Open-front sack-back gown, c. 1770, with elaborate fly fringe ornamentation and matching petticoat. It was worn over side hoop panniers for a fashionable silhouette. This dress was worn by a member of the family of Henry Middleton, President of the Continental Congress. Courtesy of The Charleston Museum.

Embroidered purple velvet suit coat worn by Thomas Pickney for his court visits, clearly placing him at the height of fashion for 1793. Pinckney was ambassador to the Court of St. James during George Washington's administration. Courtesy of The Charleston Museum.

Dress c. 1869, with organdy and lace edging, green and cream satin ribbons. The overskirt gathers up in to add emphasis to the back, a precursor to the bustle. This gown was worn by Frances Olmsted (later Mrs. Richard Maynard Marshall) when she attended the first St. Cecilia Ball held after the Civil War. Courtesy of The Charleston Museum.

Designed by Mariano Fortuny, this style was introduced in Venice around 1907 and became the height of fashion. He was noted for perfecting a technique of pleating sheer silk and for his use of natural dyes. This gown has Venetian glass beads on the neckline drawstring and was worn by Ethel Sanford (1873-1924). Donated by Gertrude Sanford Legendre. Courtesy of The Charleston Museum.

This dress dates to the 1920s and has a fashionable low waist and a stunning long side train. The asymmetrical neckline is ornamented with applied pearls, the dress edges are trimmed with silver metallic braid. It was worn by Gertrude Sanford Legendre, international socialite and owner of Medway Plantation on the Cooper River. Courtesy of The Charleston Museum.

This dress, c. 1945, was made by Lee Claire of New York and sold by the fashionable dress shop Margaret Riley's of Charleston. This dress was worn by Margaret Middleton Rivers, wife of U.S. Rep. L. Mendel Rivers of Charleston. Courtesy of The Charleston Museum.

The Guignard Brick Works in Lexington County ran continuously from the end of the Civil War to the 1970s.

The four domed structures are beehive kilns (built in the 1910s through the 1930s) that were used to fire the bricks.

Take a look at the ground in front of the kilns and you’ll see railroad tracks. The Brick Works had its own train that would haul clay from the banks of the river directly to the kiln.

The office building at the Brick Works served as a sampler of sorts, showing all of the different designs that could be made with bricks.

Solid Elm Ball Chair, 1970. Designed and manufactured by Jon Brooks (born 1944), New Boston, N.H. Carved elm. 24” x 22” x 28”. Photo courtesy of the Columbia Museum of Art.

Centripetal Spring Arm Chair, c. 1845-1855. Designed by Thomas E. Warren (active with American Chair Company, 1849-1852). Manufactured by the American Chair Company, Troy, N.Y. Cast iron, wood, sheet metal, gauffrage velvet reproduction upholstery, faux rosewood graining. 43 1⁄2”x 28”x 32 1⁄2”. Photo courtesy of the Columbia Museum of Art.

LCW (Lounge Chair Wood), c. 1954. Designed by Charles Eames (1907-1978) and Ray Eames (1912-1988). Manufactured by Evans Products Company for Herman Miller Furniture Company, Grand Rapids, Mich. Molded birch plywood, rubber. 26” x 22” x 24”. Photo courtesy of the Columbia Museum of Art.

Current, 2004. Designed and manufactured by Vivian Beer (born 1977), Penland, N.C. Welded steel, automobile paint. 24” x 16” x 36”. Photo courtesy of the Columbia Museum of Art.

Artist Kent Ambler spends his days painting and making woodcuts in his home studio near Greenville.

Ambler’s philosophy is “paint what you know.” With three dogs at home, his canine companions keep finding their way into his work.

Originally from Indiana, Ambler now takes inspiration from his home on Paris Mountain outside of Greenville.

Another favorite subject for Ambler’s woodcuts are birds, like this one that lies in wait to snag a bumblebee.

Ambler begins a woodcut with a sketch that he then transfers to wood. After carving the woodcut and testing it in black and white, he may decide to print the piece in color, which requires a separate cut for each color.

Much of Ann Myers’ glass work is inspired by her home in Conway, just 30 minutes from the beach.

Ann Myers’ friends help out with her art, bringing her “treasures from trash” - scraps of glass, old windows and salvaged window frames.

Myers believes people need to constantly “reinvent” themselves so they can grow. She reinvented herself as a glass artist after a decade as a stay at home mom.

Slutsky is just one of the many piano virtuosos who can be seen in concert at Columbia’s Southeastern Piano Festival.

Marina Lomazov, who is also on the music faculty at USC, says the Southeastern Piano Festival “offers something for everyone who loves piano.”

Beth Wicker’s studio gets its name from the dog and cats who “help” with the designs: Patch (a German Shepherd) and cats Speckles, Mugsy and Adventurer (pictured).

This solid sterling silver pendant highlights the lovely mystic topaz stone set amid a blossom of fine silver.

In addition to working on her own designs, Wicker offers workshops and residencies in metalwork, fiber arts, papermaking and printmaking. Pictured, her studio teaching space.

This brooch was created using a technique that involves shaping a malleable metal from the reverse side in order to create texture or a low relief design.

Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims dance in Alvin Ailey’s renowned dance, Revelations. Photo by Andrew Eccles courtesy of Spoleto Festival USA.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs Robert Battle’s The Hunt. Photo by Paul Kolnik couresy of Spoleto Festival USA.

