Crafted in the Lowcountry Awards Catalog

LOCAL LIFE PRESENTS

CRAFTED IN THE

LOWCOUNTRY EST.2019

A W S A R D

CRAFTED IN THE

LOWCOUNTRY EST.2019

A W S A R D THE RULES: The Crafted in the Lowcountry Awards, in partnership with Hargray, are a celebration of Lowcountry craftsmanship. The awards highlight the best locally made products in six categories: home, food, drink, style, crafts and art. Businesses in Hilton Head, Bluffton, Beaufort and Okatie were allowed to enter, as long as their items were made in the area and were already sold here. A team of local experts determined a winner in each category. Judges and LOCAL Life team members then voted to determine the overall winner. The grand prize includes being featured on the cover and inside of the September issue of LOCAL Life magazine. The prize, valued at more than $5,000, also includes advertising and promotions, professional photography and videography, potential additional distribution and more.

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History in the making

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CRAFTERS HELP DEFINE LOWCOUNTRY LIFE

There are certain assumptions that outsiders often make about the Lowcountry and its people. They see our relaxed pace of life, laid-back personalities and the way we can make a simple conversation stretch for hours and think that we’re, well, lazy. It’s as if the salt air and sunshine had sapped us of the hard-working determination that typifies the American spirit.

The fact is, nothing could be further from the truth. We might look like we’re unwinding and enjoying the good life, but we’re a community of doers. That unwinding you see is just the tail end of the classic work hard/play hard doctrine. That relaxation, have no doubt, has been well earned.

This is, after all, a region that was largely rural and wild just a few generations ago.

Everything you see around you was crafted by the hard-working people who call it home. And we’re just getting started. LOCAL Life and Hargray launched the Crafted in the Lowcountry Awards to salute these hard-working makers who are helping to define our region through food and drink, arts and crafts, home and style, domestic and sartorial.

A panel of experts had their work cut out for them in selecting a winner out of 61 entries. In the end, they selected an ingenious bit of home décor that brings the ocean waves of the Lowcountry to the clean lines of mid-modern flair.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

©LISA STAFF

WDESIGN STUDIO

William De Torre sands a project at his Hardeeville workshop. His entry, The Credenza-Za, was the overall winner of the 2019 Crafted in the Lowcountry Awards.

©LISA STAFF

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GRAND PRIZE WINNER:

The Credenza-Za

LOCAL HOME WINNER

WDESIGN STUDIO

The product: The Credenza-Za Where it was crafted: Hardeeville What makes it great: This stylish and functional piece is an original design by William De Torre. It is truly one of a kind, made almost entirely of re-claimed barn wood (black walnut and spalted maple) that was sourced locally in Levy. The doors track all the way around to the back and appear to be floating. The tambour doors and solid walnut dovetailed drawers have shark fin pulls.

“We think from our search online that the solid wood, wave wall and tambour doors have never been done before,” De Torre said. “Creating anything truly unique is very difficult.”

Judging notes: “I’ve never seen anything like it — the tooling, the rolling of the wood, the ingenuity, the craftsmanship. (De Torre) nailed it, from the inside out. He started with rough wood and transformed it into a smooth, wavy, amazing piece. It’s really incredible.”

— Kelly Caron, Kelly Caron Designs Find it: 843-816-6162, wdesignstudiolighting.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA STAFF

If you’ve dined out in the Lowcountry at all over the last few decades, odds are good you’ve seen William De Torre’s work. You just didn’t realize it. Through K Company, the construction firm he runs with partner Jimmy Kicklighter, he’s had a hand in countless buildings, but his favorite projects are restaurants. According to him, that’s when he really gets a chance to stretch his creative side.

His is a subtle artistry that has helped define the look of SERG Group restaurants as the company grew into the area’s restaurant powerhouse. His work has graced everything from the multi-dimensional walls at Wiseguys to the rippling waves on either side of

Poseidon’s stage. When you look across the vast portfolio of SERG properties, you’re seeing a series of blank canvases that he filled with eye-catching woodwork and artistic designs. And soon, he’ll be moving along to his next great project.“Frankie Bones in Bluffton is going to be my swan song,” he said, with equal measure excitement and nostalgia.

