Our website is inspired by three women—Bohumila Augustinova, Ella Maru & Kathleen Robbins, because of their excellence in art, science & community. Our History In the final month of 2021, an innovative spark ignited within me as I dived into the formation and structure of this platform. The source of this artistic energy was a trio of accomplished women from South Carolina who I deeply respect: Bohumila Augustinova, Ella Marushchenko, and Kathleen Robbins. Their talents intersect the spheres of arts, science, and community service, making them influential figures to look up to. Ella's scientific illustrations have continually fueled my studio work, while Bohumila's recent receipt of the Jefferson, Multiplying Good Award further elevated my admiration. Additionally, Kathleen's photography, with its strong emphasis on familial bonds, has consistently captured my imagination. In an effort to create a platform that transcends my individuality, I was motivated to dedicate dawnhunter.com to exceptional South Carolinians and to the exploration of our state's diverse culture and nature. It felt like a meaningful mission. I further sought, my daughter, Darcy's collaboration on this project and was met with an enthusiastic affirmation. Together, we embarked on creating a site encompassing dedicated sections such as SC People , Culture , Outdoors , Dish with Darcy™ , and Studio Visit . Each segment serves as a unique "topical hub", analogous to a "topic Tumblr,"and receives monthly updates. However, the Culture segment is refreshed more frequently, with new content added on a weekly to bi-weekly basis. Contact Me: dmhunter@email.sc.edu ARTISTISTIC INSPIRATION, ELLA MARUSHCHENKO WITH COVER ART CREATED BY ELLA MARU STUDIO Co-founded by Sasha and Ella Marushchenko , Ella Maru Studio creates some of the most innovative and compelling contemporary scientific illustration by fusing and applying their scientific (Sasha, chemist) and artistic (Ella, artist) backgrounds. Ella Maru Studio employs scientists with PhD credentials from the best universities and top talent graphic designers. The results are cutting edge, memorable images that resonate and effectively communicate with readers. South Carolina Sunshine is delighted and honored that Sasha and Ella granted us an interview, which is one of our most visited SC People editorials. Stay tuned, check back for more upcoming interviews with leaders and creatives living in South Carolina. Follow us on Instagram to be alerted when new content is live! Ella Maru Studios EXPLORE CULTURE AND THE OUTDOORS South Carolina, while rich in history, also holds a lot of unexpected surprises. For example, did you know that during their migration from South America that Whimbrels stop "over to feast on the bounty of our barrier islands, and up to 20,000 will congregate on the spit of sand known as Deveaux Bank?" (quote from Coastal Expeditions website.) There is much to learn, see and explore. Some of our upcoming content for our Outdoor s section includes a Whimbrel Expedition, an interview with a geologist who is mapping the ocean floor off the coast of SC, and interviews with researchers from UofSC Upstate's Watershed Ecology Center. Outdoors OUR FIRST SC PEOPLE INTERVIEW: BOHUMILA AUGUSTINOVA While aesthetically improving the forefront of a local business five years ago, Bohumila Augustinova, unwittingly launched a Cola City art installation winter staple by YarnBombers of Columbia on Main Street and beyond. The Yarnbombers of Columbia is a group that Bohumila spearheaded brings together over one hundred local artists who create unique, brightly colored, and patterned crocheted and knitted forms that they wrap around trees or parking meters during the winter months. The project evolved beyond aesthetics with the emergence of the “Giving Tree” located on the corner of Main and Taylor, downtown Columbia. As part of the tradition, artists hang hundreds of scarfs, hats, and gloves for anyone to take and use from that tree. This past December, Bohumila was recognized for her hard work and community investment with a Jefferson Service Award. Bohumila's Interview YOUR HOSTESSES: DAWN AND DARCY Road trip selfie: Here we are teaming up for a cultural experience at this year's ArtFields arts festival, Lake City, South Carolina. The event was so epic, we had no choice but to summarize our weekend of fun in the Culture AND the Dish with Darcy™ sections. We are excited about meeting new people and the exciting adventures that await us. Visit dawnhunterart.com to view my Cajal Portfolio and dawnhuntergallery.com to view my other artwork series. About Dawn

Conversation: Exploring Art, Life, and Education with Sara Schneckloth, Nakisa Abdollahbeigi, and Stephanie Allen – Insights into their Artistic Journey, Experiences at the University of South Carolina, Teaching Perspectives, and Post-Graduation Pathways. Welcome to CONVERSATION, interviews with Sara Schneckloth, Nakisa Abdollahbeigi and Stephanie Allen. SARA SCHNECKLOTH is passionate about teaching. Her excellence in the classroom was recognized this past spring when she was awarded USC's prestigious Michael J. Mungo Teaching Award - for the second time during the past ten years! The first was for her undergraduate teaching and the second was for her Graduate teaching. Professor Sara Schneckloth has been teaching at UofSC since 2007. She has a reputation among the student population as a great motivator who is prone to incorporating the unexpected and innovation in the art classroom experience. Students find her classes exciting, rigorous, and rewarding. South Carolina Sunshine has interviewed Sara and two of her recently graduated students: undergraduate Stephanie Allen and MFA graduate Nakisa Abdollahbeigi. Image above, by artist and UofSC professor, Sara Schneckloth from her Topographies series: Earth pigments, graphite, colored pencil, wax on Yupo, 2021. Dawn Hunter: Teaching is a great passion of yours. How did you become interested in teaching? Sara Schneckloth: It is indeed a driving passion! I had the pleasure of teaching for the first time in Cape Town, South Africa at the Community Arts Project from 2000-2002, where I discovered how grounding and satisfying it is to be in a studio classroom with people who are focused, engaged, and motivated – it has grown and expanded ever since, whether at the University of Wisconsin as a grad student and instructor, and here at Carolina since 2007. Dawn Hunter: You have won two Mungo teaching awards, one for undergraduate teaching and one for graduate teaching, what are your perceptions of similarities and differences among those student populations? Sara Schneckloth: Our students all bring different levels of experience into the classroom, and I believe it’s important to meet people at whatever level they are starting. In any level of drawing course, we engage with the questions, techniques, and processes that can help bridge the gap between what they aspire to create and a growing bank of skills and resources they have at their disposal. Like many of us teaching studio art courses to undergraduates, SVAD classes attract both art majors and students from across the university who are keen to bring artmaking into their lives – it’s these interdisciplinary conversations that can really take an undergraduate project in exciting directions, as students look to combine their other academic interests and cares with drawing. SVAD graduate students bring a host of life experiences with them as they engage in three years of creative and academic study and studio work, and I am perpetually inspired by the strides these artists and scholars take in bringing their creative visions to light while in the MFA program and beyond. Above: Sara Schneckloth working at her summer studio in New Mexico. Photo by Megan Clark. Dawn Hunter: When you pursued your MFA at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, at the time, did you envision teaching becoming such a big part of your life and studio practice? Sara Schneckloth: I did, if only because of recognizing early on the excitement and joy I feel when working with a group of inspiring and motivated students – that dynamic energy, the flow of ideas, the deep immersion in creative process – all of it elevates my overall approach to making artwork. There is a cyclical flow between what happens in my studio and what happens in the classroom – each feeds and inspires the other and I honestly and simply love working with people as they bring a vision to light. Dawn Hunter: Describe your teaching style. Sara Schneckloth: My approach to teaching combines rigorous attention to a range of traditional and contemporary drawing methodologies, encouragement of self-discovery, and active engagement in peer critique. I believe that every student brings a unique set of personal experiences to the university environment, and that one of my roles is to support undergraduate and graduate students in investigating and translating those diverse experiences into meaningful works of art, through drawing, writing, and speaking, becoming artists who move fluidly between ideas and images. From teaching to mentoring and advising, I work with graduate students to build solid technical skills in visual artmaking, confidence with materials and processes, and a critical and incisive language for talking about their work and the work of others. Students move forward with a better understanding of themselves as thoughtful practitioners they learn to ask questions of their artwork, each other, and of the enterprise of art making as it manifests across disciplines. In my career at UofSC, I am dedicated to training a generation of artists, scholars, and future educators who embody principles of open exploration and expression of ideas, and care for the aesthetic dimensions of being in the world. Dawn Hunter to Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: How or why did you decide to work with Sara Schneckloth as your mentor? Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: Professor Schneckloth is a very kind and supportive person—also highly professional and experienced in studio art with main focus on Drawing. Since Drawing is my primary major, I have decided to work with Professor Schneckloth as my thesis mentor. Dawn Hunter to Stephanie Allen: How or why did you decide to work with Sara Schneckloth as your mentor? Stephanie Allen: I've worked closely with Sara since I was a sophomore. Even before I had asked her to be my thesis director, she had mentored me more than any other professor I had worked with. She understands my goals as an artist, knows my range of skills and where to push me. Choosing her just made sense. She was always willing to go above and beyond to support me and I am so indescribably grateful for how she's helped shape my undergraduate experience. Above, image from Nakisa Abdollahbeigi's MFA thesis exhibition, Carry On. Dawn Hunter to Sara Schneckloth: How does teaching a class or working one-on-one with a student in a classroom setting manifest differently from mentoring a long-term project? Sara Schneckloth: When working with any student on a project, long- or short-term, my hope is that they allow their thinking and processes to be fluid and evolve. That evolution can take on many forms, whether in how they approach the act of seeing, the drawing techniques and materials they use, or how they invent new conceptual challenges and questions for themselves. Being able to work with a student over an extended period of time is so rewarding, as often the project will go through a period of radical reinvention, as the person goes deeper into what is really motivating them to make the work. It’s that blend of discovery and excitement that can propel a project to even greater success, with momentum to keep making more work going forward. One of many mural walls created by Marius Valdes at the Richland County Public Library, Columbia, South Carolina. Dawn Hunter to Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: What qualities did Sara bring to the relationship that helped you progress your thesis in the right direction? Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: One of the most important qualities I admire in Professor Schneckloth is her organized and detail-oriented personality. As my thesis mentor, she played a key role in helping me coordinate committee meetings routinely and provided excellent mentorship for developing the idea, implementation, and management of my thesis project. She also evaluated my performance in the program and provided thoughtful feedback on each step of my project to help me complete it with the best quality. Dawn Hunter to Stephanie Allen: What qualities did Sara bring to the relationship that helped you progress your thesis in the right direction? Stephanie Allen: Sara has a knack for finding the most interesting and unconventional mediums and surfaces. I knew she would be a great resource to have when working on a project that required unusual materials. I wasn't sure what the pieces would be made of or how they would be hung, and she provided resources that allowed the project to look professional while staying within budget. She has a great eye for abstraction. This show features some of my very first exclusively abstract pieces that would not have been conceptualized without her guidance on materials, abstraction, and the intuitive mark. Sara has worked with similar interview-based projects before— she knew where to look for weak spots in interviewing ethics and how to create successful visual narratives. While I technically have a drawing concentration, Sara has a very expansive definition of what a "drawing" is. I knew that this perspective would give me the creative freedom to work however I needed to and would allow me to take an untraditional approach to drawing. Above, Strive, a mixed media drawing by Stephanie Allen. Below, Stephanie Allen's BFA thesis exhibition titled, In My Skin, Her Skin. Both photos by Stephanie Allen. Image above, by artist and UofSC professor, Sara Schneckloth from her Topographies series: Earth pigments, graphite, colored pencil, wax on Yupo, 2021. Dawn Hunter to Stephanie Allen: Your thesis exhibition is a personal and biographical (of you and others) show. What did you want the viewers to learn, understand or experience from the show? Stephanie Allen: The ways in which the spoken word and the creation of art can lead to a larger understanding of self was deeply considered in the creation of this project: by understanding other queer stories, I could more clearly engage with my own. This exhibition is an artistic investigation of queer femininity and body image. As our bodies and identities are so deeply intertwined, this project explores the way in which the body and presentation create and structure perceptions of queerness, gender, and beauty. Each portrait represents a queer woman or non-binary person that I interviewed, directly rendering their appearance and abstractly interpreting their relationship with their body and queer identity. This project aims to visually record the feeling of being seen and one’s developing knowledge of their identity. Specifically, by realistically showing a variety of different body types that all relate to queerness and femininity in some way, we may expand our presupposed notions about the body enforcing identity. Additionally, despite these varying appearances of the body, the throughlines of body insecurity, navigating queer expression, and learning self-love unify these differences to reinforce the idea that the person is so much more than the body. Understanding that the body is art and art is the person is a key component of my work. In extending our definition of art to include the body, we can shift out of a sense of moralizing critique to one of understanding, appreciation, and respect for both the self and others. Dawn Hunter to Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: Your thesis exhibition, Carry On, was a personal/autobiographical show. What did you want the viewers to learn, understand or experience from the show? Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: One of the most important aspects of my thesis exhibitio n was to help the viewers feel and communicate with the emotional challenges immigrants face during and after immigration. Most importantly, I aimed to show them how feelings of living far away from loved ones, like parents, siblings, best childhood friends, and family members can have personal and emotional impacts on an immigrant’s life. Another aspect was to show how the sense of disconnection from the original culture, language, memorable moments, and nostalgic places in life can affect an immigrant’s personal identity. Lastly, my goal was to reflect on challenges that immigrants experience after moving to a new country such as adapting to a different culture and learning a new language. Above, image from Nakisa Abdollahbeigi's MFA thesis exhibition, Carry On. Below, Nakisa (center) with guests at her exhibition opening. Above, image from Nakisa Abdollahbeigi's MFA thesis exhibition, Carry On. Below, Nakisa (center) with guests at her exhibition opening. Dawn Hunter to Stephanie Allen: The work is created in layers, and each piece is a complete experience on its own, but the entire show works as an installation. Was that intentional, or did it synchronize in the installation process? Was that intentional when creating the works for the show? How did the choices in the installation evolve? Stephanie Allen: These pieces are what I have come to describe as "floating collages." The question of materials was something that long haunted me in the beginning stages of this project. More specifically, the question of how to hang said materials was one of the biggest early challenges that I faced. I was set on the pieces being larger than life and knew that the show had to function in layers. I wanted to have a layer that realistically described the body, and another layer to describe the person's relationship with their body femininity, and queer identity. This made it difficult for traditional materials (canvas, board, frames, etc.) to practically function. Acetate was light but durable, and had the transparent quality that I wanted. Ultimately, the installation came together because it had to. Once I had created the pieces, they needed to go up however would work. Based on the advice of Sara Schneckloth and my second reader, Brent Dedas, I used magnets and metal plates to hang the drawings. I wanted the pieces to invade the viewers' space, have intricate cast shadows, and have distinctly separate layers (i.e. I didn't want them stacked flatly on top of each other). The choices I made for installation then followed these requirements that I had established for myself. Above, BFA Thesis exhibition, In My Skin, Her Skin, by Stephanie Allen. Photo by Dawn Hunter Below, closing reception for In My Skin, Her Skin. Photo by Rachel Kaiser. Dawn Hunter to Stephanie Allen: You selected unconventional drawing materials for the works, and the figures are larger than life in scale. Why did you decide to use unconventional materials, and what was the process that led to the large-scale figures? Stephanie Allen: A big part of the show was subverting the expectation that the body dictates identity and expression. It was the perceived difference between these two things —body and identity— that I wanted to focus on. Because the two exist in different spheres, I wanted the visual representations of each aspect of the subject to have separate spaces on the piece. Yet, because they are combined to create one person, they had to exist within a singular composition. I didn't want to create separate pieces (one about the body of the subject and one about the identity of the subject) because that would strip the body of personhood and the person of body. Our identities and bodies are deeply and personally intertwined, so the notion of a floating collage seemed like an interesting challenge that fit my thematic goals. I wanted the pieces to command attention— these drawings are about real people and their stories, so they deserve to be on a scale that appropriately describes the complexity of queer identity. Dawn Hunter to Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: There was an installation piece in the show, Memories in My Carry On. However, one could argue that the entire show is an installation with sub or "mini" structures within it - like, Family Album or the diptych Family Tree. Was that intentional when designing the show? How did the choices in the installation evolve? Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: The central idea for my exhibition was developed based upon the concept of immigration and its challenges. The components of the show were designed to reflect on different aspects of this main concept with the goal to show how personal, cultural, and emotional challenges play a critical role in an immigrant’s life. The most challenging part for setting up the exhibition was the installation of the "Memories in My Carry On" as the central component. This theme was designed by wrapping a suitcase – as a symbol of immigration – in red straps inside a wooden box and visually connecting it with photos of family, moments, and nostalgic places printed on fabric. To develop the idea for this theme, I played around with the sub-components and changed their order and composition several times. The empty space between photo installations on the wall and the suitcase on the floor was filled with red-strap loops hanging from the ceiling. This latter component was designed to create an obstacle and make it difficult for the viewers to walk in the space between components with the goal to symbolize challenges that immigrants experience during and after their transition to a new life. Above, Stephanie Allen's mixed media drawing titled Skin. Photo by Dawn Hunter. Dawn Hunter to Stephanie Allen: How did your work evolve and change while at UofSC? Stephanie Allen: The biggest change that came to my work was increasing degrees of abstraction. I was almost afraid of working abstractly when I first came to Carolina I felt that I had to "prove" my ability to work realistically before delving into the abstract. This then resulted in an interesting combination of realism and abstraction: I love creating weird abstract shapes and images that functioned realistically within their compositions without being directly representational. This project was in some ways far more representational than I have worked in a long time but is simultaneously one of the most abstract series I've done. I honestly see myself continuing to spiral into more abstract territories. My work has consistently focused on feminine and queer identity while at Carolina, and I am interested in expanding and diversifying this thematic base that I've established. Dawn Hunter to Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: How did your work evolve and change while at UofSC? Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: Studying art at UofSC was my first experience with an American educational institute after my immigration to the United States. At the beginning, I found it very different from my experience with an educational institute in my home country, Iran. I gradually adapted myself to the new environment and learned many new things about the art, culture, and language by taking different courses and working on studio art projects for my classes and the MFA thesis. The SVAD program has given me the chance to interact with amazing students and work with inspirational professors and artists who showed me how to think and work creatively and supported me along the way. In my program, I became familiar with a wide range of materials and learned many new techniques for creating art and these skills will be critical for my collaboration with other artists and exploring new things in my future career. Above, Nakisa Abdollahbeigi at the opening of her MFA thesis exhibition, Carry On. Below, detail of an installation piece. Dawn Hunter to Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: What are your future plans? Nakisa Abdollahbeigi: Personally, I enjoy working in academic environments and continuously exploring and learning from other people’s work. I also highly value teaching and am enthusiastic about having the chance to share my experience with students. As an immigrant artist with Iranian background, my plan is to continue working on projects that can help raise awareness about and promote appreciation for cross-cultural values and differences. I believe this is one possible way artists can contribute to building bridges between people from different personal, social, and cultural backgrounds. Dawn Hunter to Stephanie Allen: What are your future plans? Stephanie Allen: I majored in English and studio art while at UofSC and truly enjoyed both subjects. Right now, my career is aligning more closely with my English degree. This summer I am attending NYU's Summer Publishing Institute and I plan to pursue a career in publishing from there. However, as I'm always looking for ways to combine my passions, I am certainly keeping an eye out for publishers of illustrated books and art-based magazines. I plan on continuing my artistic practice regardless of my career path and hope to ultimately find my way back to grad school. Dawn Hunter to Sara Schneckloth: You have initiated a lot of opportunities for teaching, outreach, and community engagement. Do you have plans to develop other teaching initiatives? - like in NM, is that a program/residency you aim to grow? Sara Schneckloth: The studio work I do in the summer in New Mexico is a central part of my overall creative research, and working out here in this remote and rural location is a point of ongoing inspiration and challenge. It’s exciting for me to be able to share the kind of work I do out here with others, and I am interested in growing that in the years ahead, but slowly and with care. I just hosted a small in-person gathering for six artists keen to integrate natural materials into their practices we gathered local clay and ground it into pigments, hiked though the San Juan Basin badlands gathering visual inspiration, and created drawings to connect mark to landscape. The act of uniting material to place is one that can be revelatory, and I hope to create more opportunities to do that with others in the years to come. Dawn Hunter to Sara Schneckloth: What surprises you the most about teaching? or, What event did you experience in education that gave you the biggest surprise? Sara Schneckloth: I think I’m most surprised by how new it always feels every semester, with the rush of jumping in to a full stream of potential, and being a part of such personal exploration, development, and growth. I am grateful for being a part of hundreds of people’s creative processes over the past twenty plus years of teaching, and look forward to many more. Sara Schneckloth, final thoughts on teaching: I would say my teaching style closely mirrors how I work in the studio – I’m driven by an ethic of play and experimentation, curiosity, and a willingness to hold things lightly throughout the process, even/especially when things don’t unfold as planned. By engaging in a blend of close observation, traditional drawing approaches, and experimenting with diverse materials and processes, my hope is for students to make discoveries about their own investment in creating images and artworks, and find satisfaction in process and image alike. Learn more about Sara by visiting her website link below. saraschneckloth.com

Discover the captivating blend of real and virtual in Carla Gannis' WWWUNDERKAMMER exhibition. Unearth a new reality through our photo essay and insightful feature on this groundbreaking digital artist. Carla Gannis / C.A.R.L.A G.A.N. WWWUNDERKAMMER, May 19 -July 15, 2023 Up until July 15, visitors are encouraged to explore the uniquely captivating exhibition by Carla Gannis, known as C.A.R.L.A G.A.N. WWWUNDERKAMMER, hosted at the esteemed Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, located at the College of Charleston, Charleston, SC. We highly encourage local residents and visitors to make a trip down. "One of the most compelling (and sometimes daunting) aspects of digital narrative is how it can traverse electronic pathways and physical spaces in more adaptive ways than traditional mono mediums." - Carla Gannis from Lume Prize interview . What is WWWunderkammer? WWWunderkammer, a project by Carla Gannis, is an inventive project aimed to redefine the traditional concept of Wunderkammer or the 'cabinet of curiosities', thus challenging the conventional norms of a museum. Through innovative applications of technology, she seamlessly blends tangible reality with the virtual world. Her installation, mirroring her ongoing online project available on Mozilla Hubs and in high-resolution desktop VR, introduces audiences to various thematic "chambers" - each exploring a unique element of our modern existence, from environmental concerns to the digital metamorphosis of self-perception and language. The in-person exhibit leverages augmented reality to blur the boundary between real and virtual, a technique Gannis employs to delve into the human experience in the digital age, while ensuring knowledge remains accessible for everyone. Carla Gannis, continued: Initiated in 2019, WWWunderkammer serves as an ever-evolving project that advances as our understanding of our surroundings deepens. Historically, artists have employed illusions to obscure the demarcation between fact and fiction, constantly encouraging audiences to re-interpret visual content. Gannis invites viewers to embrace a learning and questioning mindset anew, challenging accepted narratives and conventional outlooks, and fostering an understanding of overlooked histories and possible futures. A renowned American transmedia artist, Carla Gannis spent years teaching at the Pratt Institute's Department of Digital Arts in New York before transitioning to New York University in 2019. Her oeuvre melds digital designs with celebrated artworks, such as those by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, gaining significant acclaim in 2013 for her emoji reimagining of Hieronymus Bosch's painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights. About the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art Situated within the College of Charleston S chool of the Arts, the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art is an innovative platform fostering dialogue between groundbreaking visual artists from across the globe and diverse communities. As a non-collecting institution, it focuses on the development, display, interpretation, and sharing of thought-provoking ideas, underscoring the historical, societal, and cultural significance of contemporary art. Free Admission GALLERY HOURS (during exhibitions) Monday - Saturday, 11am – 4pm Open Thursdays until 7pm More

