Canvas of the People Coming to Darlington County

SCAC Seeking Strategic Planning Input

Planning for healthier economic times, the S.C. Arts Commission invites the public to share their priorities for the arts at the Black Creek Arts Center in Hartsville on March 22nd. The meetings are a part of the 2010 Canvas of the People (www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/canvas2010), a statewide planning process that will inform the 2011-2020 Long-Range Plan for the Arts in South Carolina.

“We want to hear what people value about the arts and how they think the arts can support the economic, educational and creative well-being of their communities,” said Ken May, acting executive director. “We will use that input to help develop the next long-range plan for the arts, which the statewide arts community can use as a road map for the future.”

Forums are taking place in seven locations and are free and open to everyone. Each runs from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Registration is not required.

Prior to the stop in Darlington County, Canvas of the People meetings will have been held at the Columbia Museum of Art, the Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort, and at the Governor's School for the Arts in Greenville. Following the meeting at Black Creek, the tour will stop at the Aiken Center for the Arts (March 25th), North Charleston City Hall (March 29th) and the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg (April 8th).

For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com/canvas2010 or contact Milly Hough, (803) 734-8698, mhough@arts.sc.gov.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission works to increase public participation in the arts by providing services, grants and leadership initiatives in three areas: arts education, community arts development and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com or call (803) 734-8696.

Black Creek, Blue Jeans, & BBQ - April 30th & May 1st

Black Creek Arts Council's 2nd Annual Black Creek, Blue Jeans, & BBQ Festival will be held on April 30th and May 1st in Burry Park and on Cargill Way in Downtown Hartsville. The festival will feature the best BBQ cookers in the southeast, as well as appetizers, entrees, and desserts from local restaurants and cook teams.

Nikki & DaBlooze will return to the stage and there will be new competitions. In addition to the cook-offs and blue jean contests, local waiters and waitresses will compete for bragging rights and prizes. We'll have artists from the region displaying and selling their work and even a painting pig. Click the links below to find out more about this exciting event in Downtown Hartsville.

Friday Night

Saturday

Event Sponsors

For more information or to inquire about participating or sponsoring in Black Creek, Blue Jeans, & BBQ, call the Black Creek Arts Center at 843.332.6234.

Friday Night Events for Black Creek, Blue Jeans, & BBQ

The 2nd Annual Black Creek, Blue Jeans & BBQ Festival will kickoff on Friday, April 30th with the Anything Butt Cook-Off, Mr. & Miss Blue Jeans Contests, and Nikki & DaBlooze. Friday's festivities begin at 7pm.

Anything Butt Contest

The Anything Butt Contest will feature local restaurants and cook teams, as well as several of the professional touring cook teams. The contest will feature appetizers, entrees, and desserts with any ingredient butt pork.

A panel of local celebrity judges will award a winner. A People's Choice Award will also be awarded by popular vote.

Nikki & DaBlooze

Back by popular demand will be Nikki & DaBlooze. Rock, country, blues...you name it; they play it. Nikki and her crew won't be the only ones making an appearance on the stage. The bad boys and lovely ladies of the Blue Jeans contest will make their presence known around 8:30.

Mr. & Miss Blue Jeans 2010

Will Lenora Lefew and Coker College Senior Ben Beetch be back to defend their titles? Come out and enjoy the fun of the Blue Jeans Contest. Last year, nearly 40 compeititors donned jeans of all sorts, shapes, and sizes. A panel of local experts will crown the champions and People's Choice Awards will be given to the crowd-pleasers.

Friday Night Tickets - $20 (food only)

Ages 6 to 12 - $5

Under 5 - free

Click the links below for more information about Black Creek, Blue Jeans & BBQ:

Saturday's Events

BBQ Home

Saturday Events for Black Creek, Blue Jeans & BBQ

The cook teams will be at work all night getting ready for Saturday's BBQ Contest. Taste samples for over 20 cook teams beginning at 11am. There's plenty going on before the tasting opens up though. Smithfield the Painting Pig, the Good Living Marketplace, and the Waiters' Race will all take place in Burry Park. (info below)

Above: BBQ Cook-Off Trophy made by local artist Patz Fowle

Enjoy the creations of Smithfield the Painting Pig prior to the BBQ Tasting. Smithfield will be demonstrating and his artwork will be for sale.

Above: The Legendary Smithfield

At 10:30, waiters and waitresses from local restaurants will take place in the Waiters' Race through Burry Park. The event's Olympic-style set-up will ensure that only the strong will survive.