With “retirement” looming, De Torre is pouring himself into an interest that sits comfortably in the middle of a Venn diagram of “hobby,” “passion” and “side hustle.” It’s everywhere amid the sprawl of his Hardeeville worskshop – stacked vintage furniture awaiting restoration, scraps of wood carved into geometric shapes as tests of his CNC machine,

and shelf upon shelf of mid-century modern-style lamps he crafted by hand from wood.

But the centerpiece of this thirty-year passion sits in a place of honor in the back office of his workshop, surrounded by photographic reflectors as it awaits its close-up. The Credenza-Za’s clean lines place it clearly in the mid-mod aesthetic that De Torre favors, but among the spalted maple planks of its tambor front is a true innovation that took him three years to perfect.

“The process of making tambor has been around forever,” he said. “What’s not been around is the pattern.”

The genesis of the Credenza-Za came at Poseidon, where the signature wavy walls of the rooftop bar first captured his imagination. He kept four sheets of the original material, 4x8 sections carved from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) that went into what he called his “wave collection.” Sharing mid-mod sensibilities with the Credenza-Za, this collection included a coffee table, couch and most notable a bookcase console.

But with the Credenza-Za, he wanted to include the natural grain of spalting in maple, something MDF couldn’t provide.

When he couldn’t find anybody willing to provide the wavy texture he needed, he decided to do it himself. All it took was $10,000 for a CNC machine, a few software upgrades and the willingness to teach an old draftsman new tricks.

“At first I couldn’t do it. It was talking about vectors and things and I’m like, ‘what?’ Put me on a drafting table, I’m a draftsman. You put it on AutoCAD and it just stops me cold. I bought this software and I couldn’t use it,” he said. “I don’t know what happened, but eventually I got it. You ought to see me now.”

It was three years of trying and failing and trying anew before De Torre had the Credenza-Za exactly like he wanted. Or at least close. He’s already brainstorming improvements he might make and other patterns he might try down the road. It’s not quite retirement – in fact, it might just be the start of William De Torre’s next big adventure. LL

MAKING WAVES The wavy walls of The Rooftop Bar at Poseidon inspired this one-of-a-kind piece of furniture created by WDesign Studio. It is made almost entirely of reclaimed barn wood that was sourced locally in Levy.

FOOD

SPROUT MOMMA BREADS

With all locally sourced ingredients, Sprout Momma Breads is born and raised on Hilton Head Island. Using King Arthur unbleached and unbromated flour as well as super sprouted flour from Lindley Mills, each product is 100 percent organic. Other ingredients come from local farmers or from home-grown herbs from their garden.

Meet the Makers

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HERE ARE OUR 2019 CRAFTED IN THE LOWCOUNTRY PARTICIPANTS

The Lowcountry is full of character. From the Spanish moss to the southern marsh, so much history and beauty make up the Lowcountry. As tourists come and go, they miss what truly makes this area special. It’s the locals who have established roots here, the local businesses and artisans that find their inspiration in nature. These unique people are what make the Lowcountry so incredible.

LOCAL Life wanted to recognize and honor the local business owners who spend their days handcrafting goods that reflect the quality of the Lowcountry. Businesses in Hilton Head, Bluffton, Beaufort and Okatie were able to enter if their items were made in the area and were already sold here.

Contestants could enter their items into the following six categories: Food, Drink, Art, Style, Home and Crafts. A team of local experts determined a winner in each category.

Once each category named a winner, the judges and LOCAL Life team came together to determine the overall winner. The winner was featured on the cover of the September issue of LOCAL Life as well as a feature story, an advertising and PR campaign in local media, professional photography and videography, along with potential additional distribution.

To honor every contestant, the LOCAL Life team created this pull-out to recognize the hard-working businesses and artisans that are helping define our region through handcrafted goods.

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RANDALL ARTS INC.

Combining different media, David Randall has been creating oneof-a-kind paintings for 50 years. Switching back and forth between oil paints and pastels, he also practices with acrylics and watercolor to depict nature.

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JULIE JONES ARTWORK

A native of Hilton Head Island, Julie Jones creates art that represent the vibrancy of the island’s environment. She does this through the subject, color, style and form. By doing this, she creates one-of-akind pieces that highlight the beauty of the Lowcountry.