Explore Bohumila Augustinova's art-community blend. Her YarnBombers of Columbia initiative livens up the city with crochet art and 'Giving Tree' every winter. Uncover her Jefferson Service Award-winning journey in our SC People interview. Did you ever wonder how the trees got their scarves? An interview with Bohumila Augustinova, by Dawn Hunter. An interview feature with 2021 Jefferson Award recipient, Cola City Yarnbombing leader and Columbia Art Center Director, Bohumila Augustinova. Above, Bohumila Augustinova, Director of the Columbia Art Center. Photo by Dawn Hunter. Q & A with Bohumila Augustinova Introduction: While aesthetically improving the forefront of a local business five years ago, Bohumila Augustinova, unwittingly launched a Cola City art installation winter staple by YarnBombers of Columbia on Main Street and beyond. The Yarnbombers of Columbia is a group that Bohumila spearheaded brings together over one hundred local artists who create unique, brightly colored, and patterned crocheted and knitted forms that they wrap around trees or parking meters during the winter months. The project evolved beyond aesthetics with the emergence of the “Giving Tree” located on the corner of Main and Taylor, downtown Columbia. As part of the tradition, artists hang hundreds of scarfs, hats, and gloves for anyone to take and use from that tree. This past December, Bohumila was recognized for her hard work and community investment with a Jefferson Service Award. Yarnbombers of Columbia art, downtown Columbia, SC. Photo by Bohumila Augustinova. Dawn Hunter: How did the "Giving Tree" get started? Bohumila Augustinova: Our first installation by the Yarnbombers of Columbia was on Main Street, and it was during the winter. At the end of our first installation day, an artist noticed a man "stealing" part of an installation wrapped around the bottom of a tree. Later, we saw him walking downtown, and he was wearing it as a scarf, and then we realized that it was not an act of theft but necessity. After that, the group created scarfs, hats, and gloves and offered them free at the tree site to anyone who needed them. It is now an annual tradition. Items are installed during November and are up until mid-March. Yarnbombers of Columbia art, downtown Columbia, SC. Photo by Bohumila Augustinova. Dawn Hunter: Your Jefferson Award is incredible and well deserved. The Jefferson Award, also known as Multiplying Good, recognizes members in the community who selflessly give of their time, embrace service to others as an essential part of life, and have a positive impact on the community. What are other initiatives that you participate in, other than Yarnbombing? Bohumila Augustinova: I have volunteered at Transitions for years. In that capacity I have offered classes in crafts, like teaching others how to crochet. I also collaborated in workshops with Brenda Oliver, the former Columbia Art Center Director, at Transitions and we were part of a team of volunteers. I haven't been able to volunteer as much as I would like to during the pandemic. I am able to continue community service and outreach through my role as director at the Columbia Art Center. Scraffito ceramic bowl by Bohumila Augustinova. Photo by Dawn Hunter. Dawn Hunter: Tell me more about that. Bohumila Augustinova: Other than our regular roster of classes that we offer at the Columbia Art Center, we work with members and organized groups from the community. Examples of groups that we work with are veterans, the Girls Scouts, homeless, and international groups. We also have a partnership with Sister Care, a national organization that assists women who are trying to escape abusive relationships. There are other initiatives that we participate in, too, like, Art Along the Trail, a dynamic visual and performing arts experience that occurs at Columbia's Riverfront Park. Scraffito ceramic bowl by Bohumila Augustinova. Photo by Bohumila Augustinova. Dawn Hunter: What is the most rewarding part of your job? Bohumila Augustinova: All of it. There are so many examples. I love our international programming because the event is for an entire family, and I witness multiple generations conceive of and create a collaborative art project on those occasions. Our programming features fantastic teachers who are dynamic members of the local art community. I am always looking for people who want to volunteer or participate in some capacity. It is exciting because it is a community-driven job, and my day-to-day activities change based on needs - so it is unpredictable. We offer Open Studio memberships to local artists who utilize the work studio space to create ceramic work. Through their membership, artists are given a 25-pound bag of clay, use of the studio, a shelf for storage, access to various glazes, and use of our kilns. They are able to hand build work or throw pottery on the wheel. Scraffito ceramic bowl by Bohumila Augustinova. Photo by Bohumila Augustinova. Dawn Hunter: Tell me about your art. Have you always created ceramics? Bohumila Augustinova: No, but I have always been creative. All of my life, I was sewing my own clothes as a young child - when I was the same age as Darcy! Dawn Hunter: Didn't you win the Columbia Design League's Runaway Runway twice? Bohumila Augustinova: Yes. Dawn Hunter: How do you decide what materials to use? Bohumila Augustinova: My mom was always making something creative, and she was very innovative. I didn't think it was unusual. Making things was just part of life, and it really didn't matter what the material was. I went to college for fashion design, but when I was done with school, I knew I didn't want to pursue a career in the industry. I have never felt afraid to try new forms of expression, and I have made a lot of art work from recycled materials, and I teach classes that focus on sustainability and use recycled materials, too. Dawn Hunter: You used wire for many projects, too, right? Bohumila Augustinova: Yes, that is correct. I am originally from Czechoslavakia, now known as the Czech Republic. One summer, when I was visiting home after moving to South Carolina, I borrowed my niece and took a class structured for mothers with small children. Not all of the projects were collaborative, and they offered workshops that were just for adults. One of the workshops was in traditional Slovakia tinkering. That is a tradition where experts in the craft travel from town to town to create a wire cover, or casing, for the clay cooking pots. It prevents them from cracking or breaking during use. I took to the medium naturally, and when I returned to the United States, I started making jewelry, too. I expanded the language of the wire beyond its traditional use, and I have created many projects out of it, including my Supper Table setting for Jasper. That table setting was symbolic and expressive of the late Elizabeth Evelyn Wright's life. Dawn Hunter: Your current sgraffito work in clay is expressive, too. How do you come up with the color and patterns? Bohumila Augustinova: When I first started, I found inspiration in mid-century design. Now I find inspiration from the natural outdoor surroundings of my home, like patterns and colors from my garden or ripples from the fish swimming in the pond. Dawn Hunter: What's next? Bohumila Augustinova: Well, this week I am participating in the Cottontown Art Crawl on March 12th, and as things slowly open up more, I hope to expand my volunteer work - both personally and professionally. The pandemic has made it challenging to gather in the numbers that some outreach initiatives require. Outreach has been a big part of my life and artistic practice, and I am looking forward to future projects. When I came to Columbia, I immediately felt a sense of community and belonging. I love my work at the Columbia Art Center, and it is rewarding to be part of the process that enables people to be inspired and create. That inspires me. Yarnbombers of Coulumbia art. Photo by Bohumila Augustinova.

This 'Dish with Darcy' showcases a super quick and easy white bean dip recipe that is a guaranteed crowd pleaser! Darcy's Inspiration, Love & Lemons' White Bean Dip! Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and in this week's "Dish with Darcy" feature, Darcy showcases Love and Lemons' delightful white bean dip. With their keen eye for detail and a dash of creativity, they carefully penned a palette inspiring recipe. Darcy sourced the freshest ingredients, and prepared her kitchen for a fun and rewarding cooking session. For Darcy, the kitchen is a place of joy and experimentation, not just precision. She followed Love & Lemons' outline and started with cannellini beans, olive oil, and lemon, which are the heart of this dip. This mixture takes mere moments to blend in a food processor, resulting in a dip that’s both creamy and bursting with flavor. The zesty lemon enlivens the earthy beans, while olive oil lends a luxurious smoothness. Whether you're dipping carrot sticks, spreading it on a sandwich, or enjoying a spoonful right from the fridge, this recipe is a keeper. For an extra layer of flavor, Darcy added the suggested fresh herbs like basil and rosemary. If you're feeling adventurous, try mixing in tarragon, parsley, thyme, mint, dill, or chives. And for a rich, mellow garlic undertone, roast a head of garlic as described, then blend the soft, golden cloves into your dip. This aromatic addition transforms the dip into a deeply flavorful treat that’s perfect for any occasion. "Chefs don't make mistakes; they make new dishes." - Elizabeth Brigg Ingredients 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 1 small garlic clove 1/2 teaspoon sea salt freshly ground black pepper 2 to 4 tablespoons water, if needed 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves Instructions Directions: Place the cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse these ingredients until they are just mixed. While the processor is still running, gradually pour in the water and continue to process until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. If you like, add fresh herbs of your choice at the end and give it one last blend to incorporate. “When I create any dish, literally the first thing I think of is, what is the purpose behind this dish? Why am I putting this ingredient in it?” - Esther Choi And that concludes this segment of "Dish with Darcy!" Here, culinary exploration turns into an exhilarating escapade. Whether it’s mastering the art of a silky white bean dip that promises to elevate your snack time or delving into comforting classics with a gourmet twist, Darcy ensures that every cooking session is filled with joy and discovery. Her rich, creamy, and zesty white bean dip is guaranteed to dazzle your taste buds and become a new favorite. Stay tuned for more delicious adventures on "Dish with Darcy!

Explore the world of Mary Robinson, a mixed-media artist inspired by nature, repurposing, and community. Based in Columbia, SC, she's an educator, director, and artist-in-residence at Breck Create, CO, using art to celebrate sustainability and unity. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Celebrating Creation and Conservation: The Mixed-Media Journey of Mary Robinson "Printmaking is often a very collaborative process, so through many years of teaching printmaking I believe that I have also become more communally oriented" Hailing from Columbia, South Carolina, Mary Robinson is an artist of many disciplines, embodying the essence of creative re-imagination in her unique and thoughtful works. A mixed-media artist who relishes in finding the extraordinary in the mundane, she is currently the director of the Printmaking Program at the University of South Carolina School of Visual Art and Design, where she also teaches. Robinson's distinct approach to her craft involves printmaking in diverse media, creating objects from repurposed fabric, and making handmade paper. In her studio, she weaves together disparate elements to uncover new interplays of color and form. Robinson's works are intrinsically inspired by the natural world; from the intricate patterns made by acorn woodpeckers she observed in Inverness, California, to the pulse and rhythm of life, Robinson endeavors to convey the potent energy that unites all living things. This interconnection with nature is an underpinning philosophy in her artistry, beautifully highlighting a delicate balance between creation and conservation. Robinson's artistic journey has been one of exploration and education. She graduated with a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Colorado-Boulder, proceeded by an MA in Art History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and then an MFA in Printmaking from Indiana University-Bloomington. Robinson's passion for printmaking was sparked while assisting Master Printer Andy Rubin at UW's Tandem Press. Above, Pieced: Brown Small, collaged artwork by Mary Robinson. Image courtesy of Mary Robinson. Presently, Robinson is engaging with the community of Breckenridge, Colorado, as an artist-in-residence at Breck Create, a creative hub that's in partnership with the Saddle Rock Society. The residency offers artists from all over the globe a space to focus on their artistic process, interact with the local community, and foster a spirit of creativity and togetherness. During her residency, Robinson has led several impactful activities, ranging from teaching a Kids Camp to making filament from repurposed plastic sleds using a Precious Plastics extruder machine. A mixed-media artist in every sense, she has been involved in creating a braided rag rug, running a workshop on beading with repurposed materials, and making beads from repurposed paper and fabric. Furthering her ethos of recycling and repurposing, she gratefully uses fabric and yarn donated by the community for her projects at Breck Create. She hashtags her social media posts with #maryrobinsonstudion #repurpose, #breckcreate, #gratitude, #community, #cherishedscraps, #materialappreciation, and #artistresidency, reaffirming her commitment to community, creativity, and the appreciation of materials, however humble they might be. Above, Svalbard Seed Vault Exhibition Handbound books on display at Tromsø bibliotek, Tromsø, Norway. Image courtesy of the Global Seed Vault in Svalbad, Norway. Q & A with Mary Robinson Dawn Hunter: Mary, you've built your career around repurposing materials in your artwork. Can you share a story about a particular piece where the material's past life brought a unique depth or perspective to your creation? Mary Robinson: The series of works titled Pieced are made from my collection of fabric scraps, and I know where each little scrap comes from. For example, in Pieced: Brown Small, there are pieces of clothing belonging to my mother, my husband, my friend and myself. There are also leftovers from a quilt I made for my newborn nephew. There are pieces given to me at a workshop I took with Gee’s Bend Quilters Mary Ann Pettway and China Pettway. And there is fabric onto which I screen printed patterns in a natural dye workshop I took with Donna Brown who founded the Janice Ford Memorial Dye Garden in Denver. When I look at these scraps stitched together I can’t help but see the interconnection of a larger community—those mentioned above but also the unknown workers who manufactured the various fabrics. (continued below) Inspiration, patterns created by Acorn Woodpeckers. Inspiration manifests in Mary Robinson's work. Ovals carved into matrices which were used to create her relief monoprint series, Chorus. Dawn Hunter: Your inspiration often comes from the rhythms and patterns of nature. Is there a specific instance in nature that inspired you recently, and how did it manifest in your work? Mary Robinson: In 2017 I had a 3-week residency in Inverness, California at the Lucid Art Foundation. Every day from dawn to dusk I saw and heard acorn woodpeckers persistently creating hundreds of holes for storing the nuts they gathered. I had previously used a pattern of ovals to represent humans, linking the ephemerality of human lives to musical notes. Inspired by the woodpeckers and taking advantage of the reproducibility in printmaking, I carved many small ovals on multiple matrices and printed them in a variety of ways at the residency. I continue to use this pattern regularly, and it can be seen in the previously mentioned work, Pieced: Brown Small; in the printed, hand-bound books I created for the permanent collection at the Global Seed Vault in Svalbad, Norway; in many of the Regeneration works; and