Piedmont | A Natural State

The mountainous upstate transitions into the gentle, rolling hills of the Piedmont as one travels closer toward the coast of South Carolina. Piedmont farmers of the 18th and 19th centuries laid the foundation of the state's cotton farming economy, while devastating the area's thickly forested terrain in the process. Today, the Piedmont is home to one of the fastest growing economies and urban populations in the state, the Greenville-Spartanburg area. Conservation efforts to protect rivers and wildlife widen as the growing impact of urban and suburban development change the landscape.

Meet artists from the Piedmont 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

Making a Broom
Episode 3

Video

Adding Layers. The broom form begins to take shape after applying "hips" of broomcorn to the base of the handle. Hips add surface area to the sweeping end of the broom, while adding a foundation for...
Petroglyphs
Episode 3

Video

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...
Making Pottery
Episode 4

Video

Molding Clay After the potter blends his clay, he must knead it in order to remove any lumps, soft areas and air holes which might be contained in the product. If the clay hasn’t been kneaded properly...
Making a Broom
Episode 4

Video

Weaving. After Peter has securely attached the broom straw to the handle, he begins to weave the base of the straw into a uniform shape and pattern around the handle.
Petroglyphs
Episode 4

Video

Rock art at the Hagood Mill site is open to many interpretations. Is the imagery sacred, documentation of historic events, part of a simple amusement, or of a larger pictographic language? The answer...
Making Pottery
Episode 5

Video

Decorating Clay Founded in 1785, Edgefield boasts a proud revolutionary war history. Abner Landrum is said to have established the first shop in the region around 1810 and the fact that he named his...
Firing the Clay | A Natural State
Episode 5

Video

"Green" pots are those that have dried naturally by sun and air circulation, but have yet to be fired. A sunny, windless day is the ideal setting for the day of a firing. Before firing, green pots are...
Petroglyphs
Episode 5

Video

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of years of weathering and erosion rendered the Hagood Mill site petroglyphs invisible to the naked eye. Amateur archaeologist Mike Bramlett discovered several of the...
Making a Broom
Episode 5

Video

Securing Weaving. In this step, Peter secures the finished weaving with a simple knot. The rough, unwoven parts of the broom straw base are cut off using a bread knife.
Curio Cabinet
Episode 6

Video

Many traditional Catawba pot designs are based on a basic "cooking pot" style, dating back to the Woodland period (1000 BCE - 1000 CE) of North American pre-Columbian culture. Widespread use and trade...