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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Archaeologists reconstruct past lives by collecting and examining evidence such as tools, art objects and other material signs of culture. Finding the meaning behind the petroglyphs is the next step...
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Ducks use their tails to signal whether they are at rest or in danger. Tom carves the tail so that it feathers slightly upward, a sign that the duck is at ease with its surroundings. The process uses...
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In this step, Arianne applies a light wash of turquoise to represent the sea and sky. Wax outline on the cloth prevents the wash from entering areas of the fabric where it is not desired. After...
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Finished hulls appear as rich warm-toned boats encased in a layer of glass. The finish is the result of hours of sanding and polishing the epoxy layers on the outside of the hull. A fairing board is...
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Hedges and trees in Pearl's garden appear to flow and weave into one another, often making it difficult to see where one plant ends and another begins. The effect is created by tying the tips of...
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Jimmie’s upbringing fostered creativity and resourcefulness. His joy in his family history is palpable. In his world, nothing is wasted. Every simple thing is treasured for the value of its inherent...
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Nils-Udo’s site-specific sculpture is often described as his "response" to an environment. Forms are inspired by the natural space in which he works. All of the senses drive the artist’s work, a...
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Organic raffia and the kudzu shreds come in varying lengths. After three or four wraps of the coiled basket, one usually runs out of kudzu and/or raffia. In this step Nancy shows how to add new pieces...
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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...
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How do you define nature when its definition has changed through the centuries? The definition and idea of "art," "nature"and "natural" are difficult terms to pin down. Technology and our evolving...
