The Daily Gamecock

SC Chicken Man creates popular folk art, unique to Columbia

In a green floral print shirt with a matching hat on the corner of Gervais and Oak streets sits Ernest Lee under a tent in the Columbia heat. Paint and paint brushes surround him, along with a trailer to hold his work and over a hundred paintings of chickens. His hand painted trailer reads "The smallest historical museum in the world" and features some miniature versions of Lee's chicken paintings on the sides. 

"I knew at the age of four or five ... what I wanted to do," Lee said.

He explained how he was always artistic, and got that from his mom. Originally from Edgefield County, Lee relocated to Columbia in 1999 to get a fresh start.

Lee is better known to local residents as "The Chicken Man," named after his celebrated paintings of happy-looking, dancing chickens. Lee sits at his paint covered table daily from 11 a.m. until dark most days, creating chicken paintings effortlessly with a few simple brush strokes on wooden boards. 

“I paint every day," Lee says on his website: ernestleetees.com. “Someone walks up and request a painting: chickens, palmetto trees, etc. I’ll do some things right on the spot.”

Aside from chickens, Lee's runner-up for best seller is his classic palmetto tree paintings, created similarly in style. He also creates some Gamecock and Tiger themed art to appeal to the customers he's selling to in the region. His work sells for $90 a piece, however he's known for cutting deals with some.

“Well, I create stuff related to palm trees, stuff kind of South Carolina, like with that crescent moon and chickens," Lee said. "Not because of the Gamecocks, but just because somebody suggested I ought to paint some chickens."

Lee enjoys Columbia's art scene and thinks it's a good place to be a painter. While spending most of his days painting and selling in Columbia, Lee has sold all over the Southeast, including in Augusta, Pawleys Island and Hilton Head, among many other cities. The Free Times reported in December 2017 that Lee estimated he has sold around 28,000 paintings.

What's up next for The Chicken Man? Lee is looking forward to eventually have his own building.

"If I had my own, I wouldn't have to keep moving," he said. 

He's looking into a place near Pelican's SnoBalls on Rosewood, hoping to set up a permanent location.

“Painting is a privilege and a blessing", Lee says on his website. "I consider it the best job."


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