SCELP Hosts Mary Alice Monroe
On Wednesday, May 14, the South Carolina Environmental Law Project will host a special book signing and luncheon from 12-2pm to celebrate New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe's newest novel Where the Rivers Merge. The event is open to the public and will be held at the Oaks Dining Room at Belfair’s clubhouse, located at 200 Belfair Oaks Boulevard. This highly anticipated new book is a celebration of the land and spirit of the early twentieth-century Lowcountry and drives home the need to safeguard and protect it for future generations.
Tickets to the event are $125 and include a delicious lunch, a signed copy of the novel, the reading of an excerpt by the author and the opportunity to bid on naming a character in her next book. Purchase tickets or learn more by visiting scelp.org/events.
Sally R. Murphy, former wildlife biologist and author of Turning the Tide, praised the novel, saying, “Mary Alice Monroe takes us on an emotional journey with Eliza Rivers. Set in the grandeur of the ACE Basin in the Lowcountry at her home Mayfield Hall, young love, World War I, and the tradition of primogeniture test Eliza’s spirit and her family ties. Now in her late eighties, Eliza finally tells her story in order to pass on her devotion to Mayfield Hall and the wildlife it holds to a new generation. This is Monroe at her best.”
Author Mary Alice Monroe
The luncheon is hosted by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP), a nonprofit public interest law firm that uses its legal expertise to protect land, water and communities throughout South Carolina, including in the Lowcountry. Proceeds from the event will benefit SCELP’s programs and legal work, which has helped protect some of the state’s most iconic and special places, like Captain Sams Spit on Kiawah Island, Bay Point Island in Beaufort County and the spectacular Angel Oak on Johns Island near Charleston.
“The South Carolina Environmental Law Project is thrilled to partner with Mary Alice Monroe to promote her anticipated new novel,” said Amy Armstrong, Executive Director at SCELP. “Mary Alice’s evocative storytelling combined with her love for the South’s lands and waters mirrors SCELP’s work, which uses our skills as legal experts to protect our shared love for South Carolina’s land, water and communities. Using the written word to change hearts and minds is something Mary Alice achieves through her literature. What an exciting synergy!”
Monroe is a conservationist who has championed the rights of the natural world, as well as the work of SCELP and other environmental groups in the South. The coastal southern landscape in particular has become a strong and important focus of many of her novels. Where the Rivers Merge is set against the evocative landscape of the twentieth-century American South, and is a dramatic and sweeping multigenerational family story of unyielding love, lessons learned on the conservation easement process, profound sacrifices, and the indomitable spirit of a woman determined to persevere in the face of change in order to protect her family legacy and the land she loves.
“It’s an honor to partner with SCELP, bringing the community together with a shared love for stories, for the Lowcountry, and a passion to protect the landscapes and
ecosystems that make our state so special,” said Monroe.
If prospective attendees have questions about the event or would like to purchase group tickets, they can contact the South Carolina Environmental Law Project’s Development Operations Manager Tara Stevenson at tara@scelp.org or (843) 527-0078.
The South Carolina Environmental Law Project is a nonprofit public interest law firm. We use our legal expertise to protect land, water and communities across South Carolina. Learn more at www.scelp.org
Museum Showcases Wild Bees Exhibit
The Coastal Discovery Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, will present Wild Bees, a photography exhibit by Paula Sharp and Ross Eatman, from May 15 to August 17. On view in the museum’s main gallery, the exhibit features striking macro photography that offers a rare look at America’s native bees and their vital role as pollinators.
The public is invited to an opening reception on Thursday, May 15, from 5 to 7 pm. Sharp and Eatman will conduct a tour of the exhibition before the reception at 4 pm.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS:
"Visitors of all ages will be captivated by the close-up images of native bees — and inspired to learn more about these essential pollinators and why bee conservation matters,” said Elizabeth Greenberg, Director of Exhibitions.
Throughout the spring and summer, the museum will present several bee workshops and family-friendly programs.
To mark World Bee Day on May 20, the museum will host a special event featuring David Arnal, Master Beekeeper and President of the Beaufort-Jasper Beekeepers Association. Bee Inspired: Celebrating World Bee Day in the Lowcountry begins at 4:30 pm with a self-guided tour of the Wild Bees exhibit and a honey wine tasting, followed by a talk by Arnal exploring the world of honey bees. The program is $10 per person. Advance registration is required for the lecture and wine tasting. Reserve your spot online here or by calling 843-689-6767 ext. 223.
“While honey bees often get the most attention, wild bees are important pollinators for our flowering plants, home gardens, crops, and woodlands,” said Dawn Brut, Director of Education. “Our bee programs bring a fun, interactive element to learning about bees.” Wild Bees has toured prominent museums, botanical gardens and galleries nationwide since its debut at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve Gallery, in Pleasantville, New York.
Paula Sharp is a photojournalist and author of several novels, including the bestseller Crows over a Wheatfield. She has photographed throughout the United States and Brazil. Her recent book, Native Bees of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, documents more than 100 bee species representing 45 distinct genera.
Ross Eatman has worked as a nature photographer for over 25 years. He is a co-founder of Sharp-Eatman Nature Photography, a society dedicated to documenting conservation issues.
