Beacon of the Lowcountry sheds in-depth light on the art and legacy of artist Jim Booth

Through his daughter’s eyes and the artist’s own words, the book delves into the place that shaped him and his love of the Lowcountry

 Tracey Booth Owens, founder of Jim Booth Legacy Art and daughter of Lowcountry artist Jim Booth, whose work — from sweeping marsh scenes to lighthouse storms and quiet beachscapes — hangs in homes, galleries, and memories across the South, honors her father with her newly published book, Beacon of the Lowcountry: The Life, Art, and Legacy of Jim Booth. The book offers an intimate look at the artist behind the canvas, told in his own voice and brought to life by the daughter who knew him well. This richly illustrated coffee table book pairs Booth’s iconic paintings with never-before-seen letters, photographs, and personal reflections — many drawn from recordings he made after receiving a terminal diagnosis in early 2021.

Beacon of the Lowcountry: The Life, Art, and Legacy of Jim Booth retails for $70.00 and will be available for purchase on October 3, 2025, with pre-sales starting on September 19, 2025. To order a copy in advance, visit www.eveningpostbooks.com or email Elise Lusk, assistant editor, at [email protected]. A limited special “Collector’s Edition” of 100 copies are available, signed and numbered, for $125.00.

Compiled by Jim’s eldest daughter, Tracey Booth Owens, the book carries the unmistakable tone of her father: exuberant, grounded, and deeply devoted to his calling. Though they had discussed the idea of a book for years, Jim Booth had long been hesitant — unsure that his story was worth telling. It was only after his doctor gave him a matter-of-months prognosis that he agreed to begin recording the many memories and stories behind his paintings.

“I don’t know how you’re going to do this,” he told Tracey — but as she writes, “It was not the first time he would start something without knowing how it would work out.”

Those recordings became the heart of this book. Owens transcribed and shaped them into narrative form, preserving her father’s distinctive voice and tone. The result is a vibrant, visual, and emotional walk through the life of an artist who didn’t just paint the Lowcountry — he lived it, notes.

“He didn’t paint marsh and beach and animals,” Owens writes. “He painted what it was like to live in and amongst them.” From the zig-zag line of pelicans over the surf to the clip-clop of carriage horses downtown, Booth captured the feeling of the Lowcountry in motion — its rhythms, its power, and its quiet beauty.

For over 45 years, Jim Booth painted the landscapes that shaped him. He sold more than 100,000 prints and posters, published 144 original works, and was widely known throughout South Carolina and along the East Coast, but his impact extended far beyond the canvas. He gave generously to conservation organizations and veterans groups, donated artwork to local schools and causes, and was a founding member of Save the Light, Inc., providing part of the initial funds to help preserve the Morris Island Lighthouse.

His gallery — built with the help of his wife, Virginia, who managed the business so he could continue painting — became a space where collectors connected not just with art, but with the artist himself. As his friend Al Hitchcock recalled, “He could meet a stranger at his studio and entertain everyone with his stories of Vietnam, Folly Beach, and other segues to the Lowcountry.”

This book, according to Owens, is her tribute to her father and an invitation to see what he saw: to feel the joy, the struggle, the wonder, and the purpose behind a life devoted to beauty. To understand, as he once wrote, “I must show the world what it is. I must be an artist.”

Tracey Booth Owens is also the founder of Jim Booth Legacy Art, based in in Charleston, S.C., and is a second-generation art business focused on donating and selling select Jim Booth original paintings, limited edition prints, and open edition posters. Net proceeds from the sale of those items benefit non-profit organizations. A self-taught artist and businessman, Jim Booth (1945-2021) is well-known for his ability to capture the beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry in his paintings. His eldest daughter, Tracey Booth Owens, established Jim Booth Legacy Art to honor and share her father’s artwork and to give back to the community that supported it. For more information and /or to partner with Jim Booth Legacy Art, please visit www.jimboothlegacyart.com or email [email protected].