stew (A Tribute to Gardens Corner) This recipe isn't just about ingredients; it’s about the patience of the harvest and the stories told while snapping beans and peeling tomatoes...Heirloom Okra & Tomato Stew

This dish is the essence of the Lowcountry summer. It’s a “slow” recipe—one that requires you to watch the colors change in the pot, much like watching the light shift over a marsh. When done right, the okra stays bright, and the tomatoes melt into a rich, savory velvet.

Yields: 4–6 servings

Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

The Ingredients

• 1 lb Fresh Okra: Sliced into rounds (throw away the woody stems).

• 4 Large Heirloom Tomatoes: Coarsely chopped (keep those juices!).

• 3 Strips Thick-Cut Bacon: Diced (or 2 tbsp butter for a vegetarian version).

• 1 Large Yellow Onion: Finely diced.

• 1 Green Bell Pepper: Diced (the “Holy Trinity” starts here).

• 2 Cloves Garlic: Minced.

• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika: To mimic that wood-fired kitchen scent.

• Salt and Cracked Black Pepper: To taste.

• Optional: A dash of hot sauce or a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are very acidic.

The Method

1. The Base: In a heavy cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, fry the diced bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon bits with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.

2. The Sauté: Add the onion and bell pepper to the hot fat. Sauté over medium heat until softened and translucent (about 5–7 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for just 1 minute more until fragrant.

3. The “Rainbow”: Stir in your sliced okra. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the okra to take on a little color and lose that initial “slickness.”

4. The Melding: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and all their juice. Add the smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat to a simmer.

5. The Patience: Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 30–40 minutes. The tomatoes will break down into a thick sauce that coats the okra. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water or vegetable stock.

6. The Finish: Taste and adjust your seasoning. Stir the crisp bacon bits back in just before serving.

Pat’s Serving Suggestion: Serve this over a bed of fluffy white rice (preferably Charleston Gold) with a side of hot cornbread. As you eat, remember Jonathan’s words: this isn’t just food—it’s what we are most proud of.