Gifts from the Boneyard

By Margit Resch

Boneyard? What is a boneyard, you ask?

Don’t feel bad that you don’t know. Most people I asked had no idea. No, no, don’t look up “boneyard” in the dictionary. Not only are the definitions depressing, they take you in the entirely wrong direction.

Instead, ask an old Beaufortonian, or a nature lover, or a beachcomber, or, even better, go to Hunting Island and actually experience a boneyard: walk along the beach to the southern end of the island and, there, ahead of you: a boneyard! A magical collection of expired trees. No leaves, no needles, no bark, some still standing, most of them totally uprooted, often intertwined in a close embrace, resting comfortably on the soft sand. Nature’s work of art, created by the encroaching ocean waters and winds, constantly changing. Gifts to those among the millions of visitors coming to Hunting Island every year, who can find beauty in this unusual display on our barrier islands, who can unhinge their imagination and imbue these intriguing arboreal exhibits with meaning. Some are even gifted with the ability to express their experience in works of art. Three of these artists will share their gorgeous renditions with you in the Maritime Center of the Port Royal Sound Foundation—an event called Gifts from the Boneyard, Art Inspired by the Landscapes of Hunting Island.

The exhibit is the brainchild of featured fiber artist Barbara James, President of Art Cloth Network, founded 25 years ago, whose members from the US and Canada are juried in. And she founded Fiber Artists of Beaufort. A fiber artist, you ask? Well, don’t feel bad. I had to ask, too. Basically, fiber art includes weaving, felting, basketry and surface design, among others. Fabric, so Barbara says in her Artist Statement, “is endlessly fascinating. It excites our senses as it moves and pushes the artist, and the collector, to fully embrace the sight, sound, touch and even smell of the cloth; it is not passive.” Barbara expresses her creative self on pure white silk. After clamping, stitching or folding the fabric, she immerses it in different colored dye baths to create, as she puts it, “depth and mystery. Then using any combinations of personally designed silk screens, rubber stamps, stencils, brushes, paint rollers… I press, paint or roll color onto the fabric adding multiple patterns of interest. I often incorporate hand-stitching, transfer from original photos and beading. The result is a vivid original piece of art that combines representational and abstract imagery.”

Barbara’s passion for “cloth art” goes back to her childhood, when she designed and sewed her own clothes, and was scientifically substantiated when she studied textiles and earned a BA and MA. After her retirement from teaching at The Ohio State University, she succumbed to her passion and started to create fiber art. Her work is inspired by her travels, current events, and by “the lush and exotic landscapes“ of her home here in Beaufort. Nine of her unusual, gorgeous fiber art creations will be for sale at the exhibit.

The other two artists, also from the Lowcountry, are photographers Joan

Eckhardt and Andy Stephens. They share with Barbara their love for and support of Hunting Island. Both have helped illustrate Carol Corbin’s fabulous book on the history, ecology and physical beauty of Hunting Island State Park, Wild Island Nature. Their pictures (in the exhibit on canvas, needless to say) capture the magic of the boneyard in so many unexpected and intriguing ways.

Joan Eckardt’s magical photographs reflect her passion for nature and creative portraiture. Her work has been juried into regional and national exhibits, including the South Carolina chapter of the National Association of Women Artists. She joined the Photography Club of Beaufort in 2007, was elected its president, and became involved in the book Beauty of Beaufort, the proceeds of which were donated to the Friends of Hunting

Island, resulting in her intimate bond with the park. In her words: “I joyfully spend many hours every year exploring the ever changing, intriguing, mysterious boneyard on Hunting Island and walking the beaches looking for shorebirds. Additionally, I have recently contributed all the images for a book for new gardeners in the Lowcountry. I always seek to evoke an emotional response and connection with the viewer which will encourage them to linger a bit longer at the print or canvas.” So, when you come to see the exhibit, linger a while in front of Joan’s photographs and pay attention to your response.

