ASCCT Sale in Cheraw Showcases Regional Artists

On October 17th and 18th, the Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail had their first Wholesale and Retail Sale. The events were held in the Conference Room at the Cheraw Police Department.

Eight of the group’s members sold works of art ranging from fused glass to oil paintings. Beth Wicker, Laurie Brown, Mike Gann, Carolyn Govan, Barbara Mellen, Gloria Turner, Vicky McLain, and Heather Jordan were the artists that sold works at the events that were held in conjunction with the South Carolina Jazz Festival.

Based on this year’s success, The Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail plan to return to Cheraw next year. “We were very pleased with the sales this year. Cheraw was a great host city and the Jazz Festival is a great event to be associated with. We will begin plans for a return at next year’s festival immediately,” said Beth Wicker.

More information about the Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail can be found at www.sccottontrail.org/artisans.html.

The mission of the Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail is to bring together artists, artisans, and retailers of their work for the benefits of marketing, tourism, education, and shared resources.

The Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail promotes the tradition of fine visual arts and fine crafts. It serves the professional artists, craftspeople and retailers of the South Carolina Cotton Trail area, and work representing the area.

ASCCT is run by and for its members; volunteers do most of the work. A board of directors is elected from the membership. Dedicated to excellence in craftsmanship, it promotes the career development of its members through marketing, by operating wholesale/retail shows, maintaining a website, and by publishing a newsletter and an annual brochure which will be placed at interstate welcome centers, local hotels, chambers of commerce, arts groups, etc.

Shows are known for their consistent high-quality standards. This is achieved by a comprehensive jury system for professional membership. The guild also serves as a liaison between its membership and other cultural and educational organizations within the state.

The formation of the Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail was made possible by a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission and its Cultural Visions Grant Program.

FOWLE TO LEAD READING AT DARLINGTON LIBRARY

Local Artist to Read New Book, Lead Demonstration

On November 22nd, Black Creek Arts Council invites everyone to attend a book reading by Patz Fowle at the Darlington Library. The event will last from 11:00am to noon. Patz will be reading her new book, Remember When. Admission to the reading is free.

Following the book reading, Fowle will demonstrate how she illustrates humorous animals and attendees will create their own fun drawings, which they will be able to take home. This event is appropriate for all ages and fun for the whole family. Supplies will be provided.

Patz Fowle is the quintessential artist; a true creator and character. Fowle is a Darlington County resident and an internationally-known artist. She developed the Patz Process, a ceramic hand-building technique, in 1970. Since then, she has shown at Madison Square Garden, been the focus of a documentary, had residencies across the United States and overseas, and, most recently, studied at the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Darlington Library is located at 204 North Main Street in Darlington.

For more information about the book reading and interactive demonstration, please contact Bruce Douglas at 843.332.6234 or bartscounc@aol.com. This event is being sponsored by Black Creek Arts Council of Darlington County.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

DARLINGTON COUNTY ARTS SECTOR SET FOR VIBRANT FUTURE

County has Infrastructure, Leadership, Support & Talent Needed for Excellence in the Arts

With the recent public launching of The Art of Good Living, now is a great time for all businesses, organizations, and citizens to examine our community. In doing that with the arts sector in Darlington County, one quickly sees that our county has a lot to be proud of, and enjoy, in terms of the arts.

In regards to the arts, Darlington County has it all; from facilities to organizations and even tremendous support from non-arts based retailers. The icing on the cake is the number of highly talented and outgoing artists we have.

The Black Creek Arts Center on College Avenue provides the county with a remarkable amount of studio, classroom, and exhibition space. The Performing Arts Center at Coker College is a vacation destination for many ballet companies. The Center Theatre in Downtown Hartsville is as charming and versatile as any theater in the Pee Dee. With the school district’s recent facilities upgrade, Darlington County has all the venues necessary to support a thriving arts community.