DRINKS

DAUFUSKIE ISLAND DISTILLERY

As an all-natural product with no artificial color or preservatives, Daufuskie Island Distillery flavors its sugarcane-based vodka with Sallie’s Greatest Blueberry Lavender Simple Syrup. This combination creates a spirit that begins with blueberry and ends with the taste of lavender. A staple for many great cocktails, try adding lemonade to create a simple, refreshing mix.

DRINKS

HILTON HEAD DISTILLERY

Master Distiller Peter Thompson made his passion for crafting spirits come to life on Hilton Head. He puts quality ingredients and hours of love into distilling the unique Mountain Peak Espresso and Toasted Coconut Flavored Rum among his other products. The thoughtful flavor of each spirit is crafted right here on the north end of Hilton Head.

HOME

AL AND HARRY’S HOME FASHIONS

Drawing inspiration from the Atlantic coastal region, local carpenters build original furniture to meet the needs of the customer. This family-owned and operated business hand paints each piece, which makes for beautiful colors and a distressed look.

DRINKS

BEE-TOWN MEAD AND CIDER

As South Carolina’s first meadery, BeeTown Mead and Cider produces dry, semi-sweet craft beverages. Able to be enjoyed in cocktails or alone, this mead is offered in a variety of flavors from coffee to mango. If you are someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy hard spirits or craft beer, then mead is a good alternative.

STYLE

ROSEY RAPPS

Inspired by Rosie the Riveter, the vintage wraps are created to empower women. Crafted by a mother-daughter duo, the fabrics make their way from the garment district in New York City followed by production in the Lowcountry.

Created by women for women, each product’s sizes range from newborn to adult.

CRAFTS

BEACH BISCUIT

Produced in Bluffton, Melissa Christian of Mrs., handcrafts coastalinspired pet collars and leashes. Using high-quality marine grade materials, no pet will be able to get away.Â

CRAFTS

TAYLOE POTTERY

Handcrafted on Hilton Head Island, Tayloe Pottery creates wheelthrown pieces using sustainable production methods. With their classic and clean designs, each piece produced is functional.

CRAFTS

LOWCOUNTRY LETTERING

Produced on Hilton Head Island, Lowcountry Lettering is a modern calligraphy company that is customized by the customer.

Creating one-of-a-kind signs for any occasion or for your Southern home, the pieces come in three different sizes of whitewashed wood signs with multiple fonts from which to choose.

STYLE

ISLAND INDIGO

Hand-dyed on Lady’s Island, Island Indigo creates unique indigo pieces that are individually designed. With each piece being 100 percent silk or cotton, this mother-daughter duo is determined to create beautiful, quality indigo pieces similar to those of Eliza Pinckney, the woman who established the indigo business in the Lowcountry in the 1700s. Find their products at Lady's Island Marina Store, Tabby Shore Gift Boutique, Cook on Bay, Beaufort Arsenal Visitor Center and Nuances on Port Royal.

FOOD

THE COTTAGE

Crafted out of Bluffton, The Cottage is known for its fresh baked goods including wedding cakes where they use sustainable ingredients straight from the Lowcountry. The cozy restaurant exemplifies old world charm and Southern hospitality and the food does the same.

CRAFTS

MOONRIVER POTTERY Handcrafted from porcelain clay, Pam Anderson of Moonriver Pottery builds her pieces by hand or they are wheel thrown.

Each piece is designed to have a practical use such as holding flowers, food or jewelry. Besides creating her products in Bluffton, she adds more Lowcountry flair by embellishing her pieces with gold and mother of pearl accents.

HOME

BUONA TERRA WOODWORKS

Father-daughter duo, Michelle Spadafora and Fred Spadafora, the craftsman behind Buona Terra, creates home decor pieces inspired by the interior, fashion and building industries. Meaning “Good Earth,�

Buona Terra uses reclaimed wood from the Lowcountry to create every one of their projects.

HOME

SIGNATURE CABINETRY AND CLOSETS OF THE LOW COUNTRY

Signature Cabinetry and Closets of the Low Country - From concept to completion, owners Frank Corn and Nancy Schmitz will guide you through the process to best utilize your space.

They are the only closet company and home organization business in the Hilton Head area to actually manufacture on-site, and are therefore able to truly customize your storage project.