in the Chorus series of large woodcut prints. Mary Robinson, Regeneration 4 Handmade paper, thread, collagraph, relief print, gouache and glue on mulberry paper, 13”x 10.5”, 2021. Courtesy of the artist. Mary Robinson, Chorus 3, Relief monoprint on Shiramine paper, 46”x 38”, 2021. Courtesy of the artist. Dawn Hunter: As an artist, you've led various workshops and taught at a Kids Camp during your residency at Breck Create. How do you feel teaching influences your own work, and what do you hope your students take away from these experiences? Mary Robinson: I have really enjoyed teaching a broad range of students over the years in terms of age, experience and cultural background. I believe that the flexibility and openness I have brought to teaching has made me more relaxed and open as an artist and human over the years. I sometimes see a fear of failing in students that I used to experience. Helping students to embrace process and flexibility has helped me get past rigidity and tightness in my own work. Printmaking is often a very collaborative process, so through many years of teaching printmaking I believe that I have also become more communally oriented. This summer I have been inspired by the wild and beautiful imaginations of 4- to 12-year-olds I have been working with. (One 8-year-old made a portrait of “Mr. Toast” and wove a sweater for him without worrying about whether or not this made sense.) Dawn Hunter: You've spoken about your gratitude for the ongoing donations of fabric and yarn for your project at Breck Create. Could you describe how community involvement enhances your artistic process and impacts the resulting artwork? Mary Robinson: Involving interested participants in a community art project can make members feel more connected and invested in their community. This summer’s Invitation project at Breck Create has stimulated dialogue about art, home, community, environmental sustainability, and material waste. For me, the donated materials become creative prompts that trigger new ideas. The challenge of not buying anything new for the project has propelled me to use materials in ways different than what I’m used to. It has been exciting to see both kids and adults transform simple triangles of magazine paper into beautiful paper beads, and to see their perceptions of the material change. Mary Robinson, Regeneration 3 Relief print, screen print, digital print, gouache and glue on mulberry paper, 14”x 10.5”, 2021. Courtesy of the artist. Dawn Hunter: Having studied both Studio Art and Art History, how do you feel your understanding of historical contexts and movements has shaped your own artistic voice, particularly your focus on sustainability and repurposing materials? Mary Robinson: First of all, I credit a part-time instructor from my freshman year of college, in large part, for my pursuing a life and career in art. She drove from Denver to Boulder twice a week to teach our small art appreciation class, taking us to the studios and homes of artists. Before that, I didn’t really know that you could choose art as a career and, more importantly, as a way of life. The artists we visited seemed to live holistic, creative lifestyles in beautiful, unique homes. I remember feeling on a deep level at age 18: “I want to live like this.” Over the years I have been influenced by many artists whose work doesn’t necessarily look like mine: the pulsating marks in Van Gogh’s paintings; the sense of fleetingness in Stan Brakhage’s films and Francesca Woodman’s photographs; the dedication in Frank Auerbach’s paintings of the artist trying to capture something about his small group of subjects again and again for decades; Richard Long’s use of walking as a medium; and the rough, earthy sculpture of Magdalena Abakanowicz. Studying art history has given me a sense of connection with humanity across time and geography. Many of my art professors at the University of Colorado encouraged us to think about the content in our work and promoted social awareness. One of my painting professors gave us the assignment of addressing a social issue in a painting. I remember painting a man from behind looking out over a city covered in trash. A few years later when writing my art history master's thesis about the work of Betye Saar, I was impressed by Saar's appreciation of material, her habit of recycling, and her recognition of the power of objects, for example when she incorporated her Aunt Hattie's belongings in Record for Hattie. About her materials Saar states: "The objects that I use, because they're old (or used, at least ), bring their own story; they bring their past with them. I have no idea what that history is. If the object is from my home or my family, I can guess. But I like the idea of not knowing, even though the story's still there. Mary Robinson, Regeneration 2, Screen print, relief print, gouache and glue on mulberry paper, 9.5”x 13”, 2021. Courtesy of the artist. Artist and USC professor, Mary Robinson in her studio. Mary Robinson | Studio

'SC People' features exclusive interviews with individuals contributing to SC communities, celebrating their influence on the state's growth, culture, and prosperity. South Carolina People South Carolina Sunshine™ | SC People feature interviews with people who build our communities and make South Carolina great! Table of Contents Icons Scroll and click on an icon image below to go an interview section you are interested in reading. Our selected interviewees are influential figures within the state of South Carolina. Through a series of thoughtfully crafted questions, our goal is to inform the public about dynamic artists, directors, curators, and cultural programming in our region. We have chosen to interview individuals who exemplify the diversity and richness of our cultural landscape. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Udorji Oji Emerging Artist | Illustrator Diana Farfán Ceramic Artist | Community Leader Kyle C. Coleman Artfields Collective | Fine Arts Director Mary Robinson Internationally recognized printmaker Brian Rego Renowned Charleston, SC artist Marius Valdes Professor, University of South Carolina Ella Marushchenko Scientific Illustrator Sara Schneckloth Professor, University of South Carolina Nakisa Abdollahbeigi Critically Acclaimed Artist Caroline DeSantis Entrepreneur Bohumila Augustinova Director, Columbia Art Center Upcoming Interview We are excited about our upcoming interview with multidisciplinary artist, Cedric Umoja, a Columbia, S.C. Cedric uses letter forms, found materials, and archetypal totems to create transformative art. His work spans drawings, paintings, murals, sculptures, films, installations, and performances, bridging ancient and futuristic themes. Influenced by artists like Dondi White, Betye Saar, and Sun Ra, Umoja studied at the Art Institute of Atlanta and apprenticed under Tony Cacalano, who was mentored by Jack Tworkov of the New York School. Umoja’s style incorporates elements of Post Graffiti, Post Expressionism, Afro Surrealism, and Modern African art.

We invite your input! Dawn and Darcy are eager to hear your thoughts. Your contributions about forthcoming events, art showcases & intriguing outdoor spots are appreciated but essential to the expansion & evolution of our project. Join us as we explore South Carolina's cultural & natural landscape. Contact Let us, Dawn and Darcy, know what you think. Also, please submit information you have regarding upcoming events, art exhibitions, or interesting outdoor places to explore. We aim to keep our project going and growing! Let's Chat Phone 770-815-9008 Email dmhunter@email.sc.edu Social Media First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

Dawn Hunter's travel drawings from Atlanta capture moments at the High Museum and Midtown’s Politan Row. From studies of Kim Chong Hak’s vibrant canvases to portraits of everyday encounters, my sketchbook practice transforms observation into lasting form. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Travel Drawings: Midtown, Atlanta by Dawn Hunter “I love the seasons—spring, summer, autumn, winter. I love them for what they are and for the idea they evoke, that of permanent change. They embody life, renewal, energy." by Kim Chong Hak I brought my sketchbook with me on my recent trip to Atlanta in order to practice life drawing. I engaged in the process at various locations including the High Museum of Art, the Politan Row at Colony Square and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Travel drawing functions as an artistic practice which helps me both create art and grasp the meaning of my experiences. Drawing serves as my method to observe the world while I slow down and convert brief experiences into enduring artistic creations no matter where I am. High Museum of Art At the High Museum of Art, I sketched two works by South Korean painter Kim Chong Hak—Autumn (2023) and Pandemonium (2018).These large-scale acrylic paintings are part of the Kim Chong Hak Foundation’s collection and were included in Kim Chong Hak: Painter of Seoraksan, the artist’s first U.S. museum exhibition (April 11–November 2, 2025). Kim’s work, is vibrant and features floral and mountain imagery. It resonates deeply with me.His ability to sustain a sense of childlike wonder while rendering nature with expressive intensity creates a dialogue between immediacy and permanence. My sketches of his work became a study not only in line and form but also in the way perception shifts when responding to another artist’s vision. Title: detail of Pandemonium, 2018, by Kim Chong Hak, Acrylic on canvas Courtesy of the artist and the Kim Chong Hak Foundation Title: sketch of Kim Chong Hak's detail of Pandemonium by Dawn Hunter, color pencil, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 17" Drawing in the City Outside the museum, I turned to the city itself. At Politan Row at Colony Square, a food hall and bar in Midtown near the High Museum, I immersed myself in drawing the people who were around me. The space is elegant and casual, and it is a setting that attracts visitors out for the evening, decompressing from work and even wedding parties. The crowded environment lent itself to caricature-like drawings that captured gesture and expression. Among these sketches, one subject stood out: Kree, a young pregnant nursing student on a staycation with her boyfriend. I was struck by her presence, which was restful, grounded, and contemplative amid the busy scene. My portrait of her became a more sustained drawing, balancing spontaneity with careful observation. Title: sketch of guests at Politan Row at Colony Square, Midtown, Atlanta by Dawn Hunter, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 14" Politan Row Community The caricature drawings made at Politan Row in Atlanta showcase the dynamic nature of people who gather in this active social environment. I use quick layered lines to create expressive drawings that focus on capturing gestures and personality traits instead of exact details. The drawings showcase both the natural observation process and the active communal environment through their range of detailed work from basic impressions to fully realized portraits. The collection of drawings presents a dynamic visual documentation of people who interact with each other while showing their unique characteristics. Title: Portrait of Brandon by Dawn Hunter, pen and ink on paper, 11" x 14" Title: Portrait of Kree by Dawn Hunter, pen and ink on paper, 11" x 14" Title: sketch of guests at Politan Row at Colony Square, Midtown, Atlanta by Dawn Hunter, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 14" Title: sketch of guests at Politan Row at Colony Square, Midtown, Atlanta by Dawn Hunter, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 14" Title: sketch of Kim Chong Hak's detail of Autumn by Dawn Hunter, color pencil, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 17" Off the Wall and into the World My drawings of the Atlanta Botanical Garden present an energetic and interactive interpretation of nature which draws inspiration from Kim Chong Hak's dense and rhythmic compositions of his paintings on display at the High Museum. In my sketches I aim to depict the garden's thick vegetation with lines and colors to represent the vibrant plant life. The drawings follow Kim Chong Hak's expressive and action oriented painting and drawing style by emphasizing tempo, movement and abundance of a densely packed landscape. Title: Atlanta Botanical Garden 1, by Dawn Hunter, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 17" Title: Japanese Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden, by Dawn Hunter, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 17" Process and Purpose My sketchbook practice is rooted in perceptual drawing. The practice of this type of focused observation activates both emotional and intellectual mental operations. Through direct observation of life I establish a dynamic relationship with the artistic elements of line, shape, value, texture, space, color and form. The process provides more than visual study. Through drawing people can focus their minds while developing their spatial reasoning abilities and their skills in working with proportions and gestures. The steady observation of my hand movement across the page creates a meditative state which helps me reduce my anxiety and stress while creating a connection with my environment. Through travel drawing I transform the present moment into lasting marks which transcend the current instant as I draw both Kim Chong Hak's whimsically rich paintings, the people in a crowded food hall or the rich landscape of the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Title: Atlanta Botanical Garden 2, by Dawn Hunter, marker and pen on paper, 11" x 17"