8th Annual Camp Conroy Open for Registration
Entering into its eighth year, Camp Conroy is now TWO one-week day camps for young writers and artists. Camp #1 for campers ages 9 to 12 will be held on June 9 to 13 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Camp #2 for campers ages 13 to 16 will be held on June 23 to 27 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Hosted by the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center, both camps will be held at Robert Smalls Leadership Academy.
This year's camp theme, Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, honors the work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, who developed her metaphor as a way of describing how books can help readers to see themselves, see others, and enter new experiences and understanding. During each of the two camps, participants will build a book together by creating--individually and collaboratively--the writing and art for an anthology, then critiquing, editing, and designing work in preparation for publication. The two age groups will be contributing to a special collaborative project together as well.
Campers can explore a range of writing genres, from poetry to short stories to micro-memoirs; as well as multiple forms of self-expression in the visual arts, including drawing, painting, and photography. They will be guided through their creative endeavors by Camp Conroy's talented counselors, full-time adult instructors, and special guest presenters and instructors. A final reading and presentation of camper creations will conclude the experience.
The $250 registration fee for Camp Conroy includes one week of instruction, camp activities, and healthy daily snacks. Students must bring their own lunches and drinks each day. (This is a day camp; overnight lodging and meals are not included.) After the camp, participants will each receive a copy of their published anthology. Registration closes on May 20.
Scholarships: A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. To apply, interested students should submit a sample of their work (story, essay, poem, artwork, or
photography) with a brief letter about their interest by May 10, to the Pat Conroy Literary Center, Attention: Camp Conroy, 601 Bladen Street, Beaufort, SC 29902. Please specify the age of the camper. Recipients will be contacted in early June.
Sponsorships:
The nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center welcomes sponsorships of campers, camp counselors, camp instructors, and guest presenters, all of which makes possible this immersive creative experience honoring Pat Conroy’s legacy as educator, writer, and lifelong mentor.
For details, registration, scholarship and sponsorship information, please visit: https://campconroy2025.eventbrite.com
Paid Advertorial by The Christian Science Society of Beaufort
Knowing God, Knowing Ourselves
Spiritualizing our concept of God and of each other is an empowering place to start what we need to know. What God knows about us is what He created – a perfect spiritual man made in His image and likeness, not a sinning mortal man.
Understanding God to some degree is important because this understanding gives a more spiritual sense of who we are. This also has a beneficial impact on our health and well-being.
We may wonder who or what God is, exactly. Is God a who or a what? Is God even knowable? What does knowing God have to do with knowing ourselves?
The Bible’s New Testament generally refers to God as Father. The Lord’s Prayer given by Jesus opens with “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9). Yet, there is also biblical allusion to the mothering qualities of God –nurturing, carrying, bearing (Deuteronomy 32:11, 12). Thinking of God’s attributes in masculine or feminine terms, therefore, is not wrong, as long as this is not tainted with beliefs of corporeality or physicality. God’s incorporeality and ours is the crux of the matter.
Spirit and Love are biblical synonyms for God, so Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, capitalizes these words in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, whenever they refer specifically to Deity. It is self-evident that Spirit, or Love, is not corporeal, and therefore can be expressed only by such attributes as spirituality and love.
The incorporeality of God is a fundamental point in Christian Science. It is crucial in its healing practice and helps us realize who we are.
Science and Health gives the spiritual sense of the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven,” as “Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious” (p. 16), which shows our relationship to God as the spiritual offspring of divine Love. Describing God as Father portrays the nature and quality of God as our protector, provider, and so on, and this may be just what we need to bring reassurance or resolution to a situation. Other times, what may be needed is a better sense of God as nurturing, gentle, patient – qualities often associated with mothering. And perceiving God as incorporeal Spirit or Love brings healing.
A CHRISTIAN SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE
thought. We can achieve this through prayer - a wholehearted desire to understand God - and consistently studying God’s Word. In addition to healing physical and mental ills, this begins to eradicate issues and spiritualizes our sense of who we really are.
Sometimes, when I’m praying about a problem, it is helpful to see myself as the child of the one divine Parent, my Father-Mother, and healing has resulted through a clearer understanding of being loved and cherished unconditionally. Other times, seeing myself as the incorporeal, spiritual expression of divine Love, which is loving me specifically, has brought freedom.
We need to first understand God’s incorporeal nature, which is unlimited and unchangeable, rather than think of God as a human personality. Then we begin to better understand ourselves. When answering the fundamental question “What is God?” Mrs. Eddy emphasizes God’s incorporeality first, following with Spirit, Love, and five other synonyms for Deity, viz.: “God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love” (Science and Health, p. 465)
It may be a struggle sometimes to uplift our concept of God, but spiritualizing our concept of God spiritualizes our
As we strive to better understand who and what God is –Father-Mother, Spirit, Love – our experience is blessed. We begin to know what it means that we are God’s spiritual reflection. Spiritual understanding transforms our character, destroys sinful traits, and heals disease. Another statement from Science and Health is instructive: “We shall obey and adore in proportion as we apprehend the divine nature and love Him understandingly, warring no more over the corporeality, but rejoicing in the affluence of our God” (p. 140)
We are all born of God. This means that we can see ourselves as the sons and daughters of the one divine Parent, the creator, our Father-Mother, or as the spiritual expressions of perfect Love, infinite Spirit. Doing this, we can spiritually renew our mind from seeing the old material man to knowing ourselves as God’s spiritual man. What is most important, however, is not to materialize our concept of God or ourselves in any way. God is not a corporeal personality, but divine Love, Spirit, and because we are spiritual, we are not defined or restricted by physicality. It is the spiritual, incorporeal understanding of God that reveals the truth about both God and God’s creation – each of us – and our purely spiritual nature. And this understanding frees and heals.