Andy Stephens, after retiring to the Beaufort area twelve years ago from a career in financial services and technology, rekindled his interest in nature photography, which had begun in high school. He loves to travel with his wife and dog throughout the southeast, photographing the natural beauty of the region. His pictures have been displayed and sold in local art and craft shows. He is passionate about Hunting Island and serves on the Friends of Hunting Island Board.

“I guess my fascination with the boneyard is that it is ever changing,“ he says. “I have been visiting there since 2010 and have never found it to be the same.” To this day, he is wondering what it might become. “I like the fact that some trees are able to ‘hang on’ longer than others and remain standing even with the surf smashing around their trunk day in and day out. I remember my first visit. After crossing the bridge on the Nature Center Trail and walking a short distance through some trees, I reached the beach with maybe a 2-foot drop-off. Today the path stays flat to the waters edge with no elevation change. And the trees I previously walked through are now part of the boneyard.”

The Boneyard art exhibit will open March 2nd and run for a month at the Port Royal Sound Foundation’s Maritime Center, 310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie. It is open Tuesday –Friday from 10am - 5pm and on Saturday from 10am - 4pm. The opening reception is on Thursday, March 2nd from 4:00 - 6:00 pm. Both, the exhibit and the reception, are open to the public. Admission is free.

All exhibit pieces are for sale. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Maritime Center and the Friends of Hunting Island.

The 502s, 3/2 Mac Saturn; Billy Tibbals, 3/4 Iya Terra; Artikal Sound System; Sundub, 3/5 The Dip; Juice. (843) 408-1599 or www.musicfarm.com

The Pour House, 1977 Maybank Hwy, Charleston. Sundays - The Motown Throwdown, Mondays

- Slim & Friends; Tuesdays - Fusion Jonez, Wednesdays - Grateful Dead Wednesday with The Reckoning. 2/16 Jimbo Mathus; Schaefer Llana, 2/17 & 2/18 Doom Flamingo, 2/20 Clem Snide, 2/21 Fire on the Bayou, 2/23 Happy Landing; Sounds of Blackfox; Tree Limbs, 2/24 & 2/25 Grateful Shred, 2/26 Tommy Prine; Jordan Smart, 3/1 The Grass is Dead - bluegrass Dead, 3/3 & 3/4 Yonder Mountain String Band, 3/5 Marshgrass Mamas. (843) 5714343 or www.charlestonpourhouse.com

Windjammer, 1008 Ocean Blvd, Isle of Palms. 2/17 Weird Science, 2/18 FlashMob, 2/24 Nighttrain

- Guns & Roses tribute, 2/25 The Puddleducks, 3/3 & 3/4 Midnight City. (843) 886-8596 or www.the-windjammer.com

BEAUFORT/PORT ROYAL

Foolish Frog, 846 Sea Island Pkwy, St. Helena Island. (843) 838-9300. thefoolishfrog.com

Luther’s Rare & Well Done, 910 Bay Street. (843) 521-1888 or www.luthersrareandwelldone.com

Q on Bay, 822 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 524-7771 or www.qonbay.com

Rosie O’Gradys Irish Pub, in Beaufort Town Center. December! A Blessed Season! We're open thru the Holidays. C'mon down! Mondays & Tuesdays F&B Nights with Discounts; Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - Karaoke at 10pm. Open daily at 11:30am. 18 Years Now! Closed Christmas Day. (843) 379-7676 or Rosie's on Facebook.

Saltus River Grill, 802 Bay St, Beaufort. (843) 3793474 or www.saltusrivergrill.com

BLUFFTON/HILTON HEAD

Big Bamboo, Coligny Plaza. (843) 686-3443 or www.bigbamboocafe.com

Captain Woody’s, 6 Target Rd., Hilton Head or 17 State of Mind St., Bluffton. www.captainwoodys.com

