A Natural State explores how people express a love for nature by shaping, twisting, carving, and weaving materials collected from the landscape. Some of the arts and crafts featured in A Natural State reveal the cultural heritage of South Carolina, while others employ concepts from the world of modern art. For more about this project, visit the credits page.
TO GET STARTED: Click on a landform region below to learn more about these artists and how they use the uniqueness of their environment to enhance their artistic vision. To learn more about each landform region, visit the Where Am I? section.
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A typical Phil Greene canoe is a Spotlight of exotic and indigenous woods that were cut, sanded, carved and refined for six months or more. The canoes combine sculptural details with practical design...
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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...
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Since the early 1970s, Nils-Udo has reshaped the land to achieve "absolute purity," where, "every non-natural element is ruled out as impure. No other materials are used but those found in each...
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Jimmie is a self-taught craftsman, who initially picked up the art of fashioning vines and branches into wreaths and baskets while caring for an ailing parent. He honed his art and moved into the...
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Organic materials such as pine needles are considered "free for the taking" and have qualities that can not be reproduced by humans. But collecting natural materials comes at a price for the...
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Clemson's Nature-Based Sculpture Program reinvents the art gallery as an outdoor experience where the sculptor's hand is revealed through exploration and discovery. There are no signs to lead visitors...
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Pearl Fryar, a local gardener in Bishopville, South Carolina describes the kind of trees and bushes he grows in his topiary garden. Most common topiary plants are evergreen and have small, dense...
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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...
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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...
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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...