By Moji George
Even the bar menu pays homage to the island life, with bartender extraordinaire, Brittney, concocting whimsical cocktails including a Mango Margarita (one of their most popular orders), a Pusser’s rum Painkiller, Lowcountry tropical tea with vodka and pineapple tea, and a rotating seasonal lemonade featuring local Rotten Little Bastard Distillery vodka. They also sell a ton of Prosecco cocktails, in that they have Prosecco on tap (yep, you heard right,
Prosecco on tap!). The Aperol Spritz and Hugo Spritz are our personal favorites. Naturally, they also feature rotating draft beers, including local options from Hilton Head Island and Charleston, along with over a dozen beers in bottles and cans. The wine
list doesn’t disappoint either, with a Cabernet and Chardonnay on tap and a short, but quite geographically diverse wine list (think Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Portugal, France, Argentina, and California), including three dry pinks for these rosé lovers.
If all this isn’t enough, Marker 244 has special events all week to help get you in the mood. There’s a happy hour every day from 4pm to 6pm, with $1 off house liquor and wine or $2 off draft beer. Sundays feature $5 mimosas in all kinds of flavors, like orange, peach, pineapple, mango and more. Taco Tuesday features $1 off all tacos, trivia night starting at 7pm, and an extended happy hour from 4pm to 8pm.
Then there’s our favorite—Struggle Meal Wednesday, featuring $10 rotating plates of staff favorites like jambalaya, corn dogs, ham and cheese sliders, and fried green tomatoes, including a non-alcoholic drink. They also have varied seasonal events like Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July, and friends and family events throughout the year. And then, of course, there is always that spectacular outdoor dining venue to lure you back time and time again.
A Little Dish Lagniappe
Lunch at The Bistro at Culinary Institute of the South
We finally made it for lunch at The Bistro at Bluffton’s Culinary Institute of the South and wanted to share our experience as a follow-up to last month’s DISH about their Foodseum and more.
Situated just past the new Foodseum, The Bistro features multi-course lunches prepared by the school’s culinary, baking, and pastry arts students as part of their curriculum. Open only for lunch by (very popular) reservation only, The Bistro menu changes each semester with the classes and seasons.
The contemporary setting is French café-like and quite lively, as student servers and Bistro patrons discuss the menu, the food, and the Culinary Institute of the South experience. An appropriate food-oriented indigo blue wall painting by Amiri Farris, commissioned by the Culinary Institute of the South, overlooks diners.
bites; or creamy scallion soup (our fave) for the first course. A 6-oz. house burger; roasted miso mushroom panini (yum!); blackened fish tacos; 6-oz. seared steak; “Charleston Style” shrimp and grits; or seasonal quiche for the second course; and a Pastry Chefs
Selection for the dessert, which was a colorful fresh fruit gateau or chai tea Crème Brûlée (which were both perfect!), when we were there.
Our server, Torie, knew the menu well and addressed all of our questions about the menu, the kitchen, and more. Serving as a poster child for the Culinary Institute of the South, she will be completing her Baking and Pastry curriculum soon and moving straight into the Culinary Arts program.
Options on the three-course $30 menu include: TCL salad; Caesar salad; fried fish
The food and service were topnotch, and we became even bigger fans of the Culinary Institute of the South. If you can’t get a reservation at The Bistro, there’s also Clist Café, which serves a multi-purpose role as both a grab-and-go café for the public, students, and staff, as well as another “classroom” for culinary and hospitality students.
Beaufort-based travel journalists Lynn and Cele Seldon (www. seldonink.com) often cover culinary travel around the world, and Lowcountry Weekly recently lured them to write a monthly feature covering the local food scene. This will include articles about restaurants, chefs, food-focused stores, farms, farmers, farmers markets, and more. They welcome suggestions for topics.
Culinary Institute of the South
1 Venture Dr. Bluffton, SC 29910 (843) 305-8575
tcl.edu/culinary-institute
The Bistro (tcl.edu/culinary-institute/thebistro) is only open for seated lunches by reservation (see email address on website) on certain days each semester. The Foodseum (tcl.edu/foodseum) and Clist Café (tcl.edu/ culinary-institute/clist-cafe) are both open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fish art for sale
The Bistro at the Culinary Institute - photos by Seldon Ink
shrimp basket
Monolithium
Your emotions can lie to you about the action plans you need to make then take. Vigilantism is invigorating in theory. Monolith, in the context of my title, means a large and impersonal political, corporate, or social structure that’s regarded as intractable, indivisible, and uniform.