The Jazz Corner, Village at Wexf1ord, Hilton Head. Sundays - Deas Guyz; Mondays - A Journey Through Jazz with The Martin Lesch Band; Tuesdays - Fat Tuesdays: A Swingin' Celebration of New Orleans and Beyond; Thursdays - Lavon Stevens with Louise Spencer. 2/15 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parker, 2/17 & 2/18 Geoffrey Keezer Trio, 2/22 Bobby Ryder, 2/24 & 2/25 The Peter & Will Anderson Trio, 3/1 Lavon Stevens with Quiana Parker, 3/3 & 3/4 Joe Alterman Trio. (843) 842-8620 or www.TheJazzCorner.com

Omni Hilton Head Ocean Front in Palmetto Dunes. Buoy Bar - HH Prime - (843) 842-8000 or www.omnihotels.com

Out Of Town

The Music Farm, 32 Ann Street, Charleston. 2/15 Comedians in Drag Doing Comedy with Dr. Anna Lepeley, Hagan Ragland, Shawana Jarrett, Rossi Brown, and Kaz Sortino, 2/16 Blade Rave - Vampire themed rave with Sam Wolfe; Nhexis; Xocar, 2/17 Charles Wesley Godwin; JR Carroll, 2/18 Mimosa Fest with DJ Cabanavibez - doors 11am, show at noon; Fatrat Da Czar; DJ Kingpin; VOV; Midimarc; Langston Hughes III; Tyrie, 2/19 Lotus, 2/21 Adam Melchor, 2/23 Chase Matthew, 2/24 Gimme Gimme Disco, 2/25 Best Night Ever, 2/26 Eric Bellinger, 3/1

Editors Note: Events listed here may be subject to postponement or cancellation. Please check for further information.

THEATER/FILM/DANCE

Now – 2/19, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. For tickets visit www.artshhi.com or call 843-842-2787

GALLERIES/ART

Now – 2/20, Indelible Moments: 1970 Street Photographs from Two Cultures, Photographs by Jack Dempsey at USCB Center for the Arts. 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. For more information, visit www.jdempsey.net

Now – 2/23, The Food We Celebrate. This traveling exhibit tells the story of selected foodways and how they are celebrated and shared. Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage in downtown Ridgeland. www.morrisheritagecenter.org

Now - 2/27, "On the Edge of a Forest, A Conversation Begins," an exhibit of artwork by Jean McLaughlin and Tom Spleth at USCB Sea Islands Center Gallery in Beaufort.

Now – 2/28, All Saints Garden Tour Art Show at the Hilton Head Branch of the Beaufort County Public Library.

Now - 2/28, Show Your Love, an exhibit of small, original art pieces and vintage valentine postcards at the Beaufort Art Association gallery. 913 Bay Street, Beaufort. www.beaufortartassociation.com

Now – 2/29, Reflections of Nature: Painting with Glass. Featuring the work of Sharon Cooper. The Beaufort Art Association Gallery is at 913 Bay Street, Beaufort. www.beaufortartassociation.com

Now – 3/5, Annual High School Art Show hosted by the Society of Bluffton Artists. Located in Old Town Bluffton. www.sobagallery.com

2/26 – 4/30, Rainy Days and More, exhibit of artwork by Norma Beal at Beaufort Art Association Gallery. Artist reception Fri 3/3 from 5-8pm, 913 Bay Street, downtown Beaufort.

3/2 – 4/2, Gifts from the Boneyard, Art Inspired by the Landscapes of Hunting Island at the Port Royal Sound Foundation’s Maritime Center, 310 Okatie Hwy, Okatie. Opening reception Thur, 3/2 from 4 – 6 pm. Free and open to the public.

3/4 – 5/6, Binya: Faces ob de Gullah Geechee

Portrait Exhibition at the Coastal Discovery Museum on Hilton Head. For more info and a schedule of events, visit www.coastaldiscovery.org

3/7 – 4/8, Art + Quilt = Art, an exhibit of work by the Art Quilters of the Lowcountry at Art League Gallery, 14 Shelter Cove Lane, Hilton Head. Artist reception Wed 3/8 from 5-7pm. Free and open to the public. RSVP at www.gallery@artleaguehhi.org 843-681-5060

BOOKS & WRITERS

Mondays Now - 3/13, Books Sandwiched In hosted by The Friends of the Beaufort Library, Noon - 1pm at USCB Center for the Arts. For a full of books and presenters, visit www.friendsofthebeaufortlibrary.com/books-sandwiched-in

Fri 2/17, Evening of Art & Poetry with art historian Midori Yamamura and husband, poet Luis Francia at the Beaufort Arts Council, 921 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, from 5-7:30 pm. Cohosted by the Pat Conroy Literary Center. Seating is limited. Call the Conroy Center to reserve your spot. 843-379-7025.

