Happy Musicians on a Happy Monday

Let the sunshine in your heart - a happy Monday everybody :)

The sculpture of these happy musicians is standing in Middleton Place gardens. Ain't they cute?



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The Gibbes Art Museum in Charleston

The entrance to the museum

Soft light is coming from the beautiful glass work in the dome upstairs.

I could not make any pictures from the exhibited art works, the guard was watching me like a spy. :-)



What do I have seen there?

Landscape of Slavery:

The Plantation in American Art examines plantation-related works of art from the eighteenth century to the present. The exhibition considers plantation images in the context of the history of landscape painting while addressing their impact, both real and perceived, on race relations in the United States.

Read more about here:
http://www.gibbesmuseum.org/explore/cur_exhibit2.php?id=60

In front of the museum: it's just a stop for horse carriages - not for cars

Established as the Carolina Art Association in 1858, the Gibbes Museum of Art opened its doors to the public in 1905. Located in Charleston’s historic district, the Gibbes houses a premier collection of over 10,000 works, principally American works with a Charleston or Southern connection and presents 12-15 special exhibitions annually. In addition, the museum offers an extensive complement of public programming and educational outreach initiatives. As the aesthetic heart of the Lowcountry, the Gibbes serves the community by stimulating creative expression, increasing economic vitality through tourism, and improving the region’s superb quality of life.
MUSEUM HOURS:
TUESDAY - SATURDAY: 10 A.M. - 5 P.M., SUNDAY: 1 P.M. - 5 P.M.

ADMISSION:
ADULTS: $9.00 · SENIORS, STUDENTS & MILITARY: $7.00 · CHILDREN (6-12): $5.00
·MEMBERS AND CHILDREN UNDER 6: FREE.
135 Meeting Street * Charleston, SC * 29401

www.gibbesmuseum.org

Hot Summer Day in Down Town

Summer is the time of all kind of outdoor activities. Some people like to do sport, some people like to be at the beach and this guy here you will see allover town doing his great plain air paintings on canvas. He is a nice and interesting guy, my husband and I had a small talk with him about art, life and his paintings of course.

Where the Evil Spirits goes...

According to ancient African myth, bottles on trees could catch evil spirits and prevent them from entering a home. In the 18th century, Africans who came to the South as slaves adorned cedar trees with bottles for protection, said Robert Farris Thompson, African and African American art historian at Yale University. The color blue also signified healing powers.

"Bottle trees are an important element of African-American visual culture, they will always be with us - like okra, hominy and black-eyed peas."

read more about bottles on trees here

A Symbol for Hospitality

The pineapple has been a symbol of hospitality since the days of the early American colonies. The legend began with the sea captains of New England, who sailed among the Caribbean Islands and returned to the colonies bearing their cargo of fruits, spices, and rum.

According to the legend, the captain would spear a pineapple on a fence post outside his home to let his friends know of his safe return from the sea. The pineapple was an invitation for them to visit, share his food and drink, and listen to tales of his voyage.

As the tradition grew, colonial innkeepers added the pineapple to their signs and advertisements, and bedposts carved in the shape of a pineapple were a common sight at inns across new England. The legend has continued to the present, and frequently one sees the pineapple symbol in hotels and restaurants to signal the presence of hospitality.

The Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association has chosen the pineapple symbol of hospitality to recognize and award a property’s effort to achieve the highest levels of guest and employee satisfaction.

By Harris Noble 1999

Tuesday Mix

Orchids in Cypress Gardens

Somewhere in Down Town

A backyard sculpture

Gate to the cemetery

Spring has sprung...

Riverfront Park and The Memorial

Five very impressive flags are waving in the wind at the Riverfront Park Memorial

Ship sculptures at the Memorial spot in the Riverfront Park.

Navy Ships in Charleston

It just happened when I was there, a video crew were filming for a new commercial. Two students from the Citadel are waiting for their act.

Art in the Park

Set on the banks of the beautiful Cooper River, Riverfront Park has been built near the historic homes once occupied by the Naval Base Admiral and officers, surrounded by graceful old oak trees and peaceful river vistas. Bordered by Noisette Creek, the park boasts a magnificent contemporary Performance Pavilion and Grand Lawn. The national Outdoor Sculpture Competition and Exhibition is installed there. Later included were the Shipyard Memorial and Boardwalk.

Read more about the park here and here

Friday Mix

Shore lines

Shell or Water Snail

Cemetery habitants

Impressive high columns

Artwork in progress

Gallery Stroll in Down Town

There are so many galleries in Down Town Charleston, it would take you many days to visit them all. We started to see a few and all the others are still on our list for next time. After walking a lot - we are not used to that from Key West, where everything was so close together - you need not only food for your soul, you need also something in your stomach. The decoration in the window of this very nice Italian Restaurant was really inviting - and I can tell you, we were NOT disappointed after the meal - and the "vino" was "meraviglioso". I'm in love already with Charleston...!