As I was typing the title, I was led to place “-ium” on the end, so I guess, in part, this is about drugs. No, not about fentanyl or other dangerous drugs, but drugs like being convinced of one’s own superiority, for example. “Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” (@poet.circle). We can be addicted to routine while being a teetotaler.
If I were to give you truth serum, would you be able to tell me why you did what you did? Would it make sense, or only make you look small? Inaction qualifies just as much here.
If we’re going to incorporate the chakra
system into this discussion, how about the first chakra? Doesn’t matter if you’re familiar with chakras or not because I’m going to tell you about the first chakra, otherwise known as the root chakra. I’m also going to suggest an addition to what is traditionally taught.
The first chakra has to do with the basics of life: Money, food, shelter . . . I wonder if popularity should be added in there? Not because I’ll ever encourage myself or anyone else to live their lives based on what is popular. That has about as much originality as Hollywood does now. Should we remake Mean Girls again? Oh, wait . . .
Hear me out and consider some Yellowjackets tribalism for a bit. If you are not popular in whatever metric fits, how are you going to stay in the tribe? Shun and vote out the least useful and most annoying of us. In the case of Yellowjackets , you would get hunted down and eaten. Eek! Extreme, but stranger things have happened. What stories do you tell yourself, and others, repeatedly? The reason for said storytelling is important. Do you spin yarns to vent, or to marinate in what is akin to taking a shot known as the cement mixer? If you don’t know what a cement mixer is, hit me up and I’ll buy you all you want. I guarantee you’ll only do one. A cement mixer is Irish crème liqueur and lime juice. It actually doesn’t taste all that bad, it’s just the fact that it curdles in
your mouth, while thickening into something you chew instead of drink.
Usually when I use the term marinate, I mean to think or meditate on something so as not to act in haste. I may not use it so freely in the future. Why? Words matter, that’s why. Words are the intentions we think and speak all day long. Mindfulness, sans superstition, is what we’re aiming for here. Do you really need agreement for YOUR truth? What? Do you NEED agreement for your truth? If so, what does that say about your truth? Don’t worry, it could still be true, but really focus in on this question.
Here, I’ll help: What’s the difference between processing your issues and pounding cement mixer shots? One advances you while the other is basically a productive, punitive quagmire—busy-work. How much of our life is just a cement mixer? Don’t marinate on the answer to that question because the wastefulness could be depressing, but the question still needs to be answered, however briefly.
Like a ship, we must rudder into the storm and tumult of life with the intention of integration until it softens into wisdom. Remember that when you chase validation, you neglect the opportunity of your vulnerability. Perhaps vulnerability is our best ability. Certainly, vulnerability is our most fear-laden ability. But the rewards . . .
WHOLLY HOLISTICS
by Sutty Suddeth
That’s why the temptation of the misery trap is so seductive. The survivor, the betrayed, the misunderstood, and maybe the worst of them all, THE VICTIM, are all terrible things we experience in our lives. Even worse than the trauma is building a monolith to it. Maybe monolithium is the cure. Who knows? I just made the drug up because it was a snappy title. I Want a New Drug, by one of my favorite bands, Huey Lewis and the News is singing in my mind’s ear.
Consider this: Perhaps another update to an axiom, as long as we’re at it, is, “The devil is in the distractions,” as opposed to, “The devil is in the details.”
In fiction, how vexing and thrilling is it to have an unreliable narrator? Your life is NOT fiction, so don’t vex yourself. For whatever reason, I’m led to suggest the reader youtubing Ashanti’s Unfoolish lyrics here. Always loved that song, but paid more attention to Biggie and the beat than the actual words. I only want the best for myself and others. Yes, I’m talking to me; or, at least, getting a talking to, all at the same time. This is our sacred rebellion. Monoliths come about for a reason, just as much as they must crumble to make way for better ways — higher dimensions — lighter loads.
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.” (Ken Burns) Perhaps it is actually human nature that doesn’t change. Part of our nature, unfortunately, is over-thinking, so turn the unfortunate into a fortune by agonizing over what could end up in your favor.
(By the way, it’s been a while since I’ve taken the opportunity to thank our new and devoted readers alike. It occurred to me that Wholly Holistics is like a journal entry that I publish to you all. The appreciation for this platform will only be appreciated completely on the other side. For now, my thanks will have to suffice.)
The year: 1987. The setting: The Rocks of Fripp Island, SC. Sutty first answers the siren call of writing. In the years and publications since, the destination has been Divinely timed, while being Divinely unknown. A reformed Reiki Master of more than a dozen years, an emotional energetic alchemist, as well as a student in various energetic modalities. My favorite Buddha quote is, “Everything in moderation, even moderation.” Visit Home / Chris Suddeth (journoportfolio.com) for more info.
Practical Magic
My Wordle score sets the tone for the day. A good one, and I feel a surge of mojo. A bad one, and I brace myself — as if I’ll have to scrape my way through spiritual sludge. It’s a daily practice that blends luck and skill. Unlike a crossword puzzle that’s all skill or a slot machine that’s all luck, Wordle hits the sweet spot. I’m grateful for both. Skill I can work on. Luck? That’s a mysterious gift—one you can’t buy.
