Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, Receives Medal of Honor in the Arts

On April 12, 2013, Brookgreen Gardens was awarded The Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts for its significant contribution to the arts and positive impact on the quality of the cultural life in communities across the Carolinas. Bob Jewell, President and CEO, received the award saying, “Brookgreen Gardens and Winthrop University share a common vision not only to improve the quality of life for Carolina’s residents, but to raise the standards of education and appreciation of art in our country.”

First established in 2001, The Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts honors those who have encouraged the arts and offered inspiration to others either through their distinguished achievements, artistic excellence, support, or patronage. The President of the University authorized the College of Visual and Performing Arts to award this important Medal of Honor “to individuals or groups who, in the President’s judgment, are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts” at Winthrop University and across the state of South Carolina and beyond.

The President of the University selects the recipients of the Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts. The Dean on the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Winthrop University Medal of Honor in the Arts Steering Committee annually assist with the selection process by soliciting nominations for the medal. These nominations are reviewed by the Steering Committee. A list of the most highly qualified candidates is then forwarded to the President for final consideration along with candidates of his own choosing. This celebration of the arts, culminating in an exclusive awards ceremony presentation, takes place in the college’s state-of-the-art main stage in Johnson Hall. The proceeds go to a scholarship fund to help support talented students who have an interest in pursuing careers in the visual arts, dance, music, or theatre at Winthrop University.

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on US Hwy. 17 between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, SC, and is open to the public daily.

For more information, visit (www.brookgreen.org) or call 843/235-6000.

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, Named One of the Top Ten Gardens in the US

In April, National Garden Month, TripAdvisor® compiled its list of the Top Ten Public Gardens in the United States based on traveler’s reviews and opinions and Brookgreen Gardens was named as one of their choices. The list features gardens from coast to coast, so nature lovers across the country can enjoy an amazing botanical experience.

“We were delighted to be recognized by TripAdvisor® as one of the top public gardens in the country,” said Bob Jewell, Brookgreen Gardens President and CEO. “It is indicative of the garden’s long-standing commitment to excellence, in all that it does. For 83 years, Brookgreen Gardens has been an inspiration, refuge and retreat for our community. We hope residents and visitors will take pride in the fact that in their midst is one of America’s premier gardens and we pledge to keep it ever changing, simply amazing.”

TripAdvisor® is the world’s largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip with trusted advice from real travelers. TripAdvisor® branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 200 million unique monthly visitors, and over 100 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide.

Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit organization located on U.S. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, South Carolina, is open daily to the public.

For more information, visit (www.brookgreen.org) or call 843/235-6000.

National Sculpture Society Selects Work by Alex Palkovich for Its 80th Annual Exhibition

“On the Way to the Market”, the latest work by Florence, SC, sculptor and elected member of the National Sculpture Society (NSS), Alex Palkovich, has been selected for inclusion in the NSS’s 80th Annual Exhibition. This is the second year running that Palkovich has been one of the few chosen from among best sculptors in the nation to participate in this prestigious event.

The honor is made doubly special for the Pee Dee since Palkovich is the only elected member of the Society to hail from South Carolina. The sculpture depicts a Gullah lady carrying her wares on her head in a traditional basket and is cast in bronze.

The NSS is the oldest organization of professional sculptors in the United States. Founded in 1893, its purpose is to “spread the knowledge of good sculpture.” The Society is marking its special anniversary with showings in two locations – the Tampa Museum of Art ( May 18 – July 27) and Brookgreen Gardens (August 17 -27).  The good news is that you do not have to go all the way to Tampa to view the piece. The piece can be seen at the Ronald E. McNair Life History Museum as part of the biggest art competition in the Southeast, ArtFields festival in Lake City (April 19-28), and will also be showing at Summerville, SC’s Sculpture in the South (May 18th and 19). Palkovich’s work can also be viewed, throughout the year, at the Art Trail Gallery in Florence.

Alex Palkovich working on his sculpture of Francis Marion

In further news, Palkovich will be unveiling his largest work to date, a giant sculpture of Francis Marion, at 1pm on May 18, 2013, at Venter’s Landing in Johnsonville, SC.

For further info visit (http://alexpalkovich.com/).