CRAFTS

DEB STAUB DESIGNS

Based on St. Helena Island, Deb Staub creates unique stoneware pieces that are hand built and textured to enhance the variations of the clay while the glaze captures the colors. Inspired by the Lowcountry, she is constantly drawing from the many forms seen throughout the South, such as the movement and beauty found in the ebb or flow of the marsh.

CRAFTS

MY LOW COUNTRY ANGELS

Handcrafted from South Carolina oyster shells, My Low Country Angels are one-of-a-kind ornaments made in Bluffton. Faces are hand painted on wooden balls and include other accents like ribbon for bows. These features make each ornament a unique expression of the Lowcountry. No matter the occasion, these ornaments are a great way to remember special times in your life.Â

CRAFTS

LOWCOUNTRY LINENS

Sold in over 400 stores nationwide, Lowcountry Linen designs hand-painted products for your home.

From printed linens to oyster shells to jewelry, this growing business creates functional pieces that embody Southern charm.

ART

BOBBY FERTIG ART, BO ART Located at Dunnagans Alley on Hilton Head Island, Bo Art is a maker space gallery. Home to many resident artists, the studio space is used to create and sell oil paintings, acrylic art, pottery, wood art and glass art.

STYLE

LITTLE FISH BOTEAK

Using her background in interior design, Lissy Rawl incorporates textiles, rope, wallcoverings and high quality metal to create coastal-inspired jewelry.

Founded in 2014, Little Fish Boteak hopes to expand its products by making other accessories like handbags and home decor.

STYLE

OLD TOWN ENGRAVERS

Quality craftsmanship meets Southern style staples with Old Town Engravers. The jewelry features custom engraved monogrammed pendants and strings of elegant pearls, two of a Southern girl’s favorite accessories.

STYLE

HILTON HEAD JEWELS

Made up of mixed metals, gems and pearls, Hilton Head Jewels creates a unique design with a retro twist. Located on Hilton Head Island, the variety in materials and colors makes for a one-of-a-kind jewelry.

FOOD

TIGER BUTTER CO.

Instead of using any type of nut, Tiger Butter Co. uses tigernuts, a root vegetable native to Africa and Spain. By using tigernuts, this product becomes allergen friendly and makes Tiger Butter rich in prebiotic fiber and micronutrients.

This peanut butter alternative can be enjoyed in a smoothie, on toast or even by the spoonful.

FOOD

SWEET DOUGHSIGNS

BY KELLY

Personalized for every occasion, Sweet Doughsigns handcrafts cookies for weddings or just for simple party favors. Baked fresh and made to order, flavors range from chocolate to lemon. No matter the kind, you’re guaranteed a sweet surprise.

FOOD

THE JUICE HIVE Locally harvested, The Juice Hive produces sustainable power food that makes you feel better about what you put in your body. By using traceable ingredients, the Hive is able to conduct proper research to better support its products.Â

FOOD

JUKE JOINT SWEETS

Handcrafted with pecans and moonshine, Juke Joint Sweets likes to keeps things close to home by using locally sourced ingredients out of the Lowcountry.Â

CRAFTS

WILD WOOD RESCUE AND DESIGNS Locally harvested driftwood is crafted into one-of-a-kind furniture and serving trays. Some pieces feature metallic blue inlay where a wormhole tunnel once was and Lichtenberg figures produced by 1,200 volts of electricity that resemble lightning. It’s a unique and striking process.

ART

MAY RIVER WILDLIFE CARVING

This Bluffton-based crafter hand carves wildlife solely out of wood. Topped off with acrylic paints to create a more realistic view, each piece is a custom creation made out of local wood that coincides with the buyer’s request. Ranging from birds to turtles, each piece is unique and one-of-a-kind.

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MIRA MIRA STUDIO

Based off the botanical tradition of collecting pressed plants and flowers, artist Mira Scott combines the roots of the Lowcountry with Linocut, an artform Matisse and Picasso both practiced.

This piece is of indigo sea pods printed on Japanese rice paper that creates a delicate composition.

HOME

SERGIO RAYNAL FINE CUSTOM WOODWORKING

Sergio Raynal brings the beauty of the Lowcountry inside the home with his custom woodworking. His custom table is one of a kind and crafted from a raw slab of wood. His style and technique embody true craftsmanship.