You can increase your odds at achieving what you want. Take the classes, study, train, practice. But when luck edges in from a dark corner—like sunrise cracking gray dawn — I bow my head and give thanks. That’s part of the ritual.
I’ve always been drawn to the magic behind superstitions—the curious power of a talisman, the wisdom passed down from a mishmash of belief traditions. I sent my grandson a dreamcatcher the minute he described vivid, frightful dreams. My porch ceiling is painted “haint blue” a Lowcountry Gullah practice to trick evil spirits from flying in the front door. I have a thimbleful of dirt from Pat Conroy’s grave, a bundle of sage that’s cleared bad mojo across the country, and a collection of religious medals, lucky rocks, found feathers, and powerful roots. I only use my powers for good — though I’ve been known to stick a pin or two in a doll.
I know what’s superstition and what’s not. I know the difference between magic and metaphor. But I still wear my worn-out Snoopy “dark and stormy night” T-shirt when I write. And, I’m not about to take a chance on a haint floating through my front door.
I’m also the Mimi who slips a dreamcatcher in the mail and tucks a juju pouch into her grandson’s pocket before a golf game. I say, seriously but with a twinkle, “This might help the ball fly a little straighter.” When he makes the shot, I see him pat his left pocket.
When another grandson was given his team’s game ball, he snatched it and ran, later hiding it in his room like treasure. A talisman. At four, he already knows: some prizes are too powerful to leave out in the open.
I want to pass on my appreciation for the unexplainable and come from a long line of quirky rituals.
There is my dad. A Navy Captain, Catholic to the core, no-nonsense man. The last person you’d expect to suspend belief — except when the Dallas Cowboys played. Our poor dog Taffy
was banished to the backyard, rain or snow, because once — during a legendary Hail Mary
pass — Taffy happened to be outside. Logic never stood a chance against a winning ritual.
By Carolyn Mason
My grandmother didn’t pass down dreamcatchers, but she did wear jewelry to ward off the evil eye. Whenever we put a house on the market, we buried her small St. Joseph statue upside down in the yard, then dug him up to send to the next family member who needed him. Dirt always intact. Sure, I don’t believe any of this works. But I do believe in love that slips something into your pocket and whispers, “This might help.” I believe in family stories passed like heirlooms and traditions wrapped around the newest generation like safety blankets stitched from hope. A cardinal came by yesterday—bright red against a gray sky. I’ve always believed cardinals are visitors from the other side, reminders from those we’ve loved and lost. Do I actually believe that? Not exactly. But I smiled and whispered to my grandmother bird, “Hi, Gigi.” And let myself feel watched over. I don’t believe in magic. But I practice it anyway.
Carolyn Mason is a freelance writer who writes about everything from long haul trucking to how to retire gracefully. She and her husband Jeff live on Lady’s Island and have embraced the delights of the Lowcountry lifestyle.
Getting Gullah-Geechee – Part 2
In part 1 of Getting Gullah-Geechee I shared some personal experiences related to the spiritual expressions of Gullah culture, the significant ways that faith is demonstrated and embraced. Now I’m turning to a consideration of color as a cultural marker, and in particular the work of painter Mel Green.
Someone told me I should visit the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Visitors' Center right there at the corner of Sea Island Parkway and MLK Drive, but I had no idea how much art was on display in the adjacent LyBensons Gallery. There was so much art that some of it is not mounted on the wall but simply sits on the floor, leaning up against the walls, including a few Mel Green canvases of different sizes.
Mel Green is from the Jenkins Community of Beaufort County, part of a large extended family, and he joined the army in 1953 after graduating from Robert Smalls High School. The story goes that he was sightseeing in Europe during military leave and was deeply struck by the ravaged postwar countryside, sparking a political consciousness based on awareness of oppressed people around the world, including back home. It was also then that he took an interest in oil painting to go
abstract canvases that displayed a profound and nuanced understanding of form and line that pleases even casual gazers, but his work extends into the sublime by virtue of his gift for color.
While it’s clear that he was influenced by cubist ideas and forms, particularly Picasso, I would argue it’s even more apparent that his Gullah heritage informed an appreciation of bright and warm rejuvenating tones of blues, yellows, oranges, and reds.
In an artist statement I came across in an article from 2011, Green does talk about the bright colors expressing how he feels about Mexico’s intense sunlight, but my view is that his mastery of color is rooted further back in the St. Helena light of his childhood. This is based on how it feels when you walk into LyBensons Gallery and look at this collection of paintings, all kind of gathered around a corner, on both sides of a doorway. The fit and alignment of mood and magic is resounding, they sit there and glow among the crowded and diverse offerings.
It was also in that artist’s statement that Mel Green talks about while faith and talent are necessary for artists, a commitment to the ideas he wishes to express is paramount,
Adoration by Mel Green
with his lifelong love of drawing. When he left the army he went to study art in New York City, eventually graduating from the School of Visual Arts in 1959. He worked as an illustrator for a while, returned to Europe briefly, and ended up settling in 1967 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to pursue his passion for abstract painting. For the next 4 decades he created
saying, “My art is an expression of my love, ideas, and true feelings and philosophy of life.”
