South Carolina State Museum

Art & Architecture Exhibits

Honoring Zora: Stitching Wise Words; Art Quotes and Art Quilts

Twelve fiber artists, a quilting bee of the spirit, and a challenge.  This year’s traveling quilt exhibit honors Zora Neale Hurston, one of the pre-eminent writers of twentieth century African American literature and folklore.  The 15 fiber pieces explore and depict themes and images of the Harlem Renaissance through cloth using a variety of techniques from traditional to non traditional quilting, including the art of batik.

The Lonely Shadow: Silhouette Art by Clay Rice

Original illustrations from “The Lonely Shadow,” a new children’s book created by nationally-known silhouette artist Clay Rice are now available to travel.  In this exhibit, Clay Rice blends the elegant black and white silhouette tradition with a colorful world in the story of friendship between a lonely shadow and a little boy. 

Jim Harrison’s America from the Reaves McCall Collection

A collection of  Jim Harrison’s, framed prints is now available to art centers and art galleries around the state.  The prints comprise a nearly complete record of Harrison’s published work and serve as a visual archive of the artist’s portfolio. “Harrison is known for his rural scenes of ‘disappearing America’ as well as for scenes of the South Carolina coast. Many of his pastoral paintings feature buildings sporting painted advertisements, which once were common in the South but are now rare” says the State Museum’s Chief Curator of Art Paul Matheny. Harrison began his career as an apprentice to sign painter J.J. Cornforth, who created hand-lettered signs on the sides of buildings and barns as advertisements. “Harrison began to see these original ‘works of art’ disappearing as the barns and buildings began to decay.”  Harrison documents these places in his artwork.

Specs:
• 31 framed prints ranging in size from 16” x 18” to 33” x 45”
• Approximately 70 linear feet

Cost:
• $300 for one month rental
• $450 for two month rental
• $600 for three month rental

Camera Man's Journey: Julian Dimock's South

These historic photographs were taken in and around Columbia, Beaufort, and Hilton Head between 1904 and 1905 by noted photographer Julian Dimock. Dimock's large format images show men, women, families and a significant number of children engaged in everyday life - at work, at home and at play. They document the clothing, tools, toys as well as the landscape and architecture of the period. These pictures are a valuable resource for learning about life for African-Americans at the turn-of-the-twentieth-century.

Specs:
• 36 wood framed images 26” x 32”
• Approximately 110 linear feet

Fads: Fine Art Digitals by Bill Helms

South Carolinian Bill Helms, was probably the youngest combat photographer when he boarded the USS Yorktown in 1944. Since then, his photography has been transformed into personal visions and recombinations of the world around him. This exhibit of his works are color photo montages and digital manipulations that range from a kind of modern impressionism to various degrees of abstract realism. Some images will hang vertically, and some horizontally. Labels are attached to plexiglass.

Security: Moderate
Transportation Requirements: Van with no seats

Fractals: Mathematics and Science As Art

Mathematical "objects" produced by a computer.These 32 panels, 20" x 30" colorful framed images provide a mix of horizontal and vertical presentation formats, with two pieces (seemingly identical) meant to hang about an inch apart--creating one larger "image"

Fractals are many things. These abstract designs depict some of the following:

• fascinating designs of infinite structure and complexity.
• geometric shapes that have symmetry of scale.
• designs that mimic naturally occurring patterns (like clouds, mountains, river systems and deltas, coastlines, leaves, snowflakes, the nervous system, and blood vessels).
• images which are repetitive in shape but not in size.
• mathematical "objects" produced by a computer.These colorful framed images provide a mix of horizontal and vertical presentation formats, with two pieces (seemingly identical) meant to hang about an inch apart--creating one larger "image".
  
  One's imagination and curiosity might be awakened with these attractively produced two dimensional artistic creations.

Security: Moderate
Transportation Requirements: Van with no seats

Inspirations: Photographs of the Lowcountry by Lyn Calahorrano

    

South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Crafts Exhibition (New each year!)

The South Carolina Palmetto Hands Fine Craft Exhibition is the only statewide fine craft competition and exhibition.  Created by the City North Charleston, this juried exhibit showcases artists working in an eclectic array of media.  This show captures the spirit and complexity of native South Carolinian crafting. Display pedestals provided.

Robert Mills: Designs for Democracy

The renowned creations of one of the Palmetto State’s most respected native sons are the focus of this special traveling exhibit.  Twenty-four graphic panels which feature copies of some of Mills’ most famous sketches, drawings and elevations are displayed.  The show is a smaller version of one created by the American Architectural Foundation, for which Dr. John M. Bryan, head of the art history department at the University of South Carolina, served as guest curator.

Mills is considered in many circles as this country’s first and foremost architect.  His 19th century designs have not only stood the test of time, but have become among the most familiar symbols of American democracy.

Mills’ architectural works, particularly of churches and courthouses, can be seen in communities throughout the Palmetto State, as he served as the state’s superintendent of public buildings from 1822 to 1824.  The Mills exhibit includes some of these designs but also looks at other buildings, such as Monticello, the Washington Monument and the first building of the Smithsonian Institution.

Robert Mills: His Plans and Buildings

Robert Mills: His Plans and Buildings is a collection of 16 framed panels featuring photographs of the Mills’ buildings which were built in South Carolina.  Robert Mills: His Plans and Buildings compliments the larger exhibit, Robert Mills: Designs for Democracy.  Both are stand alone exhibits or can be displayed together for a more thorough look at this architect.

Cost:

South Carolina Watermedia Society Annual Exhibition (New each year!)

This juried exhibition was developed by the South Carolina Watermedia Society in 1977, and contains works by some of South Carolina’s most talented artists who are members of the SCWS. This show is accompanied by a DVD containing commentary from the juror, a portfolio of artists’ resumes and colorful exhibit brochures.

Specs:
• 30 framed paintings

Security: High
Transportation requirements: Cargo Van with no seats