The Good Living Marketplace

The Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail will be featured in Burry Park as part of Hartsville Downtown Development's Good Living Marketplace. Over 50 vendors will be on hand selling everything from fresh produce to handmade toys. The Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail are a group of juried artisans from the Pee Dee. The group consists of painters, photographers, potters, jewelry-makers, fabric artists, and glass artists.

Cathy Elliott will also be on hand signing copies of Chicken Soup for the Nascar Soul.

Above: The Oschips from Mentor, OH

Black Creek, Blue Jeans & BBQ is fun for the whole family.

BBQ Tasting tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12. The tasting is free for those under 5.

Cook's BreakfastSaturday Morning - 8:15 to 9:00

Tommy's Chuckwagon will be offering the Cook's Breakfast for $7. Come enjoy breakfast with the professional and local cookers. Tickets for the Cook's Breakfast must be purchased in advance. Call the Black Creek Arts Center at 843.332.6234 for more information.

Friday Night's Events

BBQ Home

Bond, McLeod to Show at BCAC in March

New Toy by Heidi Bond

On Thursday, March 4th at 5:30, Black Creek Arts Council will unveil the latest work by acrylic painter Heidi Bond. The opening reception will take place from 5:30 to 7:00 at the Black Creek Arts Center. The opening is free and the public is invited.

"Heidi claims to leave as much out of the paintings as possible," says Bruce Douglas, Executive Director of BCAC. "It's true her lines and palette are minimal, but her work is full of expression and emotion. It is a pleasure to display her work."

Bond and Douglas have come to know each other well through the Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail. Bond was one of the founding members of the guild and Douglas serves as the group's President. "This exhibit is a great example of how a guild can open up opportunities for artists," said Douglas. "It was during the Cotton Trail jury that I decided to push Heidi to apply for a show at Black Creek."

Bond's work will not be the only work on display at the Arts Center in March. Painter Ruth McLeod of McBee will have work on display in the Upstairs Gallery. McLeod is a long-time arts educator in the Pee Dee.

by Ruth McLeod

Both painters' work will remain on display through March 26th. The Black Creek Arts Center is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10-1 and 3-6 and on Fridays from 11-3.

The exhibits and opening reception for March are being sponsored by Mark A. Perry, DMD of Darlington Dental Care.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Dinner Theatre at Birds Of A Feather

The Hartsville Community Players will present Audition For Murder at Birds Of A Feather on February 27th. Cocktails at 6:30 and showtime is 7:00. Tickets are $30. Call Linda Howle at 843.616.2561 or stop by Birds Of A Feather, The Darlington Chamber, or the News & Press to get tickets.

The Community Players previously presented Audition For Murder at the Black Creek Arts Center. They did an amazing job of combining murder, mystery, food and fun. The showing at Birds Of A Feather will be the final performance, so get your tickets today.

Birds Of A Feather is located at 106 Siskron Street, just off the Square in Darlington.

Audition For Murder is sponsored by Black Creek Arts Council through a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission, who recieves funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Eight Exhibits to Open at BCAC on February 4th

Typically, one new exhibit per month is unveiled at the Black Creek Arts Center. On Thursday, February 4th, BCAC will open eight new exhibits. A reception, sponsored by Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home, will be held from 5:30 to 7pm on Thursday night.

In the Jean & James Fort Gallery will be "The Spirit of Scouting," an exhibit of photography by the Boy Scouts of the Pee Dee. The exhibit is significant in that 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of Scouting. Former BCAC Executive Director and current Pee Dee Area Scout Executive Board Member Terri Pignone organized the exhibit.

The other seven exhibits will feature work by eleven artists, including Marcos Sola, Phoebe Smothers, Sarah Jaillette, Harolette King, Barbara Watson, Mary Lou Bailey, Ann Lane, Nathan Gulledge, Henna Koponen, Emily Dornburg, and Danny Wagner.

BCAC Director Bruce Douglas was coy when asked how eight exhibits were being shown at the Arts Center, "Let's just say that we're displaying work in spaces not previously used to exhibit artwork."

Work by sisters Sarah Jaillette and Phoebe Smothers will make up one of the exhibits. Both artists are currently displaying work at Birds Of A Feather Art & Antique Gallery in Darlington.

Three Coker art students will make up another exhibit. Seniors Henna Koponen, Emily Dornburg, and Danny Wagner are excited to have their work on display for the community to see, "We (Coker art students) get to see each others' work constantly. It will be nice to show other people our work and to hear feedback from people who haven't seen us develop as artists," said Koponen.