The ideas I get from basking in front of these Mel Green canvases have to do with a rich appreciation for the authentic and sensual. The forms are recognizable (including flowers, women, faces, suns, waves, water) but in their realized shapes add up to more than the sum of
their parts. The canvases celebrate life and emit an urgency of an embrace: pay attention, they seem to cry, life is here for you and glorious.
Green also suggests the fluidity of his approach with this quote from the same artist’s statement, “The lines in my paintings express a
By Luke Frazier
continuous movement and changing of shapes, colors, and forms. I think of them as lifelines that are always changing into other relevant forms. If you can see and understand the waves in the ocean or a beautiful dance in motion, then you will get the idea of what I’m trying to express in my paintings."
There are two paintings that absolutely astounded me, both female forms. In one, titled Adoration and measuring about 33 x 23 inches, the figure is hunched over, head down on her arms, face away from the viewer. In two spots, over her head and at the base of her back, there are these little clusters of colorful brush strokes, suggesting an underwater wave of fantastical seaweed. Above a slanted line there is both a sun and a star, referencing an eternity in the moment.
The second female form is called Nude Reflecting and is a bit larger, approximately 38X28 inches. A woman’s form faces you on her side, curiously considering you taking her in. An off kilter flower pops up on from behind a shoulder, and a bright eggy-eyeball shape sits near the center and adds to the sense that you
are also on display as much as you are the viewer. There is a mutuality and shared vision taking place, you are part of and co-celebrant.
Mel Green’s work is in private collections and embassies around the world. He died in 2007 in Mexico and is buried in Beaufort in the family burial plot. What lives on is the energy in his canvases, and the way it welcomes you into a captivating and colorful world.
I’ve only scratched the surface of Gullah-Geechee culture with these short reflections on the webs of significance around the spiritual realm and the primacy of color as a cultural marker. I plan to continue to be receptive for what comes my way to explore. Until then, powah to di Gullah folks!
Luke Frazier is a writer and award-winning media producer who recently transplanted to the Lowcountry. He runs NOW Communications, which focuses on the needs of missiondriven organizations. Luke can be reached at nowandfuturecomms@gmail.com
Nude Reflecting by Mel Green
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CLASSES & SEMINARS
FREE HYPNOSIS/HYPNOTHERAPY INFORMATION
session and guided group meditation workshop. This free session will focus on stress reduction and relaxation. Open to the public, every 3rd Monday of the Month, at 7 pm Eastern via Zoom. Bring a friend, learn more and RSVP for Zoom Link at www.guidepathhypnosis.com or contact Chris at chris.guidepath@gmail.com
BEAUFORT COUNTY LIBRARY ONGOING PROGRAMS & CLASSES Stitch Happens, Mondays @ 1:30, Bluffton; Basic Computer Skills Class 1st & 3rd Fridays @ 11:30am, Lobeco; Dungeon & Dragons Teen Club Mondays @ 4; Teen Gaming Club 1st & 3rd Wednesdays @ 4.
FRIDAY SOCIAL DANCES The Hilton Head Carolina Shag Club hosts Friday dances from 6-9:30 pm at Dolphin Head Golf Club, 59 High Bluff Rd, Hilton Head Plantation. Open to the public. Shag, ballroom, swing, country, or line. Singles welcome. Cash bar and light dinners available. $5 floor fee. HHICSC also teaches beginner Shag lessons Tuesday nights. www.hiltonheadshagclub.com, or www.facebook.com/HHICSC
ART LEAGUE OF HH CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
With over 25 local professional art educators, and guests from around the world, Art League of Hilton Head offers classes and workshops in all media for all levels of students. Visit www.artleaguehhi.org or email academy@artleaguehhi.org for more info.
POTTERY CLASSES IN BEAUFORT McSweeney Clay Studio offers morning, afternoon and evening classes for children and adults. Pottery dates and parties available as well. Classes are on going. Beginner or advanced welcome. mcsweeneyclaystudio.com or call 843-694-2049.
LOWCOUNTRY SHAGGERS Mondays - Home Slice Pizzeria, 2001 Boundary St. 6-9pm. Shag Lessons with Tommy & Sheri O'Brien and others. Occasional Ballroom and once a month Line Dance. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced lessons. Open dancing after lessons. Visit www.lowcountryshaggers.com or lowcountryshaggers@aol.com
WEDNESDAYS, BEAUFORT SHAG CLUB meets evenings at AMVETS, 1831 Ribaut Rd., Port Royal from 7-9pm, and the 2nd Sat. of the month 7-10pm. Free lessons to members Sep. to June. Visit The Beaufort Shag Club on Facebook
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
FREE VESSEL SAFETY CHECK by local members of the America's Boating Club of Beaufort. If your boat passes, you will receive a VSC decal to mount on your boat that will be visible to other boaters and maritime law enforcement personnel. Contact safety@beaufortboatingclub.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to staff The Lending Room, 954 Ribaut Rd across from Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Help us receive donations of gently used medical equipment and distribute them to those in need. We need to staff our showroom M-F 9:30-3:30 and Sat. AM. Shifts only 3 hours long. No experience is required but a familiarity with commonly used medical equipment helpful. Training will be provided. If you are looking for a rewarding volunteer job, learn about TLR and find volunteer application forms at lendingroombft.com or call Barbara at 314-660-4233.
