Chad Cole creates oil paintings about the landscape, architecture, and stories of the southern United States. His work has been widely exhibited and collected throughout Georgia and the Carolinas through many solo, group, and juried exhibitions. Chad’s artistic styles are influenced by his studies of several landscape painters from art history, including Cezanne, Corot, and the American Tonalists. His paintings are created with a palette of earth tones that are used to emphasize light and shadow. He expresses himself creatively using realistic and contemporary styles and techniques. Chad finds much of the inspiration for his work traveling the backroads of the South, reading about regional history and literature.  He revisits places repeatedly to observe the effects of time and natural forces on the environment.

For his 2025 exhibition with David Swanagin at the Sacred Heart Cultural Center, Chad has created a series of paintings inspired by time spent exploring the landscapes of Augusta and the Southeast. These works convey the artist’s  quiet, contemplative moments spent outdoors, reflecting on history and appreciating the natural beauty of the environment.