Search Results 29 items found for "" Caroline DeSantis | Dawn Hunter | South Carolina Sunshine™ Stitching the Past into the Present: an interview with a great gal who owns and operates FAST DOLL. An interview feature with USC Alumnus, Caroline DeSanctis, artist and owner of Fast Doll, "hand embroidery inspired by the golden age of North American traditional tattoo and other iconic vintage imagery. Above, Caroline DeSanctis, owner of FAST DOLL Hand Embroidery, Charleston, SC. Photo by Michelle Hart, Palmetto Snapshots, Charleston, SC. Palmetto Snapshots Q & A with Caroline DeSantis Introduction: Based on her original drawings and unique designs, owner and operator of FAST DOLL Caroline DeSanctis creates 100% hand-stitched patches, custom clothing & accessories influenced by the tattoo flash of the 1940s & 1950s. All embroidery and designs are drawn and stitched by Ms. DeSanctis. Most designs you see here are original to the shop unless otherwise noted (i.e., the Sailor Jerry designs and some custom commissioned work). The cost of her hand embroidered patches range from $20.00 - $125.00. Her shop additionally features hats, pennant, key chains, tattoo passes and custom orders. All patches are cruelty-free: made from eco-felt, which is made from recycled plastic bottles, and 100% cotton embroidery floss. Let's catch up with Caroline and find out more about her unique shop and business. Above, an example of some of Caroline's custom work. Hand-dyed, hand-stitched & hand-drawn patch flash sheets prior to being framed. Commission Inquiries Dawn Hunter: When and where did you establish FAST DOLL? Caroline DeSanctis: I started Fast Doll in 2015 when I still lived in Atlanta, Georgia. Back then it was still known as Fast Doll Fine Vintage, and I was exclusively selling vintage clothing from the 1920s-1960s online. When I first started I was still working full-time for MAC Cosmetics and was selling vintage on the side after clocking out at MAC every day. I resigned at MAC in April 2016 and I remember as I was leaving the counter that day my phone was buzzing with orders from Etsy, and I remember smiling, and thinking that I had made the right decision to leave. Hand-dyed, hand-stitched & hand-drawn framed "patch flash sheets."™ Dawn Hunter: Has the business always focused on hand embroidery? If not, how did that evolve? Caroline DeSanctis: It was exclusively vintage clothing & accessories for almost 3 years, until I taught myself how to embroider by hand and eventually evolving that into the current style of the things I make today. I remember stitching the first thing, which was the words Fast Doll on the back of one of my denim vest, and then thinking “oh no, I’m already addicted to this“. I started to post my creations on social media and there was immediate interest. They started to sell more and more and eventually became more popular than any other vintage items that I was selling. I got so busy during the holiday season of 2019 that it became the only thing I had time to do, and I officially stopped selling vintage clothing and renamed the company to simply ‘Fast Doll’. And I’ve been stitching full-time ever since. Above, Caroline DeSanctis, owner of FAST DOLL Hand Embroidery, Charleston, SC. Photo by Michelle Hart, Palmetto Snapshots, Charleston, SC. Dawn Hunter: When did you locate to Charleston? Caroline DeSanctis: I moved to Charleston in August 2020 in the middle of the pandemic! I got here and got straight to work and tried not to miss a beat. I think I took off maybe one full day to unpack when I moved, but that was it, haha. Dawn Hunter: How do you come up with ideas for designs? What is your inspiration? Caroline DeSanctis: I draw inspiration from a lot of vintage 1940s and 1950s iconography, ephemera, magazines, illustrations and tattoos from that era of American history. They had bold black lines and were limited to only a few colors — these designs translate so well to embroidery and look very clean and satisfying when they’re done. I also love pinup art and often make things that represent or remind me of vintage glamour and aesthetics. Dawn Hunter: What is your most popular design? Caroline DeSanctis: I think my most popular designs are any of the flowers that I do, any of the skulls, and the ‘Mama Tried’ patches & trucker hats, haha. The imagery in this work was taken directly from a Sailor Jerry sheet of flash featuring an eagle. This is not one of Caroline's designs. The embroidery is straight-up satin stitching. The eagle is embroidered with white, red, and dark & yellow gold embroidery floss. Flag is sewn with deep navy blue, white, red, gold and brown embroidery floss. Flowers are sewn with mustard yellow, green and black embroidery floss. Images are sewn to an off-white piece of sturdy felt that are then sewn on top of a black piece of felt with black embroidery floss (creating a border) and trimmed to fit. Since each patch is handmade, there may be slight, minor differences and no two patches will be 100% alike. If you'd like a different color scheme for your patch, feel free to make a custom request. Please allow additional processing time for custom requests. Hand-embroidered, hand-sewn and hand-cut black and off-white felt patch. The patch flash sheet features pointy-tipped daggers with a hearts detail and dots details. Image is sewn to an off-white piece of sturdy felt that is then sewn on top of a black piece of felt with off-white embroidery floss (creating a border) and trimmed to fit. Classic & timeless traditional-style rose that looks good on everything. Hand-embroidered, hand-sewn and hand-cut felt patches in 4 different color schemes. Patch features a traditional-tattoo-style rose with three leaves. Great for a leather or denim jacket / vest. Felt Pennants Dawn Hunter: Where can people buy your work? Caroline DeSanctis: My work is always available online at my website — Fastdoll.com — and you can also commission a custom piece from me there as well. I also sell items on my Instagram feed from time to time — @fast.doll. I do lots of local handmade & vintage markets regularly in the Park Circle and North Charleston area. I also have pieces available at The Station, which is located locally in Park Circle. In case you forgot — The boots stay on! ‘The Boots Stay On’ felt pennant featured in two different color ways. • 100% hand-stitched & hand-assembled (no machine!) • Each measure 12” x 6” Fast Doll Web Site Ella Marushchenko | Dawn Hunter | South Carolina Sunshine™ Scientific Inspiration, an interview with Sasha and Ella Marushchenko of Ella Maru Studio, Charleston, SC. Ella Marushchenko and her scientific illustrations inspire me. When Darcy and I set out to make South Carolina Sunshine a serious endeavor, we reached out to the Ella Maru Studio to see if they would be willing to be interviewed for a feature in our SC People section. They replied "yes" within twenty minutes of receiving our email. I was thrilled by their generosity. I have followed Ella Marushchenko's career as a scientific illustrator, often incorporating images of the Ella Maru Studio into my Color and Composition syllabus. UofSC students are in awe of the visualizations of chemistry, nano, and biological concepts coupled with the compelling artistic expression of the subjects. They are inspired by Ella's career path, particularly drawn to her social media accounts, where she is authentic about who she is and sometimes shares challenges that she overcame in her youth. Which, for them, is relatable and makes them realize that their goals are obtainable. Sasha and Ella Marushchenko in KUDU Coffee and Craft Beer, Charleston, SC. Photo by Dawn Hunter South Carolina Sunshine is honored to feature Sasha and Ella Marushchenko, the co-founders and owners of Ella Maru Studio located in Charleston, SC. The business specializes in Scientific design and animation. Artistic Background Ella was born and raised in Ufa, Russia. Art has always been part of her life. Her grandmother was an artist, and her mother, who also has artistic talent, always supported her creativity. She received excellent training while she assisted the famous Russian painter, the late Sergey Krasnov, and his assistant Vera Asanbaeva for eight years. While training with Krasnov and Asanbaeva she learned the importance of observation and honed this skill. Above, painting by Sergey Krasnov. After completing her apprenticeship, she earned her Master's degree in art from Bashkir State Pedagogical University, Ufa, Russia. She eventually moved to the Czech Republic and began to explore many different art forms like ceramics, textiles, and watercolor, but she focused primarily on interior and fashion design. She fully expected to pursue a profession in interior design upon arriving in the United States however, she met Dr. Sergiy Minko, who insisted that she create an illustration for an article he planned to publish in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Advanced Functional Materials. Her image was selected for the cover of the journal. Above, artwork by Vera Asanbaeva. Ella Maru Studio Other scientists recognized her ability to summarize their content with the well-designed components (texture, lighting, and color) of her images, and she received more requests for work. Sasha and Ella Marushchenko founded Ella Maru Studio to meet the demand. Sasha, who holds a Ph.D. in chemistry, organized a business plan so that Ella's creativity and scientific illustrations could flourish. In the beginning, it was just the two of them, but Ella Maru Studio has grown and now employs eight people. Their team is a combination of Ph.D. scientists and professionally trained artists from the top universities throughout the United States. In each commission they implement Ph.D. level scientific insight with top art design talent to create engaging scientific images and animations. Her illustrations have been selected as cover art for numerous scientific journals, which include: Nature, Nature Physics, Nature Materials, NatureNanotechnology, Cell, Nanoletters, Angewandte Chemie, and JACS. Sasha and Ella have teamed up for other endeavors outside of Ella Maru Studio in the Charleston area. An example is the conservation of eagles and other wildlife in the low country. Recently, an eagle's nest was threatened by new construction. Sasha is passionate about eagle conservation, so during the peaceful, organized protests against disrupting the eagle's home, they created a painting to put at the site for public display. Through their creativity for conservation, anyone who passed by could be educated regarding dynamics in the region that are threatening to wildlife and endangered species. Ella also continues to develop and is devoted to her personal artistic practice. Occasionally, she accepts special commissions, like the painting featured below. It was a work created for Ella's friend. The painting took three months, and it depicts in rich colors and fine detail the Russian fairytale Lukomorye. Ella's Lukomorye painting is as fascinating and as full of wonderment as her scientific illustrations. We don't know about you, but South Carolina Sunshine is looking forward to the next cover produced by Ella Maru Studio! Ella Marushchenko with her painting about the Russian fairytale "Lukomorye." Follow the link below and visit the Maru Studio website. There you will find lots of examples of her scientific illustration and animated work. Ella Maru Studio Dawn Hunter Art ® | South Carolina Sunshine South Carolina Sunshine! Dawn Hunter Art ® | South Carolina Sunshine™ is a lifestyle webzine dedicated to promoting all things South Carolina. The website is a collaborative project of visual artist and Fulbright Scholar Dawn Hunter and her daughter, Darcy. Together, they learn about and explore the state's vibrant culture, discover its hidden gems, and learn about the great people who make up its communities. There is a particular focus on events that extend beyond local communities by featuring "happenings" with regional, national, and international connections. They feature an online listing of outdoor activities in South Carolina. For the culture enthusiast , they regularly publish photo essays of art exhibitions. Dawn Hunter Art ® | South Carolina Sunshine™ provides curated content with a unique and intimate look into what makes the state special. Along the way, Dawn is committed to sharing her creative life and process with others in the Studio Visit section. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link New Interview! Explore the whimsical and thought-provoking ceramic sculptures of Diana Farfán, a Bogotá native, who often offers sharp social commentary within her artwork. Learn about her ceramics studio practice and her impactful community role in our latest SC People Interview. Click Here to Read the Full Interview! Explore Congaree! Discover the Congaree National Park , a host to a diversity of plant and animal wild life. It is one of largest preserved stretch of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern United States. The floodplain is revitalized by the waters of the Congaree and Wateree Rivers, which deliver essential nutrients and sediments. This natural process fosters a rich ecosystem and sustains the impressive national and state champion trees found within the park. ...or, visit Bulls Island! Bulls Island stands as the largest of four barrier islands within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, remaining remarkably untouched and pristine. Established in 1932, this refuge is dedicated to safeguarding wildlife and their habitats across its expansive 5,000-acre expanse. Bulls Island boasts a flourishing maritime forest enriched by a variety of fresh and brackish water impoundments, alongside a picturesque beachfront. Extensive networks of roads and trails crisscross the island, providing abundant chances for hiking and wildlife observation. ​ The photo featured in this section is of Boneyard Beach, where a striking scene unfolds. During low tides, the eerie landscape emerges, showcasing bleached oak, cedar, and pine trees scattered on the sand, resembling skeletal remnants. This natural spectacle evokes a surreal, almost ghostly ambiance akin to a natural cemetery, where spiny tree branches protrude from beneath the shifting sands. Darcy's Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin Pie in July! Dish with Darcy and celebrate the art of Yayoi Kusama, the "Princess of Polka Dots," and Darcy’s inspired creations. Discover Kusama’s 'My Love for the Eternal Pumpkin' sculpture at the Hirshhorn Museum and explore Darcy’s creative journey, drawing and decorating her own pumpkins. The photo essay showcases images from Kusama exhibits, Darcy's art process, and her delicious homemade pumpkin pies, adding a culinary twist to the artistic tribute. This webpage blends visual and culinary arts, highlighting the influence of Kusama’s work on personal creativity and expression. Join us in this vibrant celebration of art, inspiration, and delightful treats! Beet the Blues Looking for a refreshing and reinvigorating springtime juice treat? Look no further than Beet the Blues! To create this vitamin-rich drink, you will need a juicer. This nutrient-rich recipe contains 2 beets chopped and peeled, 3 peeled carrots, 1 green apple, 1 fresh peeled sprig of ginger, and 1/2 of chopped fresh pineapple. Beetroots are known for their rich fiber content and abundant vitamins and minerals, including folate, manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. This springtime treat tastes amazing and offers health benefits. Beets are known to improve blood flow and lower blood pressure, plus boost energy during exercise. ​ Craving more, visit our Sweet Carrot Snap recipe, so delicious, it deserves and encore! ​ Events | Get your 'SC Daily Sip' Unearth South Carolina's hidden gems with 'SC Daily Sip', your curated events compass to the state's best food, art, concerts, and more - click to start exploring today! More Cook Up Fun with Darcy's Tangy & Creamy Dip – Quick & Easy Recipe for Tween Chefs. Unleash Your Inner Kitchen Superstar Today! Recipe Featured Sections About Experience South Carolina! - the inspiration behind our website, we are fueled by the remarkable talents and accomplishments of individuals in the Palmetto state. With a unique blend of art, science, and community service, we've crafted a vision for a site that transcends the ordinary. Browse our online webzine that celebrates and explores the exceptional people, enchanting culture and natural beauty of South Carolina. Go to About SC People Dawn Hunter's SC People section for South Carolina Sunshine™ provides exclusive interviews with notable individuals contributing significantly to their communities throughout the state. From community and business leaders to creatives, each story sheds light on South Carolina's rich diversity and evolving culture. Stay tuned for our following lineup featuring inspiring conversations with engaging artists, entrepreneurs, and educators shaping our present and mapping our future lives. In this photo, Nakisa Abdollahbeigi at her exhibition opening, Carry On. Go to SC People Outdoors South Carolina Sunshine™ | Outdoors section is your resource for exploring the stunning landscapes, hiking trails, and outdoor activities in South Carolina. We have organized a collection of must-see places and exciting things to do. Embark on unforgettable adventures and create cherished memories as you experience the natural beauty and charm of South Carolina's great outdoors. Go to Outdoors Culture Welcome to South Carolina Sunshine™, your ultimate guide to the vibrant cultural events that make the Palmetto State shine. Our specially catalogued content features an array of exceptional happenings across South Carolina, ensuring you stay informed and inspired. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of our state's culture and discover events that capture the essence of South Carolina Sunshine™. Go to Culture Dish with Darcy Join Darcy, Dawn Hunter's vivacious daughter, as she embarks on mouthwatering culinary adventures throughout the Palmetto State. Accompanied by friends, local talent, and a passion for food, Darcy showcases South Carolina's diverse and delectable cuisine. Embrace Darcy's motto, "food prepared is meant to be shared," and savor the scrumptious flavors of our beloved region with Dish with Darcy™. Go to Dish with Darcy Studio Visit Join artist Dawn Hunter for a Studio Visit. Here you'll journey through her creative world. Explore a captivating photo essays and "Tumblr" page that showcases her past, present, and future projects, reflecting the depth and diversity of her artistic endeavors and gain a unique insight into the creative process of this talented South Carolinian artist Go to Studio Visit Brought to you by artist Dawn Hunter as featured in . . . crazyhorse/ swamp pink CIRCULATING NOW Diana Farfán, Artist Spotlight To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Artist Spotlight: Diana Farfán "My advocacy is something that I learned to use as I felt the need to implement strategies that elevate my Latino community and educate others about us." Featured in this section is a portrait of Diana Farfán in her studio taken by Will Cooks. A native of Bogotá, Colombia, our artist spotlight Diana Farfán's lifelong affinity for ceramic sculpture was sparked by pre-Hispanic figures and colonial architecture. After finishing her BFA at Universidad Nacional de Colombia in 1999, Diana expanded her horizons, gaining new perspectives at universities in Alaska and Taiwan. In 2010, she added an MFA from the University of South Carolina to her academic credentials. Now settled in the heart of Greenville, South Carolina, Diana expertly juggles multiple roles. She's not just a sculptor but also an instructor and a passionate advocate for Latino artists. From orchestrating art exhibitions to drafting strategic plans, she's got a lot on her plate but manages it all with aplomb. Known statewide for her community involvement, she's a Liberty Fellowship alumna and Aspen Global Leadership Network member. Diana's work, noted for its whimsical, thought-provoking figures, has received multiple accolades, including the Best in Show at the South Carolina State Museum's 30th Anniversary Juried Exhibition in 2018 and the First Place Award at the 2015 Pickens County Museum Artists Exhibition. Her installations, such as "The Dream Life of Broken Toys" and "The Toy Republic," revealed biting social and political commentary through seemingly innocent toys and puppets. Linthead by Diana Farfán Q & A with Diana Farfán Dawn Hunter: Diana, your work often features dolls, puppets, and toys with deep, meaningful narratives hidden beneath their playful exteriors. What initially inspired you to choose these forms as a medium for your social and political commentary? Diana Farfán: Since I can remember, anthropo-zoomorphic forms have come out of my mind and hands easily. At an early age, I perceived that I could create my stories and that my body was always available for anatomical references. I enjoyed making fabric and paper puppets that embodied my characters and staging short plays to parody family and friend situations. Bogota, where I grew up, experienced many social conflicts due to the civil war and the anti-narco battle in Colombia, so it was usual to hear hostile descriptions of violent events broadcast on the news. I remember playing with my toys, dramatizing scenes from those disturbances while giving a sense of the national and world chaos in those years with my playful characters. Years later, after finishing my BFA, I worked as an art teacher in public schools in Bogotá, Colombia, and I came across the reality of many children who came from families displaced from the countryside to the city, fleeing from social conflicts derived from those wars I used to hear from the radio. This experience redirected my gaze toward the issue of manipulation when observing these young lives in vulnerable conditions. In 2002, I began to develop a visual proposal based on marionettes, puppets, and ceramic dolls that served me well to exemplify the theme of reverie, innocence, and control. Consecutively my work was expanding in a more human-nature sense. In a capitalist and consumerist system, in which everyone is manipulated but also manipulative, we play the game of action and reaction, give and take, pull and push, victim and victimized. We are part of a social fabric with invisible strings that connect us. When our purposes are positive and collective, we are constructive and grow. When our goals are ambitious and selfish, sadly, we become destructive and obstructive. Although my social and political commentaries hold desperation and sadness, I intentionally leave traces to find light and hope in my sculptures. 1+1=3 by Diana Farfán Detail of Linthead by Diana Farfán Dawn Hunter: ​ You've truly made a mark on the Latino arts community through your art and your advocacy work. Can you recall a specific moment when you felt your contributions really made a difference? Why does that memory stand out to you? Diana Farfán: In 2012 I joined Palmetto Luna Arts' Board of Directors, an organization based in Columbia, SC, whose mission is to foster an understanding of the Hispanic/Latino culture by promoting artistic creation and providing opportunities for cultural expression for the community in the state. It was my first experience working for a non-profit, and I needed a clear path to advocate for my community, but eventually, things started working well. I learned about cultural agency and how to use art as a tool to open dialogues among diverse groups. For example, we, Latinos, are often stereotyped as loud, colorful, party people who eat tacos, beans, and rice; and wear flower-printed clothes, braided hair, long mustaches, and sombreros. However, we are much more than that. There are 20 countries and 14 territories in Latin America, each with specific idiosyncrasies and a vast diversity of body looks, ideologies, traditions, folklore, heritage, and cultural expressions. To illustrate that, here are two examples. In 2016, 12 Greenville-area Hispano-Latino artists from 8 countries participated in Feeling Latino, an art exhibition held at the Metropolitan Arts Council whose purpose was the celebration of the different nationalities sharing the same language and territory. The opening night was a great hit, and the gallery was utterly packed with Latinos and people from elsewhere exchanging experiences regarding cultures, art, and life. Another successful event was Ecos (Echoes), conceived by The Citadel Oral History Program and orchestrated by PLA. In 2018, a group of nineteen artists from SC was tasked with listening to real stories of immigrants told by their protagonists to create artwork based on their interpretations. The creation process took approximately ten months, and every artist was asked to report the progress of their works before submitting the final pieces. I witnessed how the commotional stories profoundly touched every artist. I was surprised at the chain effect when the artists' relatives, friends, colleagues, etc., got engaged with the processes and felt identified by the works' narratives. The Columbia Arts Museum's Community Gallery was the first space to host Ecos, and once again, the opening reception was a big turnout. It was the first time for several of the attendees to visit a museum that day. It was significant for the artists' families, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., to feel proud of their heritage and, most importantly, included in such an important art institution. Ecos was planned as a tour exhibition for two years, but until 2021 it was visiting cities in other states, including NC and OH. My advocacy is something that I learned to use as I felt the need to implement strategies that elevate my Latino community and educate others about us. Linthead Installation by Diana Farfán in the Mill District, Columbia, SC Dawn Hunter: ​ Your body of work is quite diverse, ranging from your earlier creations to your recent series "Bread and Circus". How would you describe the evolution of your art and what has influenced this journey? ​ Diana Farfán: My first pieces, during the last years of my undergraduate program, were based on my interpretation of Bogota's citizens and our way of navigating a chaotic society. Aesthetically, my ceramic pieces evoked armatures and shields, as if human bodies were unearthed or hidden and protected by an impenetrable breastplate. They were large-scale with an industrial look and earthy colors, possessing a nostalgic urban presence. Then, while I worked as an art teacher for the public school system in my hometown, my ceramic production was based on my student's lives. I used babies and child-like shapes to make them articulated puppets and marionettes, joined with rusty nuts and bolts, hung from strings with movable armatures, conveying a fragile but resilient look. I wanted these ceramic bodies to communicate control, manipulation, and hope. I felt the need to speak about my home country's social and political situation, Colombia, which also reflected what was happening globally. During my graduate program, I intended to communicate my thoughts more efficiently, playfully, and poetically with casted shadows, soundtracks, built stages, and display devices such as rusty metallic swings, stools, and sandboxes made from found steel machinery or disposed of wooden components. My original puppet style branched into many toys that gained a dramatic and powerful dimension, narrating childhood innocence and the intrinsic and complex possibilities of adulthood in politics, religion, and education. The meaning of toys as objects or channels of entertainment, training, and learning is what I felt compelled to use. More recently, the human anatomy I used in my figures comes back and forth. I create specific anatomical measurements for my characters depending on the story I want to pursue, where the use of the body ranges from the classic cannon to abstract and conceptual representations. My latest ceramic production involves my concerns about the human relationship with animals and the environment and my preoccupation with overpopulation and our unstoppable consumerism. ​ Pursuit of Happiness by Diana Farfán Dawn Hunter: ​ Your artwork is absolutely unique and full of character. I'm curious, what does your creative journey look like? How does an idea in your mind transform into one of your distinctive sculptures? ​ Diana Farfán: Before I start a body of work, an installation, or a singular piece, the content and physicality are the elements I define first. I enjoy exploring techniques, materials, and styles and combining different approaches to create my figures. My daily experiences are the portals to stimulate my mind, create projects, transform clay into shapes, and adjust my figures. I find inspiration in occurring that enables me intellectually and emotionally. The stories of the people around me, news of my home country, international affairs, art, a song, a movie, a conversation, a memory, and many other subjects touch my soul. For instance, my love for animals led me to volunteer for the Greenville Animal Shelter in 2019. Still, I learned quickly about the sad side of inhumane animal treatment in my area, in SC, and beyond, such as unregulated animal breeding for profit and the cruel dog and cock fights. I needed to educate myself and the kids on animal issues to prevent animal injustice in my community. That journey taught me about a particular field called Humane Education, which is an action-oriented field of study that draws connections between human rights, animal protection, and environmental sustainability. I got excited to know that HE is taught as a subject and curriculum in various US states, but unfortunately, not in SC. So, I decided to use my two preferred art mediums, ceramic sculpture, and education, to address my concerns and advocate for the voiceless. My recent body of work -Conversation Starters, Constellations, and Pursuit of Happiness- is oriented to speak out about humans' scary impact on nature, the environment, and all living creatures. I need to externalize my concerns because it burns inside if I don’t do it. ​ Dawn Hunter: You've been recognized with several awards and exhibited at numerous prestigious venues. What would you consider your proudest moment as an artist so far and why? ​ Diana Farfán: To be recognized is something I don't think about. However, when I achieve a goal, an award, or any accomplishment, I take it as an opportunity to grow, educate others on ceramic art, and practice to be humble. Perhaps my proudest moment achieved as an artist was my MFA graduation day because my parents flew from Bogota, Colombia, and my sisters with in-laws came from far to celebrate with me. My family and husband, all my most loyal supporters, felt my graduate degree was a mutual effort. They knew how challenging it was for me to successfully culminate three years of an academic program as an international student when I had to improve my English, develop a cohesive body of work, cultivate relationships, learn how to navigate a new city, and adjust to the American culture, all together at "the speed of light." Diana Farfán's Website dianafarfan.com Share this interview! Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Artist: Diana Farán| LOCATION: Greenville, SC Title: The Last Kiss. 2023 Competition Year. The Last Kiss by Diana Farfán Brian Rego | Dawn Hunter | South Carolina Sunshine™ To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. The Artistic Vision of Brian Rego: Crafting Masterpieces and Nurturing Future Artists "My work is informed by where I live, and how I live out my life in these respective places. South Carolina has been the culmination of challenge and beauty." Brian Rego is a seasoned artist known for his evocative landscape and figurative works. Born and raised in the United States, Rego's formal art education was forged within the robust arts communities of Pennsylvania and South Carolina.In 2004, Brian Rego achieved a significant milestone, receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of South Carolina. His unique talent was quickly recognized, earning him the prestigious Ed Yaghjian Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Work. Yet, for Brian, this was only the beginning. Driven by a relentless curiosity and an unwavering commitment to his craft, he pursued further studies at the highly respected Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, attaining his Master of Fine Arts in Painting in 2007. Brian's dedication, however, extends far beyond his academic accomplishments. From the outset of his career, he has demonstrated an exceptional artistic prowess. His solo exhibitions, such as "Present Memory" at the Nancy Margolis Gallery in New York in 2021, "Tiny Mirrors" at the John Davis Gallery in 2019, and "Affections" at the Southside Gallery, also in 2019, have drawn significant attention and acclaim. This acclaim not only cements his status as an accomplished artist but is also a testament to his remarkable creative vision. Furthermore, his work has been featured in various notable group exhibitions, including "Rooms For Strangers" at the Pamela Salisbury Gallery, and "Working Small | A Group Exhibition" at Nancy Margolis Gallery. Above, Dream Walking, oil on board, 15 1/8 x 18 1/2 inches by Brian Rego. Image courtesy of Nancy Margolis Gallery But Brian Rego isn't just about painting pretty pictures. He's got this passion for education that pushes him to go beyond his studio. He's taken on roles as a teacher, a critic, even a visiting artist at different places. He really puts his heart into fostering the growth