LOCO SCRIBBLERS 3:00 5:00 p.m. every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month. Are you a scribbler (professional or hobby writer)? Check out our small, informal Beaufort area writers club. All skill and subject levels welcome: fiction, short stories, poetry, non-fiction, and memoirs. Free. Call or email for more info and meeting location in Port Royal: beaufdick@gmail.com or 843-322-0616.
SEA ISLAND ROTARY CLUB has a 12:15 lunch meeting every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive, Lady’s Island. Social gathering every 3rd Tuesday at 5:30 pm, locations vary and posted on our website. For more information about the Rotary Club of Sea Island please visit our website at www.seaislandrotary.org
BRIDGE CLUB at the Beaufort Branch Library Wednesdays at 11am. Join a session for beginners new to the game, other sessions will provide some instruction and we will learn as we play. Join us if you want to learn a new game, practice your skills, or need more players. Call the Library at 843-255-6458 for more information.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for military lounge at the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport operated by a cadre of volunteers. The former USO Lounge is now “Savannah Salutes,” and continues to provide a respite for travelling active duty, retired and reserve military, veterans and families. We need volunteers to keep the lounge open from 8 am to 9 pm, seven days a week. There are three shifts each day, with two volunteers for each shift. Interested in volunteering? Info and application forms are at the www.savannahsalutes.org or call John Findeis at (912) 507-4848. The airport provides free parking.
VETERANS FIRST THRIFT STORE is in need of volunteers. Summer hours are Thursday thru Saturday10am-4pm. Volunteer hours are very flexible! Stop in the store at 612 Robert Smalls Parkway to fill out a volunteer application or call the store at 843-263-4218. Please consider helping this very worthwhile organization!!
SECOND HELPINGS seeks volunteers to crew trucks in Bluffton and Beaufort to distribute food to local charities. Offering a flexible schedule at your convenience. Email officeadmin@secondhelpingslc.org
BEMER LONGEVITY TECHNOLOGY 9a Wednesdays via Zoom. Seen the buzz on “life span VS health span”? Want to grow better, not older? Haven’t heard of BEMER yet? Come for Q&A about how this longevity-enhancing medical device can enhance your health, fitness and overall well-being in just 8 minutes 2X/day. Offered by BEMER Specialist - Human & Equine, Elizabeth Bergmann. Text 410-212-1468 to get the Zoom link. Free.
CARIS HEALTHCARE: WE HONOR VETERANS Hospice Program. You a Vet with a little time to share with other Vets with limited time? The We Honor Veterans program seeks volunteers who are Vets to offer a listening ear for our Veteran patients. Volunteers also participate in our Pinning Ceremonies for Veteran patients. Contact 843-
473-3939 or smilliken@carishealthcare.com
SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Non-denominational meditation, silent prayer and healing group forming. All welcome. No meditation experience needed. 843-489-8525.
HABITAT RESTORE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS We're looking for volunteers. Cashiers, sales floor associates, donation processing, donor data entry, and donor ambassadors. Visit lowcountryhabitat.org/volunteer or call 843-525-0055.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Calhoun Station Thrift Store in Bluffton. All funds generated are returned to other nonprofits in the community. Open Wed & Sat 10am to 1pm at 77 Pritchard St. Volunteers can stop by or contact Cate Taylor, 843-310-0594 or catetaylor@frontier.com
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for HELP of Beaufort, 530 Charles St. Looking for committed volunteers for clothes sorting, pantry help, front desk help and Mobile Meals drivers. We are open M-F from 9:30-12:30, Mobile Meals delivers to home bound seniors 5 days/week, routes takes about 3045 mins. Email Lori at helpbeaufort@gmail.com, or call 843-524-1223, or stop in and fill out an application.
PORT ROYAL MUSEUM is open Thursday through Sunday at 1634 Paris Ave., from 10 - 3 or upon request. Free admission! Call 843-524-4333 or email historicportroyalfoundation@gmail.com to request a special opening.