In addition to magnificent facilities, Darlington County also has arts-related organizations that are second to none. The events put on by Hartsville Downtown Development are dynamic in terms of entertainment and artistry, as well as being great for local economic development. Many other organizations, including Hartsville Civic Chorale, Hartsville-Coker Concert Association, the Community Players, and Butler Heritage Foundation, are consistently bringing great performances to Darlington County

Our wealth in the arts does not end with facilities and organizations. Darlington County also has a retail community with many businesses that are committed to promoting local and regional artists. Works by dozens of local artists including Heidi Bond, Ina Ingram, Susan Reynolds, Walter Cooks, and Pollie Bristow can be found in various stores in our county.

One crucial aspect of this equation yet to be emphasized is our county’s abundance of talented and creative artists. This is evident in the fourteen Darlington County artists among the 23 total artists in the newly formed Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail.

With state-of-the-art facilities, proactive arts-based organizations, creative partnerships with retailers, and an abundance of artists who produce professional-quality work, it is not a stretch to say that the arts sector in Darlington County epitomizes all that The Art of Good Living is aimed to be: progress in community and economic development through partnerships and unique experiences.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

HUMANITIES COUNCIL SPEAKER COMING TO HARTSVILLE

Hartsville, S.C. — Archaeologist Dr. Lesley Drucker will deliver a lecture entitled Exploring Multiculturalism Through Dance on Wednesday, November 5 at 5:30 p.m. in Coker College’s the Black Box Theater, located in the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Drucker will use film and discussion to examine how individuals and groups define themselves, their boundaries and identities, and even their political history through dance. This talk will be beneficial to educators, dance instructors, dancers, and those interested in history, communication, and anthropology.

Hosted by Black Creek Arts Council, Drucker’s appearance is funded by a Humanities Aloud Grant from the South Carolina Humanities Council.

An archaeologist and consultant for over 30 years, Drucker is based in Columbia where she teaches at area colleges, develops cultural resource management workshops, and writes educational and business materials. She earned a B.A. in anthropology from the University of South Carolina (USC) and a Ph.D. in archaeology at Tulane University. In addition to serving as adjunct faculty at Columbia College and USC, she is a past President of the Council of South Carolina Professional Archaeologists.

Drucker has authored over 235 archaeological studies of sites in South Carolina and North Carolina, as well as several major journal articles, and is co-editor of a nationally distributed book about South Carolina’s historic landscapes. She is also the author of Archaeology for Business People: A Handbook for South Carolina Developers and Planners.

The Humanities Council a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities; inspiring, engaging and enriching South Carolinians with programs on literature, history, culture and heritage.

Ilona to Return to Hartsville

Long Lash Cabaret to Highlight Smithkin's Return

Ilona Smithkin will be making a return to Hartsville in a few weeks. In her last appearance, she was a featured artist in the gallery at the Black Creek Arts Center and taught a painting workshop. This time, her visit will be much different.

On October 21st, Ilona Smithkin will be the featured performer in Long Lash Cabaret. The Cabaret will feature musical renditions by Smithkin and a number of local performers. The event will take place from 7:00 – 9:00 at the Black Creek Arts Center. Cost for the event is $30 for an individual and $50 for a couple.

The Long Lash Cabaret will not be the only difference between from Ilona’s last visit. Smithkin will be doing commissioned sanguine portraits between October 22nd and 24th. Appointments can be scheduled by calling Bruce Douglas at the Arts Center, 843.332.6234. You can also stop by the Arts Center to see other sanguine works by Smithkin. Prices on commissioned works will vary by size.

And if commissioned portraits and the Long Lash Cabaret were not enough, Ilona will also sit down with artists for Fix My Painting Sessions. These sessions will involve a consultation with Ilona and the opportunity to have your paintings fixed under the advisement of an internationally renowned artist. Fix My Painting Sessions will cost $40.

Ilona will also offer two weeklong workshops will she is in Hartsville. The first workshop will be from October 27th to 31st. It will be an oil painting workshop focusing on landscapes. The class will meet daily from 9:30 – 12:30. The cost is $135.

The second workshop will last from November 3rd to 7th. This oil painting workshop will focus on still life painting. It will meet daily from 9:30 – 12:30. Cost for the workshop is $135.

Ilona invites all levels of painters for her workshops; “Painting is for everyone and anyone can paint if they want to.” For more information about Ilona’s return to Hartsville, contact Bruce Douglas at 843.332.6234 or by email at bartscounc@aol.com.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.