CRAFTS

PRESERVATION TREE ART

Made from the oldest, documented tree in Beaufort Country, the Heritage Live Oak Bowls Collection by Preservation Tree Art are truly crafted in the Lowcountry.

In 1959 when Hurricane Gracie hit the area, part of the tree broke. Re-purposing the petrified remains, the oak tree was crafted into historic pieces of art.

HOME

REDFISHREX

Handcrafted out of wood, Rex Hunter creates skillfully crafted, functional pieces for your home.

Keeping his designs simple, he believes in making elegant furniture but allows the wood and nature to do the work to create a striking piece.

FOOD

PALMETTO POPS

Made with the freshest natural ingredients, Palmetto Pops are hard to miss. With their bright, vibrant colors, these pops taste even better than they look. From refreshing to creamy, each recipe keeps in mind dietary restrictions and doesn’t use any artificial flavors or coloring.

ART

LISA GILYEAD RIVERS ART

Bold colors and mixed media are used to illustrate artist Lisa Gilyead’s heritage. From the rich Gullah history to the Sea Islands, she creates abstract art through the use of oils and Lowcountry-themed acrylics.

ART

SIGNORE COASTAL ART

Made from reclaimed wood directly from the Lowcountry, Signore Coastal Art creates fish sculptures that combine different media. Salvaging wood that would otherwise be discarded, these crafters create a new life for this material and make it beautiful and functional again.

CRAFTS

POCKETS FULL OF SUNSHINE

With the first batches of garden gnomes being crafted with wood from Hurricane Matthew, Pockets Full of Sunshine, a nonprofit, now uses pieces of downed branches from local trees, where they are re-purposed and hand painted. Each gnome is handcrafted by adults with disabilities, allowing them to learn new skills.

C R A F TS

AUNT LAURIE’S

Each gift basket from Aunt Laurie’s is handwoven and assembled by individuals with disabilities, providing an opportunity for them to feel more valued and learn new skills. Available in several themes, these baskets use materials and products from local businesses throughout the Lowcountry.

CRAFTS

THE GUSSIED GATOR

Get in on the fun with this interactive craft. The Gussied Gator creates plaster gators that can be hand painted by company at events. This quirky, creative craft has dreams of expanding into a space where people can come and get messy painting the Lowcountry creature.

ART

IRONART BY KEVIN

Since 1999, Kevin Lawless has been creating unique sculptures out of metal. Inspired by his surroundings in the Lowcountry, he turns hand-forged steel into a one-of-a-kind piece while maintaining practical function.Â

STYLE

THE SILVER GARDEN

Hand-forged sterling and gold jewelry, The Silver Garden creates custom jewelry inspired by the Lowcountry. From pelicans to sea marsh and even a line of hurricane jewelry, each piece is created by the request of the customer and made here on Hilton Head Island.

CRAFTS

BEAD STUDIO AND DESIGN Handmade out of natural materials found in the Lowcountry, Michelle Allen of Bead Studio and Design creates one-of-a-kind trinkets and gifts.

Crafted out of shells, natural wood beads and oysters, they are hand painted or decoupaged.

No two pieces are identical.

DRINKS

GRIND COFFEE ROASTERS

Importing green coffee from all over the world, Grind Coffee Roasters roasts the beans on-site at its facility in Bluffton.

Being locally produced provides a unique spin on traditional coffee styles.

CRAFTS

FIRE & PINE

Starting with raw, untreated Eastern White Pine lumber, Fire and Pine creates custom, burnt wooden artwork from scratch. Striving to use sustainable techniques, all of the lumber used is sourced regionally from non-endangered wood species.Â

STYLE

LOGAN LEGGS

After finding a quartz stone on the side of the highway in 2017, Logan Leggs decided to transform this stone into a unique piece of jewelry.

Using gold-filled wire and silver wire to wrap the wire by hand around the stone, different patterns are formed.

CRAFTS

LOCAL CATS

Highlighting many different locations throughout the Lowcountry, Local Cats is a coloring book that features iconic places and locally owned businesses throughout the South.

STYLE

RM ORIGINALS

Crafted from 85 percent reclaimed fabric and buttons, RM Originals handcrafts custom clothing such as wearable pockets, totes and clutches. To help with organization and maybe make traveling a bit easier, crafter Regina Matheison also makes jewelry pouches and eyeglass sleeves.Â