Self-taught SC: An Ethological & Artistic Survey: February 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

SC State Museum

During the beginning of this project, Nathan and I spent many hours tracking down the artists we interviewed plus others. In the process, we found a few sites are taken down such as those by Heron Briggs of Greenville, SC and Clayborn Bolt of Westminster, SC, both who are now deceased but individually known for their whirligigs. In the midst of this detective work, Nathan and I also learned of a local resource for folk art that is not widely publicized, the South Carolina State Museum.

SC State Museum (photo from Google search)

Located in downtown Columbia a few blocks from the state capitol on Gervais Street, the State Museum is housed in an old textile mill. The museum's focus lies within the disciplines of art, history, natural history and science/technology. During our travels we met with Chief Art Curator, Paul Matheny, and learned that the arts portion of the museum is focused on preserving works of folk self-taught artists in our state. This is great news for SC since as far as we know, there is no other entity that is preserving or showcasing our state's local folk artwork.

Thanks to the preservation efforts of the SC State Museum, the works of L.C. Carson, Heron Briggs and Clayborn Bolt, all deceased, are now part of the museum's collection among many other artists. L.C. Carson is known for his Concrete City comprised of famous buildings around the world which are all on the same scale as Tiny Town. These 30 plus pieces are part of the museum's collection which we were also able to see “behind the scenes.” In addition to these artists, we also saw works of William Thomas Thompson and Pearl Fryar at the museum as well, both artists we visited this month and are included earlier in our blogs. (Pearl's pieces are the topiaries at the museum entrance).

LC Carson in front of Concrete City (photo from Google search)

So, if you are looking for one location that houses information concerning SC self-taught artists, the State Museum is a great beginning point. In fact, Paul Matheny is opening up an exhibition showcasing self-taught artists at the end of this month called Uncommon Folk. Make sure not to miss it! It opens February 26^th and runs until January 15^th of 2012. Here is the web address for the exhibit (http://www.museum.state.sc.us/exhibits/uncommonfolk.aspx) and below a sneak peak video by ETV on Uncommon Folk.

Until next time,

Krista

Project description

During our January Interim semester at Wofford College, Nathan Redding and I will facilitate the documentation of self-taught artists across the state of South Carolina. Our goal in doing so is to improve our state's artistic representation as well as educate others about our cultural heritage. Throughout the month we will visit individual artists and their works. With each site explored we will provide valuable information concerning the artist, the work itself, materials used, and the inspiration/influence/motivation behind the piece. Our results will then be reviewed and compiled into a cohesive form where they can then be shared through our ongoing research blog that shall be maintained throughout the month.

Beyond our project, our work will also supply additional resources to the on-campus Self-taught Artist studio Interim, demonstrating to our peers both the presence and role of Self-taught art in South Carolina. In addition, we will share our findings with the Detour Art data-base (www.detourart.com) as an outreach tool.

What is Self-taught art?

Self-taught art, commonly referred to as Folk art, is a self-motivated artistic expression. This style of work expresses itself as a global phenomenon with each manifestation unique to its particular area. Unlike a fine artist who has been trained in various techniques, self-taught artists are not trained professionals. They rely solely upon the experiences in their own lives as well as cultural influences to create works. Thus, these untrained eyes create pieces that reflect themselves and their region in ways trained artists cannot. Supplies used are not those found in an art store, but are everyday materials that come together in a fantastic culmination that ends as a direct product and reflection of themselves, their livelihood, and how they view the world through the cultural lenses of their environment.