The city of Sumter invited artists to experiment with nature-based art during its the Art in the Park event. Nature-based art is sculpture that uses natural materials, often materials found on-site. The event was located at Cypress Park, a forested area reclaimed from a dirt pit once considered a "scar on the land." After foraging the area for material, the artists temporarily transformed the park into a gallery of sculpture created with little more than sticks, pine needles, pinecones and dirt.

Video hosts in this featured artist page are arborist Charlie Holmes and Booth Chilcutt, Cultural Director of the City of Sumter.

Resource Type
Spotlight 1

Video

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Spotlight
Episode 1
The city of Sumter invited artists to experiment with nature-based art during its the Art in the Park event. Nature-based art is sculpture that uses natural materials, often materials found on-site...
Showcase 2

Video

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Showcase
Episode 2
The sculptures of Art in the Park ranged from the whimsical to the sublime. Nearly all sculptures involved pine needles, one of the most abundant materials on the landscape. Constructions included a...
Leslie Rech 3

Video

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Leslie Rech
Episode 3
Leslie Rech's multimedia installation, "Echo," was based on shapes and forms of the landscape as seen in an aerial photograph. The representation was also a key to materials most abundant in the park...
Marcelo Novo 4

Video

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Marcelo Novo
Episode 4
Marcelo Novo, a well-known South Carolina artist and self described "city boy," felt a bit out of his element at the Art in the Park event. Without paintbrush and canvas, Marcelo struggled to apply...