of young talent, nurturing the next wave of artists who'll make their own marks in the world.. These have included the Jerusalem Studio School in Israel and the University of Mississippi. Notably, he also returned to his alma mater, the University of South Carolina (2008-2019) serving as an Adjunct Professor in 2-D Design Foundations, Figure Drawing and Painting. In 2022, he taught a course, "Considering the Masters: Cezanne and The Organizing Principles of Design," at the Penn Studio School of Art. In recognition of his contributions to the field, Rego received the Blackwell Prize in Painting Award from the University of West Georgia in 2023. This honor underscores the potency and originality of his work. His artistic vision and technique have also made their way into print. In 2022, his thoughts and creative process were shared in "Art In The Making, Essays by Artists About What They Do," where he was featured on pages 228 - 231. From long nights in the studio to countless hours in the classroom, Brian Rego's journey through the art world is a shining example of how grit, imagination, and a love for teaching can shape a successful career. Every brushstroke tells a story, and Brian's art, full of beauty and depth, reflects his unique take on the world around him. But what's really cool is that his work doesn't just hang on gallery walls - it also lights a spark in young artists who dream of following in his footsteps. Pair that with his impressive list of exhibitions and teaching roles, and it's no wonder Brian is making waves in the modern art scene. Above, Swimmer, oil on board, 14 1/4 x 18 1/2 inches by Brian Rego. Private Collection Q & A with Brian Rego Dawn Hunter: What initially sparked your interest in art, and how has your upbringing in South Carolina shaped your artistic style and career? Brian Rego: From the time that I can remember, I had an interest in drawing. Looking back, it seemed like a natural thing to do. There are certain people who have temperaments that compel them to record their experiences to understand the significance of them, and to tell their stories. I grew up reading and drawing Sunday comics and followed the styles of Berkely Breathed, Bill Watterson, and Jim Davis. I was overtaken by how real the characters felt, and how easy it was for me to relate to them. I engendered a deep affection for these illustrators, for treating with such care and attention, their ability for, and dedication to storytelling. For a moment, I found a place to belong. I soon developed my own characters, and told my own stories. My grandmother was an artist, a painter. When she was in her twenties and thirties, she painted in oils, but by the time I had come to know her, she was a watercolorist. I loved her work as a boy, and I wanted to emulate her. I didn’t relate to art as an ideology, but I understood it through my grandmother. I was in awe of the non-diminishing return of her work, how the power of her paintings intensified the more time I spent with them. But I wouldn’t try my hand at painting until my twenties. (continued below) Brian Rego painting en Plein air. Girl in Garden, oil on canvas, 20 x 29 inches, oil on canvas by Brian Rego. Courtesy of Nancy Margolis Gallery. Brian Rego: (continued) I completed my BFA in painting at the University of South Carolina, and as a student, I had two professors who made a huge impact in my artistic development. One was in figure drawing, the other was in painting. Together, they pushed me to be my best while providing me the room to experiment, to struggle, to fail. If I managed to succeed in one area, it was met with brief acknowledgement and the demand to do it better; they were constantly looking ahead. I am grateful for that now because any time I am met with success, I treat it the same way, and that allows me to focus on the work instead of the results. I learned that failure and success are just a part of life, but given too much attention, they become detrimental to the growth of one’s work. My work is informed by where I live, and how I live out my life in these respective places. South Carolina has been the culmination of challenge and beauty. I paint from life, so the heat of the South is always a barrier to my work, but because I struggle against it to paint in the landscape, the work is neither sluggish nor indulgent, but urgent and direct. I have taken to the discipline of working in the studio once the painting is developed enough to sustain the use of memory as a resource. My blessed wife and four children have contributed to the necessity of this development in the process of making paintings, and I have grown to love it. Memory has a limitless capacity for engaging the imagination, and as I learn to channel that powerful interaction through my sensibilities, the expression through the material, as a consequence, has shown itself to be something of a personal style. But I don’t give much attention to that; I focus more on the accuracy or the tone of the gestural expression of form through paint. Artist Brian Rego working in his Charleston, SC studio. East Bay Street, oil on linen, 20 x 24 inches, by Brian Rego. Courtesy of the artist. Dawn Hunter: Your solo exhibitions, including Present Memory; Tiny Mirrors; and Affections; have garnered a lot of attention. Could you give us a glimpse into the creative journey that led to these pieces and what they represent for you? Brian Rego: Each piece of every body of work is a visual accounting of my life in a certain place, in a certain time. But the paintings are about themselves, they are not about me. I just use what is around me and how I engage with those things as material to make the work. I have my own attachments to the work, my own entry points, but those will be different for someone else and what I have to say will only hinder their relationship to the painting. Each painting needs its autonomy. I need to keep looking ahead to what is next, not because I know what to look for, but to keep myself moving, one step at a time. ​ Dawn Hunter: Alongside creating your own art, you’re passionate about teaching and nurturing the next generation of artists. How has this commitment to education shaped your own artistic workand the way you view your role as an artist? Brian Rego: I believe in giving back. I have had many people contribute their time, energy, knowledge, and love, to my development as a person and as a painter. The biggest influences in my life, aside from my family, have been teachers. I am grateful for the ability to teach, but even more so for the desire to do it. It brings me satisfaction to share something that I consider to be so good and so rich with other people. I love to see people struggle and grow, to see them enriched; I never tire of it. This attitude has fostered within me an ardent love for what I do, and in a way, it justifies what I do. If I painted exclusively for myself, I don’t think I would do it. Pineapple Fountain, oil on canvas, 22 x 28 inches by Brian Rego. Courtesy of Nancy Magolis Gallery. Dawn Hunter: You’ve been honored with several awards, like the Ed Yaghjian Award and the Blackwell Prize in Painting. What influence have these recognitions had on your artistic perspective, and what words of wisdom would you share with budding artists aiming for such honors? Brian Rego: Awards are wonderful because they represent someone believing in the value of your work, but whether the work is received favorably or unfavorably, the focus must be set upon the needs and demands of the work, which are established solely between you and what you make. Do not aim for honors, it is a distraction. The people who honor you will also dishonor you the moment you and your work cease to represent the values they hold dear. If you, especially as a budding artist, give that level of influence to someone else, you will lose your way. Expect there to be good times and bad times, but remember that each does not last. Listen to your heart, follow your gut, and move onward. It is not about you, it is about the work. Dawn Hunter: What do you hope viewers will experience or understand when they interact with your art? Looking forward, are there any new themes or techniques you’re looking forward to incorporating in your upcoming works? Brian Rego: Ideally, my hope is for a viewer to enter into the compressed space of the painting, slowly expanding, finding themselves immersed in another world. One that connects deeply to the viewer’s interior world, to their sensibilities, and form a connection to it. My hope is for the viewer to understand that the painting is there to be seen and that it reveals itself in layers, that it imparts something of value, but that it takes time. Regarding my upcoming work, I want to paint on bigger surfaces. I want to learn how to make large paintings, really get into things. I am working out the practical aspects of making large paintings on location, and then of course, how to paint them. ​ Above, Woman Sunrise at the Park, oil on line, 22 x 26 inches, by Brian Rego. Courtesy of Nancy Margolis Gallery. Nancy Margolis Gallery | Brian Rego Outdoors | Dawn Hunter | South Carolina Sunshine Outdoors South Carolina Sunshine™ | Places to see and things to do outside in the beautiful state of South Carolina. Table of Contents Icons Scroll and click on an icon image below to go an outdoor activity you are interested in learning more about! Congaree National Park Discover the Congaree National Park, a host to a diversity of plant and animal wild life. Its floodplain is revitalized by the waters of the Congaree and Wateree Rivers, which deliver essential nutrients and sediments. This natural process fosters a rich ecosystem and sustains the impressive national and state champion trees found within the park. More Bulls Island Bulls Island, the largest in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, is a pristine 5,000-acre barrier island established in 1932. Its thriving maritime forest, diverse wildlife habitats, beautiful beach area, and numerous trails offer plenty of opportunities for exploration and wildlife observation. More Hilton Head Island Discover Hilton Head Island's year-round allure! This vibrant South Carolina hotspot shines even in winter. In February alone, the island hosts events like the 2023 Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration, a cherished Seafood Festival, and the prestigious Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Golf Tournament hosted by the University of South Carolina. Craving more? Explore Hilton Head Island's vibrant culture with our photo essay. More Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Delight in the engaging attractions at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia, SC. From the captivating Western Lowland Gorilla, Sea Lion, and White Rhino exhibits to the tranquil botanical gardens and fun-filled Waterfall Junction splash pad, there's something for everyone. The venue, offering rentable spaces for events, makes learning fun across all ages, with educational aspects woven into every exhibit. Exciting events for summer 2023 include Members' Night Out and Brew at the Zoo. More Lake Jocasse Discover the enchanting Lake Jocassee, a gem nestled in the secluded northwest corner of South Carolina within Devils Fork State Park, Oconee County. Perfect for local getaways and out-of-state explorations, this family and dog-friendly haven offers refreshing, crystal-clear waters fed by Appalachian rivers - an ideal retreat on the hottest days. Embrace serene solitude or engage in thrilling adventures with many activities, including flatwater kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, scuba diving, and hiking. Lake Jocassee - your destination for a memorable escapade! More South Carolina State Fair Hosted annually in Columbia, the South Carolina State Fair is a cherished local tradition managed by the South Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical Society. With rides, tempting food, and exciting games brought to you by North American Midway Entertainment, it's the perfect gathering spot for community fun. Revel in this delightful event, an ideal setting for a memorable day with loved ones. Soak up the amusement, indulge in delectable treats, and engage in lively games! More Field Trip | South Carolina in New Mexico Join acclaimed artist and the University of South Carolina Professor Sara Schneckloth for an enriching drawing residency in New Mexico's high desert. Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing landscape that inspired Agnes Martin. Discover the sensory richness of piñon, juniper, and Milky Way skies, as you create artwork with handcrafted charcoal and natural paints. This unique experience combines land, creativity, and tutorials to deepen your drawing insights and foster independent studio practice. More Soda City Market Every Saturday, come rain or shine, the Soda City Market in downtown Columbia, SC, welcomes visitors from 9 am to 1 pm all year round. An ideal experience for Midlands residents or those seeking weekend fun, this producers-only market hosts an average of 150 vendors weekly, with a rotating database of 400. From fresh produce, handcrafted jewelry, baked delights, and art to trendy clothing and accessories, there's something for everyone. Food trucks and LIVE music add to the vibrant atmosphere, making it a must-visit destination! More South Carolina Aquarium Embark on a journey through the South Carolina Aquarium, with a special focus on the Zucker Family Sea Turtle Recovery™ exhibit and the Sea Turtle Care Center™. It is devoted to preserving sea turtles, and the center's efforts are crucial in protecting all seven endangered or threatened species. 'Dive' into our photo essay tour of the visit with images captured by Dawn Hunter (unless noted otherwise). More Pumpkin Carving with Baby Goats Embrace the outdoors at Flowertown Charm in Summerville, SC, where we enjoyed an unforgettable pumpkin carving experience amidst a delightful farm setting. With pumpkins, tools, and stencils provided for up to sixteen guests, we bonded over carving and interacting with various farm animals, planning to turn this into an annual tradition. Beyond this seasonal delight, Flowertown Charm offers cozy accommodations and unique activities like Goat Yoga, Farm Snuggle Sessions, Marshmallow Roasting with Goats in Sweaters, and more. The warm hospitality of farmers Chris and Jenna Pelayo makes every visit special. We wholeheartedly endorse Flowertown Charm for fellow animal enthusiasts! More Teacher Appreciation Cupcakes with Dolly Parton Darcy's Appreciation Teacher Appreciation Expressed with Cupcakes frosted with Dolly Parton's and Duncan Hines' Creamy Chocolate Buttercream Darcy created several unique cupcakes that she decorated intricately to give to her teachers at school to show that she appreciated them. It was a very thoughtful and creative gesture! Decorating cupcakes was a fun and artistic way to express herself, and giving them as gifts to show appreciation was a great way to build connections and show gratitude. Creative giving Baking and decorating cupcakes is a great way for children to express their creativity and imagination. Creating something beautiful and delicious can be very satisfying and fulfilling, and it can also be a fun way to spend time with family and friends. “You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try.” – Dolly Parton Unique Twist She gave them an extra unique twist by using a limited, 1st edition chocolate Frosting created by Duncan Hines and Dolly Parton. Darcy is a huge Dolly Parton fan, so it was amusing to her to include the frosting in cupcake creativity! Dolly Parton is a beloved figure known for her music, acting, and philanthropy. It was nice that she found a way to incorporate a limited edition frosting created by Duncan Hines and Dolly Parton in the recipe. ​ “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” ​ - Dolly Parton Silver Jubilee Cake Batter Recipe 2 cups sifted cake flour | 3 teaspoons baking powder | 1/4 teaspoon salt | 1/2 cup butter | 1 cup sugar | 2 eggs, well beaten | 3/4 cup milk | 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Mix and sift flour, baking powder & salt. Cream butter, add sugar slowly & cream until fluffy. Stir in eggs. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, and stir well after each addition. Add vanilla. Scoop into lined cupcake tin. Bake in a 375°F/190.556°C oven for 25-30 minutes. ​ Conclusion: ​ Having the frosting connected to her public persona definitely made the cupcakes extra special and personal for Darcy. It made the experience of creating and giving the gift more meaningful and enjoyable. The connection to a celebrity like Dolly Parton constructed a relatable and fun endeavor for Darcy and those who received them. It was also a great way to express her personal style and interests. The second limited edition of the Dolly Parton baking collection will be released by Duncan Hines on February 8, 2023. Please see the links on the buttons below for more information. Soft Serve Vanilla Ice Cream Soft Serve Vanilla Ice Cream PHOTO ESSAY BY DAWN HUNTER AND DARCY PHELPS, NOVEMBER 19, 2022 We are so excited to get a new ice cream maker, and we went for a reasonably priced model created by the brand Tasty. There were a range of colors to choose from, and we were able to select one that suited Darcy's style. She promptly decorated it with a sticker created by one of her favorite YouTubers and a source of her inspiration for Dish with Darcy™, Moriah Elizabeth. We watch her creative YouTube channel every Friday together. "Nobody has everything and everyone has something” ​ - Moriah Elizabeth Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Darcy has been trying to make ice cream in a plastic bag for the past few weeks. The results were less than she desired even after shaking the mixture in salted ice. Since tackling ice cream from scratch and minimal technology had been frustrating, we decided to go for a recommended ice cream mix. The mix we found, Junket Ice Cream mix, was simple to follow and only required a few ingredients that we already had in our kitchen. After a few trial and errors, we finally had a delicious and smooth soft serve ice cream that we could enjoy! tasty.co Moriah Elizabeth Junket Desserts Unique History Ice cream's origins can be traced back to ancient China. Its appearance can be traced to Italy through Marco Polo and then to France with Catherine de Medici. Eventually, it made its way to the US through Thomas Jefferson. European ice creams appeared in Italy during the 1600s and eventually became popular throughout Europe by the mid-century. This is recorded in letters, journals, and records from Paris, Florence, Naples, and Spain. ​ ​ "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" - Howard Johnson History continued: Ice cream reached America with European settlers and was served by the first lady of colonial Maryland as early as 1744. George Washington bought a mechanical ice cream maker for Mount Vernon in 1784. Thomas Jefferson, who developed a taste for French-style ice cream while in Paris, served it at the executive mansion at least six times and wrote ten recipes, including one for vanilla ice cream with egg yolks. ​ By the late 19th century, ice cream had become a popular treat in America. In 1874, the ice cream soda was invented, and by 1881, the sundae made its debut. The waffle cone stole the show at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, while Popsicles were patented in 1923. Both Dairy Queen and Carvel claim to have created soft-serve ice cream in the mid-1930s, and frozen yogurt hit the scene in the 1970s. ​ ​ Junket Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe ​ 3 Junket® Rennet Tablets 2 tablespoons cold water 3 cups whole milk 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 cup sugar 4 tsp vanilla Dissolve Junket® Rennet Tablets in cold water by crushing. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Heat while stirring to lukewarm (110º F). Remove from stove. Add dissolved tablets. Stir a few seconds and pour immediately into freezer can. Let set at room temperature until firm and cool. When mixture is set, place container into the ice cream freezer and follow manufacturer’s instructions. Begin churning until it is frozen. ​ SC People | Dawn Hunter | South Carolina Sunshine™ South Carolina People South Carolina Sunshine™ | SC People feature interviews with people who build our communities and make South Carolina great! Table of Contents Icons Scroll and click on an icon image below to go an interview section you are interested in reading. Our selected interviewees are influential figures within the state of South Carolina. Through a series of thoughtfully crafted questions, our goal is to inform the public about dynamic artists, directors, curators, and cultural programming in our region. We have chosen to interview individuals who exemplify the diversity and richness of our cultural landscape. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Diana Farfán Ceramic Artist | Community Leader Kyle C. Coleman Artfields Collective | Fine Arts Director Mary Robinson Internationally recognized printmaker Brian Rego Renowned Charleston, SC artist Marius Valdes Professor, University of South Carolina Ella Marushchenko Scientific Illustrator Sara Schneckloth Professor, University of South Carolina Nakisa Abdollahbeigi Critically Acclaimed Artist Caroline DeSantis Entrepreneur Bohumila Augustinova Director, Columbia Art Center Upcoming Interview We are excited about our upcoming interview with multidisciplinary artist, Cedric Umoja, a Columbia, S.C. Cedric uses letter forms, found materials, and archetypal totems to create transformative art. His work spans drawings, paintings, murals, sculptures, films, installations, and performances, bridging ancient and futuristic themes. ​ Influenced by artists like Dondi White, Betye Saar, and Sun Ra, Umoja studied at the Art Institute of Atlanta and apprenticed under Tony Cacalano, who was mentored by Jack Tworkov of the New York School. Umoja’s style incorporates elements of Post Graffiti, Post Expressionism, Afro Surrealism, and Modern African art. Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin Pie Darcy's Kusama Pumpkin Pie In celebration of her favorite artist, Darcy made drawings of and decorated pumpkins. She capped off the activity with homemade pumpkin pie, an unexpected treat in July. Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is known in the art world as the 'Princess of Polka Dots.' She has dazzled museum visitors with her infinity rooms that have featured some of her objects, like her pumpkin sculptures. Featured in this section is a Yayoi Kusama 'My Love for the Eternal Pumpkin' sculpture when it was on view at the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C. The photo essay below contains a mix of images from Kusama exhibits, Darcy's creative process, and her pumpkin pies! Who is Yayoi Kusama? Yayoi Kusama was born on March 22, 1929, in Japan. She is a famous artist known for her sculptures and infinity mirror rooms. Kusama is very talented and makes all kinds of art like paintings, performances, videos, poems, and stories. Her art is very creative and includes ideas about feminism, minimalism, surrealism, pop art, and abstract expressionism. A lot of her work is about her own life and feelings, and she often includes psychological and sexual themes. Kusama is one of the most important artists alive today and the best-selling female artist in the world. ​ Kusama grew up in Matsumoto and studied traditional Japanese painting, called nihonga, at Kyoto City University of Arts for a year. She was inspired by American Abstract Expressionism and moved to New York City in 1958. There, she became a big part of the 1960s avant-garde scene and the pop-art movement. In the late 1960s, she became well-known for organizing events where people, often naked, were covered in bright polka dots during the hippie counterculture. Her work became less famous in the 1970s but had a big comeback in the 1980s. Kusama has kept making and showing her art in top museums worldwide, staying influential from the 1950s until now. “A polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm.” ​ - Yayoi Kusama Unique Twist By finding inspiration in Yayoi Kusama's art, Darcy was able to create a unique activity for herself. By creating her own 'eternal pumpkins,' she was able to develop a deeper understanding of Kusama's artwork. While Yayoi may not bake a pie after the creation of each pumpkin, Darcy took her pumpkin inspiration a step further and made one of her favorite desserts that is a year-round favorite. Pumpkin pie in July? For us, it is a typical summer treat! ​ “Polka dots can't stay alone. When we obliterate nature and our bodies with polka dots, we become part of the unity of our environments.” ​ - Yayoi Kusama Silver Jubilee Pumpkin Pie Recipe Pumpkin Pie ​ Ingredients: 1/2 recipe Standard Pastry (page 362) 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup thin cream 1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin ​ Instructions: Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry. Mix sugar, spices, and salt. Add slightly beaten eggs, milk, cream, and pumpkin. Mix well. Pour into unbaked pastry shell, and bake in a moderately hot oven (425°F) for 40 to 45 minutes, until an inserted knife comes out clean. Yield: 1 9-inch pie. ​ Note: If desired, 2 cups of undiluted evaporated milk may replace the milk and cream. Pumpkin pie may be covered with whipped cream flavored with sherry, maple syrup, or honey. Carla Gannis | Dawn Hunter | South Carolina Sunshine™ Carla Gannis / C.A.R.L.A G.A.N. WWWUNDERKAMMER, May 19 -July 15, 2023 Up until July 15, visitors are encouraged to explore the uniquely captivating exhibition by Carla Gannis, known as C.A.R.L.A G.A.N. WWWUNDERKAMMER, hosted at the esteemed Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, located at the College of Charleston, Charleston, SC. We highly encourage local residents and visitors to make a trip down. "One of the most compelling (and sometimes daunting) aspects of digital narrative is how it can traverse electronic pathways and physical spaces in more adaptive ways than traditional mono mediums." - Carla Gannis from Lume Prize interview . What is WWWunderkammer? WWWunderkammer, a project by Carla Gannis, is an inventive project aimed to redefine the traditional concept of Wunderkammer or the 'cabinet of curiosities', thus challenging the conventional norms of a museum. Through innovative applications of technology, she seamlessly blends tangible reality with the virtual world. Her installation, mirroring her ongoing online project available on Mozilla Hubs and in high-resolution desktop VR, introduces audiences to various thematic "chambers" - each exploring a unique element of our modern existence, from environmental concerns to the digital metamorphosis of self-perception and language. The in-person exhibit leverages augmented reality to blur the boundary between real and virtual, a technique Gannis employs to delve into the human experience in the digital age, while ensuring knowledge remains accessible for everyone. Carla Gannis, continued: ​ Initiated in 2019, WWWunderkammer serves as an ever-evolving project that advances as our understanding of our surroundings deepens. Historically, artists have employed illusions to obscure the demarcation between fact and fiction, constantly encouraging audiences to re-interpret visual content. Gannis invites viewers to embrace a learning and questioning mindset anew, challenging accepted narratives and conventional outlooks, and fostering an understanding of overlooked histories and possible futures. ​ A renowned American transmedia artist, Carla Gannis spent years teaching at the Pratt Institute's Department of Digital Arts in New York before transitioning to New York University in 2019. Her oeuvre melds digital designs with celebrated artworks, such as those by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, gaining significant acclaim in 2013 for her emoji reimagining of Hieronymus Bosch's painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights. About the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art Situated within the College of Charleston S chool of the Arts, the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art is an innovative platform fostering dialogue between groundbreaking visual artists from across the globe and diverse communities. As a non-collecting institution, it focuses on the development, display, interpretation, and sharing of thought-provoking ideas, underscoring the historical, societal, and cultural significance of contemporary art. ​ Free Admission GALLERY HOURS (during exhibitions) Monday - Saturday, 11am – 4pm Open Thursdays until 7pm More Darcy's White Bean Dip | Dawn Hunter | South Carolina Sunshine™ Darcy's Inspiration, Love & Lemons' White Bean Dip! Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and in this week's "Dish with Darcy" feature, Darcy showcases Love and Lemons' delightful white bean dip. With their keen eye for detail and a dash of creativity, they carefully penned a palette inspiring recipe. Darcy sourced the freshest ingredients, and prepared her kitchen for a fun and rewarding cooking session. For Darcy, the kitchen is a place of joy and experimentation, not just precision. She followed Love & Lemons' outline and started with cannellini beans, olive oil, and lemon, which are the heart of this dip. This mixture takes mere moments to blend in a food processor, resulting in a dip that’s both creamy and bursting with flavor. The zesty lemon enlivens the earthy beans, while olive oil lends a luxurious smoothness. Whether you're dipping carrot sticks, spreading it on a sandwich, or enjoying a spoonful right from the fridge, this recipe is a keeper. ​ For an extra layer of flavor, Darcy added the suggested fresh herbs like basil and rosemary. If you're feeling adventurous, try mixing in tarragon, parsley, thyme, mint, dill, or chives. And for a rich, mellow garlic undertone, roast a head of garlic as described, then blend the soft, golden cloves into your dip. This aromatic addition transforms the dip into a deeply flavorful treat that’s perfect for any occasion. "Chefs don't make mistakes; they make new dishes." - Elizabeth Brigg Ingredients 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 1 small garlic clove 1/2 teaspoon sea salt freshly ground black pepper 2 to 4 tablespoons water, if needed 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves Instructions ​​ Directions: Place the cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse these ingredients until they are just mixed. While the processor is still running, gradually pour in the water and continue to process until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. If you like, add fresh herbs of your choice at the end and give it one last blend to incorporate. “When I create any dish, literally the first thing I think of is, what is the purpose behind this dish? Why am I putting this ingredient in it?” - Esther Choi And that concludes this segment of "Dish with Darcy!" Here, culinary exploration turns into an exhilarating escapade. Whether it’s mastering the art of a silky white bean dip that promises to elevate your snack time or delving into comforting classics with a gourmet twist, Darcy ensures that every cooking session is filled with joy and discovery. Her rich, creamy, and zesty white bean dip is guaranteed to dazzle your taste buds and become a new favorite. Stay tuned for more delicious adventures on "Dish with Darcy! Previous 1 2 3 Next