Barbara Watson and Mary Lou Bailey will have their thrown and hand-built pottery on display. The remaining artists, Ann Lane, Nathan Gulledge, Marcos Sola, and Harolette King, will have solo exhibits.

In addition to the exhibits, potter Stephanie Jackson will be demonstrating in the pottery studio.

BCAC invites everyone to attend the opening. Admission is free. The Black Creek Arts Center is located at 116 West College Avenue.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility on College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Music To Remember...

An Evening with Demitrius McDonald & Friends

When: Saturday, January 23rd
Time: 7:30 showtime with the doors opening at 7pm for refreshments
Where: The Black Creek Arts Center, located at 116 W. College Ave. in Hartsville
What: A benefit for Hartsville Idol winner Demitrius McDonald featuring Tracy & Ron Price, Craig Beshures, Al Haynes & The Sonoco Men's Club.
Tickets: $25

Call the Black Creek Arts Center for tickets, 843.332.6234.

Experience the vocal versatility of Demitrius McDonald.

This event is being brought to you by Black Creek Arts Council and Hartsville Downtown Development Association.

Christmas Shoppe Coming to BCAC

Thursday, December 10^th will mark the beginning of Black Creek Arts Council’s Third Annual Christmas Shoppe. The event, which features 14 artists, will last through December 12^th and will be held at the Black Creek Arts Center on College Avenue.

The Christmas Shoppe kicks off on Thursday from 5-9pm. On Friday, the Shoppe will be open from 3-8pm. On Saturday, the times are 10am – 2pm. Admission is free on all three days.

While parents shop, kids will also have the opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit. Bethany Perry will be leading young people in ornament-making classes from 5-7pm on Thursday night. Students will be able to begin the class as they arrive.

Along with ornament-making, kids will also be able to visit with Santa Claus. Santa will be making a visit from the North Pole to the Arts Center for the opening night. Santa will be available for photographs. Parents, please bring your own cameras.

The artists selling in the Christmas Shoppe are: Suzanne Muldrow (photography), Mike Gann (glass art), Laurie Brown (fabric art), Frankie Bush (watercolor), Mary Lou Bailey (hand-built pottery), Beth Wicker (handmade jewelry, mixed media fiber and silk paintings), Patrick Showalter (handmade soap), Dianna Herrera-Keller (handmade jewelry), Dot Goodwin (mixed media), Gina Marie (photography), Barbara Messmer (jewelry), Jill Snyder (photography), Holly Young Beaumier (decorative earthenware) and Marcy Kershner (glass art).

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Birds Of A Feather to Host BCAC Board Meeting

On Wednesday, December 2nd, Black Creek Arts Council of Darlington County will be holding a Board Meet-and-Greet Drop-In at Birds Of A Feather on Siskron Street. Black Creek Arts Council's mission is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County.

BCAC's Board and Executive Director, Bruce Douglas, will be available for questions and discussion. The meet-and-greet will take place from 6-7pm. Refreshments will be served.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Book Signing, Dinner Theater Coming to Birds Of A Feather

The word "diva" typically conjures up thoughts of a high-maintenance, self-absorbed woman in high heeled shoes and donning excessive make-up. There may even be some costume jewelry involved. Well, a peak into the DeVa Gantt trilogy will definitely change those connotations for you, and perhaps even the way you spell the word.

DeVa Gantt are the writing duo of Deb and Val Gantt and they are anything but high-maintenance. These sisters will be coming to Darlington in February.

Birds Of A Feather will be hosting an author meet-and-greet coffee on February 12th. The authors will speak about their latest book, Forever Waiting.

Forever Waiting is the third book in the trilogy. A Silent Ocean Away and Decision and Destiny are currently for sale at Birds Of A Feather at the special price of $25 for both books.

The series is known as the Colette Trilogy. The first book, A Silent Ocean Away, introduces readers to the beautiful world of Charmantes. The two sequels, Decision and Destiny and Forever Waiting, continue the engrossing saga of the Duvoisin family. Narrated mostly through the third-person voice of protagonist Charmaine Ryan, a moral yet surprisingly independent girl with riotous curls, DeVa Gantt brings new meaning to the adage “nothing is exactly what it seems.”

"We're excited to have these authors come to town," said Sarah Jaillette of Birds Of A Feather. The authors are coming to Darlington through a partnership between Black Creek Arts Council, Birds Of A Feather, and Burry Bookstore. "We're hoping this is the beginning of a series of author signing events," stated Jaillette.

