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Brian Rust's Earthen Cycle creates visual interest and a place of retreat in an otherwise overlooked stretch of grass connecting two parking lots. A Natural State visited Rust as he installed the site...The Sandhills is a band of 100,000 million year old sand dunes and marine deposits stretching diagonally across the state. A sudden drop in elevation marks another unique landscape feature of the region, the Fall Line. This escarpment was created by erosion along the ancient coastline, and is revealed by rocky whitewater rapids along the area's wide, flat rivers. In the early 18th century, rapids at the Fall Line prevented riverboats from traveling farther inland. Colonial settlements rested at the navigable bounds of area rivers. In 1786, the capital city of Columbia was relocated to the central Sandhills area in order to network economic and political interests of the upcountry and lowcountry. In the early 19th century, canals connected upcountry riverboat traffic to lowcountry seaports and the Sandhills area population grew as trade, state government, and the cotton textile industry took root.
Meet artists from the Sandhills area of South Carolina below. Please note many of the web videos include transcripts. The artists are trained professionals who often use tools not considered safe for inexperienced users. Please review the safety disclaimer.
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Brian Rust's Earthen Cycle creates visual interest and a place of retreat in an otherwise overlooked stretch of grass connecting two parking lots. A Natural State visited Rust as he installed the site...Video
Janet’s sculptural work weaves together elements of several modern art forms briefly described below: Installation Art: Artworks that alter or enhance our experience of the place in which the work...Video
The circle is an enduring symbol for the cyclic nature of the universe. It evokes ideas of continuity, change and renewal, and is commonly identified as a symbol for infinity. Rust chose the circle...Video
Sanctuary was an installation prepared for the Sumter Gallery of Art's "South Carolina Birds: A Fine Arts Exhibition" show in 2004. Janet began a weeklong process of constructing and arranging...Video
Gourds that come off the farm are coated in dirt, decayed tissue and mildew. Leslie prepares each gourd for wood burning by washing its surface with soap, scrubber and sponge. After cleaning, she uses...Video
The spheres of Earthen Cycle are made from a mixture of Portland cement, sand, kaolin and red clay. Layers were gradually built up like a pot. After a layer dried to a semi-soft state, it was shaped...Video
Janet’s work involves the concept of "found object art". Found objects are things originally designed for a function or use outside of assemblage or other sculptural forms. Found objects include...Video
Leslie studies books of illustration and graphic design from around the world and from many eras before beginning a project. After finding inspiration, she pencils in the design on the surface of the...Video
The walls of Earthen Cycle were created using a rammed earth technique. A mixture of rounded stones from a local riverbed, Portland cement, and clay were poured into a wooden form. Rust and his...Video
From across the room, Sanctuary appears domestic and familiar—a collection of chairs, a birdhouse, a rug and display shelf invite momentary retreat from the gallery. Closer inspection reveals the...