LOOKING at Charleston ©
Looking at Charleston is a unique perspective of the homes, churches, and buildings on the peninsula. Rather than the standard historical tour, it provides a glimpse into how these buildings were built, by whom, and with what purpose in mind. Of particular note is that so many of them were designed by “gentlemen architects” during the period before architects received formal training in the United States. Read more ~>RECOMMENDED
Digital Nation: a PBS video. If you have kids or are yourself knee-deep in email, messaging, cell phone, and computer use, you will benefit from this insightful video about the pervasiveness of technology in our lives. There is no conclusion on the matter, but this video casts light on it and gets you thinking. ~> watch the video
Art
Landscapes for Music
THIS IS JUST ONE of the stunning photos by Michael Kahn (it’s huge) at Martin Gallery on Broad Street. And the serenity of his work could hardly have been better complemented than by a recent performance in the gallery by Chamber Music Charleston. I had heard four of the five... Read »
War, Kids, and Chocolate
IN THE AFTERMATH of World War II, Germany was divided and the Soviet Union quickly isolated East Germany from the west. Supplies were scarce, so under direction of President Harry Truman, the Allied Forces began the Berlin Airlift. For 15 months, British and American pilots flew more than 277,000 missions to drop more than 2.3... Read »
Super Soloist at Sottile
CHARLESTON, which has slowly become a mecca for musicians, now boasts its own piano prodigy in Micah McLaurin, a 15-year-old native who will be performing next Tuesday at the College of Charleston’s 2009–2010 International Piano Series. This is the third concert in a series featuring Enrique Graf and three of his protégés. Micah will... Read »
A New York Travelogue
THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT climbing the steps to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the upper east side of the great island of Manhattan. You never know if you might run into someone you know or if you will anonymously slide into to the great house of art where anything is possible. I had no... Read »
School of the Arts now State-of-the-Art
WALKING PAST the cistern at the College of Charleston, I am struck by the sense of time and place at one of our country’s oldest colleges. Spanish moss hangs from grand oaks that frame the columns and fading pink walls of colonial architecture. It is a scene of southern tradition and charm. As I turn... Read »
How to Describe a Feeling?
“A PAINTING WORKS best for me.” Such a simple answer personifies Linda Carter Holman, a self-taught painter with a fresh, unique style. What makes it unique? Her use of brilliant color. A distinct, rhythmical quality in her compositions. The understated storytelling. And an honesty—a purity of heart—that is not easily found in paintings these... Read »
Serious Ceramics
IF YOU THINK of ceramics as pottery, think again. But to do so, you may have to visit Bakersville, North Carolina, some 15 miles south of the Tennessee border in Mitchell County. Yes, it’s worth the drive for the ceramics and other works of art, not to mention the stunning beauty of this remote... Read »
Simple Splendour
A precious stillness pervades the room. It is small, intimate, and ornamental, with soothing colors of brown, blue, and white. You feel like you have stepped inside a Gothic Revival jewelry box. But it’s not easy to get inside The French Huguenot Church unless you attend a Sunday-morning service. So please enjoy the one-minute... Read »