Linda Howle, also of Birds Of A Feather, and Bruce Douglas of Black Creek Arts Council (BCAC) are also excited about the event. "It's great to have accomplished writers coming into our store," stated Howle. Douglas added, "The authors came to us this go round." The Black Creek Arts Center hosted a luncheon for the authors in 2008. "They liked the area and wanted to return, " said Douglas.

The book signing will not be the only collaborative effort between Birds Of A Feather and BCAC in February 2010. A theatre group will be coming to Darlington to perform a mystery dinner theatre. More information about that event will be released soon.

Stop by Birds Of A Feather to pick up the first two books by DeVa Gantt and get prepared for the exciting event to be held on February 12th. Perhaps you will come away with a new definition of what it means to be a DeVa.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Paintings on Display at the Darlington Library

The non-representational painting of Dr. Hiller Spires will be on display in the Allard A. Alston Conference Room at the Darlington Library through the end of November.

Spires, a professor at N.C. State University and Darlington County native, has ten works on display. In these works, Spires explores the emotion of color, texture and shape. Spires has this to say about her work, "Art is an exploration of emotion. I use color to explore feelings such as joy, sadness, peacefulness, anger, and exhilaration. I'm particularly drawn to juxtaposing orange and blue, which to me signal energy and serenity."

These paintings are on display through a partnership between Black Creek Arts Council and the Darlington Library.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Tobacco Barns of the Pee Dee to Open November 5th

Photography Exhibit to Showcase the Work of Benton Henry

Tobacco farming was once a way of life for many in the Pee Dee region. Today, our farmlands are not dominated by tobacco, though traces of the crops past dominance are evident. Tobacco barns dot our landscape and a heritage trail in the honor of the crop runs from I-95 in Darlington County to US501 along the Grand Stand.

On November 5th from 5:30 to 7:00pm, the Black Creek Arts Center will host an opening reception for Tobacco Barns of the Pee Dee. Visually, this exhibit highlights the structures that transformed a harvested crop into a commodity that people depended on- as income and consumable good.

The exhibit, produced by BCAC and funded in part by the Humanities Council of South Carolina and the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, & Tourism, features the photography of Benton Henry. Henry, a native of Latta, has a tremendous collection of photographs of tobacco barns. "These photos are a small, representative sample of the overall collection," states Bruce Douglas of BCAC. "There are hundreds more of the same quality as the ones we have on display. Narrowing them down was the hardest part of the project," added Douglas.

The narrowing down of the photos was carried out by Henry, Douglas, and Coker College Art Professor Jim Boden. "We wanted the exhibit's level of artistic quality to be on par with the historical significance of the subject matter," stated Douglas. "That's why we got Jim involved."

Also working on the project was Dr. Wink Prince of Coastal Carolina University. Prince wrote the interpretive text that accompanies the exhibit. Prince's credentials in tobacco farming in the South are unparalleled. His book, Long Green: The Rise and Fall of Tobacco in South Carolina, is widely considered the authority on the subject. Prince was interviewed by Walter Edgar of ETV's Walter Edgar's Journal about his involvement with the exhibit.

The exhibit will remain at BCAC for the month of November. The Arts Center is open from 10-1 and 3-6 Tuesday through Thursday and 11-3 on Friday.

In addition to Henry's work, a series of photos by Cliff Jones will be on display in the Arts Center's upstairs gallery. Jones won two awards during The Carolinas II photography contest this summer.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Long Lash Cabaret Set For October 17th

Smithkin, Local Talent to Give Performance to Benefit BCAC

Ilona Smithkin will be returning to the Black Creek Arts Center for the second annual Long Lash Cabaret. On October 17th, Hartsville’s College Avenue will be bustling with talented entertainers from the local area and one electric octogenarian from New York City.

Ilona, along with a variety of local talent, will transform the gallery at the Arts Center into a cabaret, all for the benefit of the Arts Council. Ilona will be performing songs originally recorded by Marlene Dietrich. Joining Ilona in the night’s entertainment will be Greg Best, Tracy Price, Dustin Moree, Al Haynes, Ron Price, Jana Longfellow, Craig Beshures, Dyana Marrero Flax, Joyce Beasley, Melinda Byrd, Cheryl Smith and perhaps a couple of surprises.