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, Presents History Program ‘Faces of Clay, Echoes of Africa’ – Jan. 26, 2013

On Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, at 1pm, Mark Newell and April Hynes will present “Faces of Clay, Echoes of Africa’ which documents their research about the descendants of the Wanderer, the last slave ship to journey to America in 1868 with 400 enslaved captives from Congo. These enslaved Africans began producing face jug pottery whose mysterious origins were featured in the PBS History Detectives show. Their talk is free with garden admission.

In THE FACE JUG documentary, Hynes and Newell tell the story of a Philadelphia housewife who, in the course of trying to learn the origins of a piece of inherited pottery, unearthed a long-forgotten bit of American history judged as important as that of the La’ Amistad —the 1858 illegal importation of more than 400 slaves aboard the slave ship Wanderer. In their efforts to find out who might have made the jug and how it ended up in Philadelphia, Hynes and Newell found themselves enthralled by the story of Wanderer survivors. They share their findings, entwining the remarkable event of the search with the information they discovered about many of these illegally smuggled slaves. What they experienced as freed men and women, how they endured, and how their descendants prospered and contributed, ultimately makes this a story of triumph.

Along the way, they have given some people back their forgotten African history, reunited long lost family members and have stepped back to see how this simple jug has touched the lives of so many.

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on US Hwy. 17 between Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island, SC, and is open to the public daily.

For more information, visit our web site at (www.brookgreen.org) or call 843/235-6000.

Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC, Offers 81st Anniversary Lecture – July 14, 2012

Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC, will present its 81st Anniversary Lecture, A Brookgreen Potpourri, will be held in the Lowcountry Center Auditorium on Saturday, July 14, at 3pm. Robin Salmon, Brookgreen’s Vice President of Art and Historical Collections and Curator of Sculpture, will present a variety of topics including behind-the-scenes stories pertaining to the artists and sculpture in the collection, and interesting tidbits about the lives of people connected to the Brookgreen property, as seen through the lens of her 37 years on the staff. The lecture will conclude with a screening of excerpts from home movies made by the Huntingtons of Atalaya and Brookgreen Gardens in the 1930s. Don’t miss this unusual opportunity to celebrate Brookgreen’s birthday. Free with garden admission.

Images of a young Bette Davis said to have been the model for “Diana of the Chase” by Anna Hyatt Huntington.

“Diana of the Chase” by Anna Hyatt Huntington

Brookgreen Gardens, a non-profit National Historic Landmark, accredited out-door museum and zoo, is located on US Hwy. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, South Carolina. It is open daily to the public.

For further information call the Gardens at 843/235-6019 or visit (www.brookgreen.org).

Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC, Offers Lecture on Birds in Art – Feb. 25, 2012

On Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, Brookgreen Garden’s Vice-President of Collections and Curator of Sculpture, Robin Salmon, will present a talk at 3pm in the Wall Lowcountry Center Auditorium, entitled “Curator’s Chat Birds in Art”.  In her talk, art enthusiasts will gain insight into Birds in Art, the highly acclaimed traveling exhibition of paintings and sculpture mounted by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum of Wausau, Wisconsin. The exhibit includes works by internationally renowned artists. The exhibit and Curator’s Chat is free with garden admission.

Bird Watcher by Robert Bateman – one of the paintings in Birds in Art exhibit

Brookgreen Gardens presents one of the largest collections of outdoor sculpture in America. This preeminent collection of American representational sculpture includes – 560 works by 240 artists – representing such well-known artists as Charles Parks, Daniel Chester French, Carl Milles, August Saint-Gaudens and Anna Hyatt Huntington.

For further information call Brookgreen Gardens at 843/235 6019 or visit (www.brookgreen.org).

Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC, Offers Lecture About the National Sculpture Society – Sept. 2, 2011

Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year is offering a Curator’s Chat by Robin Salmon, Vice-President of Collections and Curator of Sculpture, with the topic of the National Sculpture Society and it’s 78th Annual Awards Exhibition Highlights on view at Brookgreen Gardens on Sept. 2, 2011, at 2pm, in the Wall Lowcountry Center Auditorium.

The chat is included in Garden Admission.

For further information call the Gardens at 843/235-6000 or visit (www.brookgreen.org).

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, Receives Henry Luce Foundation Grant

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation’s American Art Renewal Fund to support the creation of a dedicated space for its library collection and historic archives. This project will establish a comprehensive institutional facility to preserve and maintain Brookgreen’s unique collection, originally begun by Archer Milton Huntington in the early 1930s.  Through the years, the collection has expanded to include books and other printed material on topics pertaining to the purposes of Brookgreen Gardens.

