Those recordings became the heart of this book. Tracey transcribed and shaped them into narrative form, preserving her father’s distinctive voice and tone — the voice that once filled a room with laughter and lit up his gallery with storytelling. 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.

“He didn’t paint marsh and beach and animals,” Tracey 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 became a household name 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 save the Morris Island Lighthouse from falling into the sea.

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 the art, but with the artist himself. As one friend 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 is Tracey’s tribute — and her invitation. An invitation to see what her father 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 the daughter of Jim Booth and the curator of his story. After her father began recording reflections near the end of his life, she discovered a trove of supporting materials — photographs, letters from Vietnam, decades of sketchbooks and notes — and began assembling them into the book he never imagined would exist. Her tribute is both personal and communal: an invitation to remember what it means to see the world through the eyes of an artist who never stopped looking for beauty.

Tracey grew up in the heart of the Lowcountry, surrounded by the salt air, marsh light, and the creative spirit of her father. From an early age, she worked with her parents at the gallery and has continued to nurture connections with her father’s collectors and local conservation organizations. With a background in history, library science, and decades of volunteering and community leadership, Tracey brings both heart and depth to Beacon of the Lowcountry — a richly illustrated biography and tribute to her father’s life, art, and enduring vision.