The Long Lash Cabaret will begin at 6:30 with appetizers and drinks. The show will get underway at 7:00. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Black Creek Arts Center located at 116 W. College Avenue or by phone at 843.332.6234. Ticket prices are $40 for individuals and $75 for couples. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

Call to Artists: Christmas Shoppe 2009

Black Creek Arts Council is now accepting applications for its 3rd Annual Christmas Shoppe. Building on last year's success, the Christmas Shoppe will now be on both floors of the Black Creek Arts Center.

Last year, the Christmas Shoppe consisted of jewelers, painters, potters, photographers, a glass artist, and a soapmaker.

This year's Christmas Shoppe will take place the second weekend in December. The event will kick off on Thursday night at 5pm. Below are the full shopping hours:

Thursday, December 10th from 5 - 9pm

Friday, December 11th from 3 - 8pm

Saturday, December 12th from 10am to 2pm

Interested artists should email Bruce Douglas at bartscounc@aol.com with the following information:

Name

Address

Phone Number(s)

A Brief Description of Your Work

At least three jpegs of items similar to what you plan to sell

Booth spaces will be $150 downstairs and $100 upstairs. Payment is not due with application. Payment will be made after you are notified of your selection into Christmas Shoppe 2009.

Entries must be received by 5pm on September 15th for consideration in Christmas Shoppe 2009. Applicants will know if they are accepted by September 30th.

For a complete list of Christmas Shoppe rules, click here.

If you would like a hard copy application and rules, call Bruce Douglas at 843.332.6234.

Irish Art To Open At BCAC on August 6th

Queen Mauve by Joop Smits

The Black Creek Arts Center will be the site of an opening reception for an Irish Art exhibit on Thursday, August 6th from 5:30 to 7:00pm. The exhibit will feature work by eight artists currently working in Ireland.

The exhibit has been made possible by Dr. Beverley Spears, Professor Emeritus, Francis Marion University. Since 1997, Spears has spent a portion of each year on Ireland’s Barea Peninsula. "There’s no more rugged terrain in all Ireland than the wild, rocky Beara," she says. "Lured by such untamable beauty, both native and immigrant artists have made Ireland home. The Irish know, own, and proudly display these painters’ work, but few Irish artists are known outside Ireland. I hope to help them receive the appreciation many of them deserve.”

Spears efforts to promote Ireland’s artists led her to start her own business, Southern Art LLC, which she operated out of a gallery on Coit Street in Florence. With the strains of trying to travel and run a gallery increasing, Spears opted to move her business to the web. August’s exhibit will be Spears’ first public show in 5 years. Some works will be shown that have never before been offered for public sale.

Come out and enjoy the exhibit with friends through the month of August. The opening reception and entry throughout the month is free and open to the public.

Spears description of each artist:

Above: Long by Bernadette Madden

Bernadette Madden: the most highly admired and best known batik artist in Ireland; Deborah Healy of the Healy Pass: whose style shows the innocence of her approach to that complex land; Joop Smits: whose complete command of verisimilitude blends in a shocking way with fantasy subjects; Claudio Viscardi: who was trained as a fresco restorer in his native Italy and who mixes his own oil paints, coloring them with precious and other natural stones; Tineke Verlaat: a hard-voiced Dutch immigrant who paints still lifes and whose husband plies his trade as a "fishmonger" on the peninsula; Joanna Kuper: another Dutch immigrant; Martyn Bell: a native who teaches art and makes technically amazing prints from his originals; and Jean Gregory of County Tyrone: Descended from the hated Scots, she lives in the most embattled part of intolerant Ulster (the English colonial North), painting placid "figgers" of another world.

Bell Cottage by Martyn Bell

The Black Creek Arts Center is located at 116 W. College Ave. in Hartsville.

The Carolinas II: Opening Reception & Gallery Crawl

Will Mary-Margaret Porter defend her title? Who will win this year’s People’s Choice? Who is Darlington County’s top young photographer? Those are the questions that will be answered at the opening of The Carolinas II on Thursday night.

The Black Creek Arts Center and the Hartsville Memorial Library will be hosting a local photography exhibit and gallery crawl on July 9th from 5-8pm. Sponsored by Sonoco, this is the second annual photography contest hosted on College Avenue.

Admission is free and the event is open to the public. Each visitor will also get to vote for their favorite photo as the People’s Choice.

In addition to The Carolinas II, photos by Mendel Lyles will be on display in the Reese Page Classroom at the Arts Center. Last year, Lyles spent two weeks on safari in Tanzania.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue in Hartsville, SC. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.