Sat 2/18, Lynn Seldon (Carolina’s Ring) in conversation with John Warley from 4-6pm at the Beaufort Bookstore, 2127 Boundary Street, Beaufort.

Tues 2/21 & 2/28, Lecture Series on C.S. Lewis’s Abolition of Man. Hosted by Holy Trinity Classical Christian School. Rev. Joe Lawrence will lead the two-night series from 6 to 7 p.m., on the main campus at 302 Burroughs Ave. For more information, please contact Celeste Pruit at cpruit@htccs.org or 843-379-9632.

Fri 3/3, Bestselling author De’Shawn Charles Winslow (Decent People) in conversation with Jonathan Haupt (Our Prince of Scribes: Writers Remember Pat Conroy). Free and open to the public, this book discussion and signing will be held at NeverMore Books (910 Port Republic St, Beaufort) at 5 pm. Seating is limited; please call 843-812-9460 to reserve in advance.

Music

Sun 2/19, USCB Chamber Music Concert, featuring music by Brahms, Gershwin and Schumann. 5 pm at the USCB Center for the Arts, 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. For concert/ ticket information, go to www.uscbchambermusic.com or call 843-208-8246.

Sun 2/26, The Tony Lee Group will perform at the Fripp Island Community Centre at 5pm. Admission at the door is $30 for adults, students free. Meet-the-artists reception following the performance. Visit www.frippfriendsofmusic. com or call 704-807-0255 for reservations.

Other Events

Thur, 2/16, ‘Five Centuries of History’ Lecture Series sponsored by Historic Beaufort Foundation at USCB Center for the Arts. Featuring historians John McCardell, Larry Rowland, and Stephen Wise. $30 per lecture/$150 lecture package for HBF members. $35 per lecture/$175 lecture package for nonHBF members. $20 per lecture/$100 lecture package for full-time students. www.historicbeaufort.org

2/21 – 2/26, 17th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival at USCB Center for the Arts. For a full schedule of events and tickets info, visit www. beaufortfilmfestival.com

3/2 – 3/5, 6th Annual Maison Beaufort: Antiques, Home & Garden Show. Tabby Place, 913 Port Republic Street, Beaufort. Preview Party $40 (3/2) in advance. General admission $6 in advance, $10 at the door (3/3-3/5). www.maisonbeaufort.org

Thursdays and some Tuesdays, Tours of Hunting Island Lighthouse sponsored by Friends of Hunting Island. Keeper Ted and his team will tell the history of the Lighthouse built in 1875. For info call the Nature Center at 843-838-7437. Tours are $2 a person and park entry fees apply.

Second Friday, Beaufort Drum Circle 2nd Friday of every month. 6:30 – 8 pm at the Gazebo in Waterfront Park. Eric Roy is the facilitator. Sessions with 15-20 minutes of instruction on djembe playing and a selected traditional rhythm & accompaniment for participants. Also, there will be time for spontaneous group drumming. All welcome. No experience necessary. Bring a drum, if you have one, a chair, and desire for fun. The Drum Circle has extra instruments anyone can use. For more info visit the BeaufortDrumCircle Facebook page.

Third Thursday, TECHconnect is a monthly networking event for professionals working in and around technology. Come and join on the for the conversation at BASEcamp 500 Carteret 5:307:30pm. 843-470-3506. www.beaufortdigital.com

Thursdays, History Tours of Fort Mitchell by the Heritage Library, 10am. $12/Adult $7/Child. 843-686-6560