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP - First Thursday of the month at Beaufort Memorial LifeFit Wellness Center, from 1:30-2:45pm, 900 Ribaut Rd. Beaufort. We're individuals with Parkinson’s, care partners of those with Parkinson’s, and individuals or companies providing products or services for Parkinson’s patients. For more info: Rick Ostrander at pdawaresc@gmail.com or Facebook at Parkinson’s Support Group Of Beaufort SC Port Royal & Lady’s Island
TOUR HISTORIC FORT FREMONT – Running through July, the Fort Fremont History Center will expand operating hours to Thursdays from 1 to 4 pm, Fridays from 1 to 4 pm, Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sundays from 1 to 4 pm. No admission fee. Docent-led tours are available by request. The Fort Fremont Preserve is open from dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday. A selfguided walking tour is available for smartphones from the Apple or Google Play stores. For more information or to download the app, visit www.fortfremont.org
US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, Flotilla 07-10-01, Port Royal Sound, a uniformed, all volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard. We conduct safety patrols, assist search & rescue, teach boat safety, conduct free vessel safety checks and other boating activities. Monthly meetings are open to all and held on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Port Royal Sound Foundation classroom at 7pm. For info call Flotilla Commander Pattie McGowan (706-633-6192) and on Facebook - USCGA Beaufort
BEAUFORT TOASTMASTERS CLUB meets from 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm the first & third Tuesday, in the Beaufort College Building, Rm. 103 (USC-Beaufort Campus), 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort. To learn more visit beauforttoastmastersclub.toastmastersclubs.org
FREE ACUPUNCTURE FOR VETERANS – Veterans, Active Duty, Transition. Their Families and First Responders are Eligible. First & Third Wednesday 46pm. Walk In Clinic. No Need to Pre-Register or Call. Nourishing Health Acupuncture and Herbs Clin-
ic. 1214 Prince Street, Downtown Beaufort.
CRESCENT HOSPICE SUPPORT GROUP: Last Wed. and Thurs. of the month. Weds. 10-11am at Sun City; Thurs. 12-1pm Brookdale Hilton Head Ct., Hilton Head; for those who provide physical, emotional or practical support to a family member or friend. Jodi Johnson, LMSW. Bereavement Group: 5-6 pm., Fridays, 10 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Suite A, Bluffton; for those who have experienced a loss and would like support and info associated with grief and bereavement. Corrie VanDyke, LMSW or Marie James, MA. 843-757-9388.
INTERESTED IN HEALTHY EATING? Second Helpings, of Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper counties, seeks committee members and chairperson for Healthy Food Program. Funding available to procure fresh produce and protein for the 60 food pantries and soup kitchens served by Second Helpings. Contact Exec. Dir. Lili Coleman, 843-689-3616 or execdirector@secondhelpingslc.org
BORN TO READ working for early childhood literacy, needs volunteers to deliver books and materials to new mothers at Coastal Community Hosp., HH Hosp., and BMH. Visits are from 10am – noon. More info at borntoread.org or call 843-379-3350.
ALZHEIMER’S FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER BEAUFORT, Support Groups: Caregiver - Fridays., 12:30pm, Living with Alzheimer's - for those in very early stages - Mondays 1pm, Respite Programs: Social Day Program- 10am-1:45pm $40 Day Fee, Weds. & Friday. All meetings are at Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; In Home - Respite Aides available for 2 hr. minimum, $13-$26. Early Memory Loss: Maintain Your Brain - 2nd & 4th Thursday, 1011:30am, $10/person, $15 couple, Carteret Street Methodist Church, 408 Carteret St., Beaufort; Memory Screenings available call 843-521-9190 or make an appointment, 1500 King St., Beaufort, free; Purple Haven Project - Educate local staff's to better interact with a person with Alzheimer's call 843-521-9190.
THE LITERACY CENTER is seeking volunteers to tutor adults in reading, writing, math and ESL. Students hope to acquire skills to pursue life goals, support families, and contribute to our community. Daytime and evenings in Bluffton and HHI. Call 843-815-6616 (Bluffton); 843-6816655 (HHI). No teaching, tutoring or other language knowledge necessary. www.theliteracycenter.org
THE SANDALWOOD COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY. Volunteer-based, non-profit provides groceries, clothing and basic items to ANYONE in need. Open Tuesdays 9am12pm at 114 Beach City Rd., Hilton Head. Donations of food and funds needed. For info: Rev. Dr. Nannette Pierson at 843-715-3583 or sandalwoodpantry@gmail.com
PARRIS ISLAND MUSEUM. The legacy of the Marine Corps and the history of the Port Royal region. Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the stories in exhibit galleries from Native American to modern Marines. FREE admission. Mon-Sat 10am4:30pm and 8am on Graduation Days. Closed Federal Holidays. Info at parrisislandmuseum.org or 843-228-2166.
CHRIST CENTERED RECOVERY MEETINGS At Praise Assembly Church Fridays for “Celebrate Recovery”, addressing life’s problems by looking to scripture. Meal at 6pm; Praise, Worship; Big Meeting. 6:30pm; Small Groups at 7pm. 800 Parris Island Gateway, Beaufort. Info at 205-475-3600 or 303-521-1891.
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Gilbert Law Firm llc
Over 25 Years experience servicing Lowcountry buyers and sellers with closings, deeds, and contracts.
Alisha Doud alisha@dcgilbert.com
Daun Schouten daun@dcgilbert.com
Laure Gallagher laure@dcgilbert.com
Ashley Hart ashley@dcgilbert.com
Joy McConnell joy@dcgilbert.com
Johanna Graham johanna@dcgilbert.com
Kathy Crowley kathy@dcgilbert.com
Dawn Shipsey dawn@dcgilbert.com
Derek C. Gilbert Attorney at Law
Derek C. Gilbert derek@dcgilbert.com
Melissa R. Wicker melissa@dcgilbert.com
Sam Bailey samuel@dcgilbert.com
2 PROFESSIONAL
TELEPHONE: 843-524-4000
FACSIMILE: 843-524-4006