The Carolinas II: Community Photography Exhibit & Contest

Black Creek Arts Council and the Friends of Hartsville Memorial Library will be hosting their second annual community photography contest and exhibit in July. The Carolinas II will debut at the Hartsville Library and the Black Creek Arts Center with an opening reception and gallery crawl on July 9th from 5 - 8pm.

Above: 2008 Best of Show Charleston Bridge by Mary Margaret Porter

To enter the contest, simply bring your photo(s) to the Arts Center between June 22nd and July 2nd. Three entries per person are allowed and the prices are: $15 for the first entry, $25 for two, and $30 for three. A discount of $5 will be given to Friends of the Hartsville Memorial Library and donors to Black Creek Arts Council.All photographs will be considered in the Best of Show Category and will be entered in one of the following categories: Images of Darlington County, Photographers 18 & Under, Small Photos (dimensions smaller than 11 x 14), and Large Photos (dimensions 11 x 14 and larger). One winner and two honorable mentions will be given per category. One People's Choice Award will be voted on by visitors at each display location.

The Images of Darlington County Category is new for the 2009 Contest. The category is intended to get entries of images that represent important landmarks, buildings, places, etc that make Darlington County special. The contest is open to anyone who lives, works, or creates in Darlington County. All photos must be taken in North or South Carolina.For more information, contact Bruce Douglas at the Arts Center, 843.332.6234.

Summer Camp with Mike & Patz

Explore Art with Mike & Patz Fowle

June 8th – 12th
Ages 6-11
9am - 2pm
$100

June 15th – 19th
Ages 12-18
9am - 2pm
$100

She’s studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and been a guest lecturer at the University of South Carolina and even done residencies in Japan; but she teaches at the Black Creek Arts Center.

He’s had work on display at the State Museum in Columbia and at the Florence Museum. Guess what? He teaches at the Black Creek Arts Center.

The aforementioned “She” is Patz Fowle. The aforementioned “He” is Mike Fowle. Together, they will lead two weeks of art camp for Black Creek Arts Council this summer.

During those two weeks, campers will: learn the Patz Process Ceramic Technique; learn cartooning and illustration; create art from recycled and found objects; work on a collage garden; and much, much more.

A week of camp with Mike and Patz is much more than a week of creating. It is a week of learning art history, art facts, and art processes.

Explore Art is ideal for students of all levels. For more information, contact Bruce Douglas at the Arts Center, 843.332.6234.

Unlike other camps, Explore Art will take its participants to the studio of its teachers. That’s right. Explore Art campers will get to go to Mike & Patz’ studio in Kelleytown to see where the artists create.

Luncheon Series to Honor Jacobs, Hill, & Wood

Black Creek Arts Council will be hosting a series of luncheons honoring people who have made outstanding contributions to the arts in Darlington County. On March 24th at 12pm, Willard Jacobs will be the honored guest. On April 1st at 12pm, Anna Hill and Dr. Graham Wood will be honored.

Willard Jacobs, who was recently honored through BCAC’s Artist’s Spotlight, is the quintessential contributor to the Arts. His impact reaches farther than paintings on canvas and sculpture adorning a public park. While those things are long lasting, Mr. Jacobs’ legacy is strengthened as much by the time he devoted to arts programming and arts education, as well as the number of individual lives he influenced. Belva High will speak about Mr. Jacobs contributions to the arts. Work by Mr. Jacobs, as well as a collection of photos highlighting his work, will be on display.

While Mr. Jacobs is a visual artist, Anna Hill and Dr. Graham Wood have both contributed to the arts through music and performances. Hill, who headed the BCAC-funded All-County Choir for many years, and Wood, currently a Professor of Music at Coker College, have done an incredible job of merging the Community and College in terms of music and musical theater. At their luncheon, a collection of friends and colleagues will highlight the achievements of these two great people. A group of Performing Arts Majors from Coker College will perform at the luncheon.

Tickets are $12 per person. Call Bruce Douglas at the Arts Center to purchase tickets, 843.332.6234.

The mission of Black Creek Arts Council is to promote and foster the Arts in Darlington County. BCAC’s offices are housed in a state of the art 10,000 square foot facility at 116 West College Avenue. BCAC offers a variety of programs including art classes of all styles, after-school activities, pre-school aged programs, private music lessons, and various types of gallery exhibits. BCAC also offers assistance with arts management, funding, education, and program coordination to arts and cultural organizations in Darlington County.