“We are extremely pleased to announce the Henry Luce Foundation grant award, which will allow us to advance an important element of our strategic plan by creating a central facility to house our collection in up-to-date, archivally-approved conditions,” said Bob Jewell, Brookgreen’s President and CEO. “We are most appreciative of the Henry Luce Foundation’s support over the years and of its most recent funding that will provide for the creation of this needed facility.” Previously, the Henry Luce Foundation provided grants that supported the restoration of many of the gates within Brookgreen Gardens and the national tour of the exhibition, American Masters: Sculpture from Brookgreen Gardens.

The American Art Renewal Fund was developed by the Henry Luce Foundation to respond to the economic downturn and the current need to strengthen American art activities in our nation’s museums. This short-term initiative, offered through the American Art Program, provides support for operating expenses related to American Art. The American Art Renewal Fund is a departure from the traditional focus on research and scholarship and is only in effect through 2011. Since its inception in 1982, the Henry Luce Foundation’s American Art Program has provided more than $130 million to support scholarly studies and awareness of American art at some 250 museums, universities, and service organizations across the country and internationally.

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on US Hwy. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, SC, and is open to the public daily.

For more information, consult our web site at (www.brookgreen.org) or call 800/849-1931.

Robert E. “Bob” Jewell, CEO of Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, SC, Re-named to Board of National Sculpture Society

Robert E. “Bob” Jewell, Brookgreen Gardens’ President and CEO, was recently appointed to a second three-year term of the National Sculpture Society’s Board of Directors and was selected to serve on the Board’s Executive Committee.

“The National Sculpture Society is delighted to have Bob on the Board of Directors, in part because of his outstanding business and leadership skills but also because his participation on the Society’s Board of Directors continues a long friendship between two organizations which support the goal of excellence in sculpture,” said Gwen Pier, Executive Director of the NSS.

“It is an honor to serve on the Board of Director’s Executive Committee of such a distinguished national organization,” said Bob Jewell. “Brookgreen Gardens and the National Sculpture Society have had a relationship as long as both organizations have existed. Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, who founded Brookgreen Gardens, were active members of the Society and its mission in many ways is similar to the mission of the Gardens.” Jewell was elected for a three-year term on the NSS Board in 2008 and was re-elected for another three-year term in January.

Founded in 1893, National Sculpture Society is headquartered in New York City and is the oldest and most prestigious association of professional sculptors in the United States.

Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on US Hwy. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, SC, and is open to the public daily.

For more information, consult our website at (www.brookgreen.org) or call 800-849-1931.

Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, SC, Offers Spring Garden Festival – Mar. 26, 2011

On Saturday, Mar. 26, 2011, just in time for spring, Diggin It, Brookgreen Gardens’ spring garden festival, offers a day filled with valuable gardening ideas and outstanding topics from guest speakers Peal Fryar, Bryce Lane, and Brookgreen’s own expert horticultural staff. Brookgreen Gardens, a National Historic Landmark and non-profit organization, is located on US 17 between Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, SC, and is opened 9:30am-5pm daily. The spring garden festival is included in garden admission. Here’s a link to the complete schedule (http://www.brookgreen.org/DigginItGardenFestival.cfm).

Since the early 1980s, Pearl Fryar has created topiary at his garden in Bishopville, SC. Many of the plants in Pearl’s garden were rescued from the compost pile at local nurseries. With Pearl’s patience and skilled hands, these “throw aways” have thrived and have been transformed into wonderful abstract shapes. Pearl Fryar and his garden are now internationally recognized and have been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine articles, television shows, and a documentary, A Man Named Pearl. His presentations are always very entertaining and inspirational.

“I like to let people see what they want to in my plants. The creativity comes in making a shape that speaks to me in one way but may say something else to everyone else,” said Pearl Fryar.

Bryce Lane, host of the Emmy Award winning television show In the Garden and instructor in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University, will give a talk entitled For the Love of Gardening: The Power to Change Your Point of View and Gardening on the Edge: Latest Trends in Gardening. In his 27 years of teaching at NCSU, Bryce’s accolades as an award-winning instructor and undergraduate teaching coordinator are impressive and well deserved. He truly has the unique ability to communicate his love for plants with contagious enthusiasm.

For more information, visit our web site at (www.brookgreen.org) or call 843/235-6000.