Kirven James Boyd performs Sinner Man, part of Revelations. Photo by Andrew Eccles courtesy of Spoleto Festival USA.

Cécile McLorin Salvant is a classically trained singer who discovered a talent for improvisational jazz just a few years ago.

Salvant interprets jazz standards from the 1920s, 30s and 40s with a humor and freshness which makes them feel utterly modern.

The Gate Theatre’s production of Hay Fever is filled with lightening fast dialogue and hilarious physical comedy. Photo by Patrick Redmond courtesy of Spoleto USA.

One of the pleasures of seeing Hay Fever is enjoying the recently renovated historic theater.

Stephen Swift and Kathy Rose O'Brien play harried houseguests in Hay Fever. Photo by Patrick Redmond courtesy of Spoleto USA.

Jade Yourell plays the elegant Myra Arundel in the Gate Theatre’s production of Noel Coward’s Hay Fever. Photo by Patrick Redmond courtesy of Spoleto USA.

These sculptures would be phenomenal anywhere, but they seem all the more beautiful set against the waterfront backdrop at the park.

The S.C. Arts Commission Gala recognizes the 2012 recipients of the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Awards for the Arts.

The S.C. Arts Commission gala is a great event for connecting with the amazing artists in the state.

The award recipients were given a fitting entrance by the Palmetto Pipes and Drums who escorted the winners into the ballroom.

Fan Dancer is only one of the works by dozens of artists that were available as part of the gala’s silent auction.

The Spork in Hand Puppet Slam was the first event of its kind in Columbia.

The Spork in Hand Puppet Slam featured a delightfully dark program of adult-oriented puppetry.

A puppet slam is an evening of short puppet shows by a variety of presenters, usually for an adult audience.

The 36th annual Spoleto Festival will take place in Charleston May 25-June 10. Now’s the time to plan your trip and buy your tickets! Image courtesey of Spoleto Festival. Poster by Li Songsong.

The Gate Theatre returns to Spoleto with their stylish production of Noel Coward’s Hay Fever. Photo courtesy of Spoleto Festival USA 2012. Photo by Patrick Redmond.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s program includes new work as well as classics like their iconic Revelations. Photo courtesey of 2012 Spoleto Festival USA. Photo by Andrew Eccles.

Make sure to see a concert in one of Charleston’s most romantic venues, the outdoor Cistern Yard at the College of Charleston. 2012 Spoleto Festival USA. Pictured, Cecile McLorin Salvant.

Take the opportunity to sightsee while you enjoy fine music by going to a concert in an historic venue like the Dock Street Theatre. Photo courtesey of 2012 Spoleto Festival USA Dock Street Theatre. Photo by Julia Lynn.

The 2012 Artisphere Commemorative Poster Artist is Daryl Thetford from Chattanooga, Tenn.

Chalk artist Shawn McCann recreates Thetford’s complex digital image on the sidewalk by the Reedy River.

This year, an online silent auction allows you to take home a piece of Artisphere art without ever leaving your home.

For those people in Greenville, there’s a computer set up right in the Silent Auction tent so that you can hop online and place a bid.

For $25, Vino and Van Gogh gave me a canvas, paints, brushes and a sample of the painting we would create.

Vincent Van Gogh made an appearance, complete with bandaged ear.

Marquin Campbell, the artist behind Vino and Van Gogh, leads the Artisphere crowd in painting a view of Greenville’s iconic Liberty Bridge.

Here’s my finished painting side by side with the original sample.

Patricia Kilburn explains how she uses encaustic painting to create her brilliant, textured abstract works of art.

Kilburn warms beeswax and pigments on a pancake griddle before applying them to canvas.

After each layer of wax or color is applied, Kilburn seals the layer by applying heat, either with a heat gun or propane torch.

The Carolina Ballet Theatre performs Carmen for a crowd at Greenville’s Artisphere.

Artistic Director Hernan Justo believes that its important for his professional dance company, Carolina Ballet Theatre, to engage with the community. Free concerts at Artisphere are part of that mission.

On the Artisphere stage there are no wings or curtains to hide the dancers from the audience. Here dancers wait for their entrance as diners at a nearby restaurant enjoy their front row seats to the ballet.

Friday marked the official beginning of Artisphere, Greenville’s three-day festival of visual art, music and dance.

This year’s ceremonies included the unveiling of a new piece of public art, a large-scale aluminum structure by sculptor, Stephen Kishel.

During Artisphere, 120 artists from all around the country converge on the streets of downtown Greenville.

A local glassblower with a portable oven sets up camp at Artisphere for mobile glassblowing demonstrations.

Artisphere’s popularity is on the rise. This year, Artisphere jumped from No. 83 to No. 31 in Sunshine Artist’s ranking of the Best Fine Art and Design Shows.

Artist and performer, Brian Olson, creates large-scale celebrity portraits using choreographed moves in his show, Art in Action.

While you’re taking in the arts scene, make sure to take the time to enjoy all that Greenville has to offer, like a stroll by the Reedy River.

Take a close look at the musicians’ fingers as they move along their frets. Their speed and dexterity is impressive.

On the second Saturday of every month, bluegrass musicians and aficionados gather at Table Rock for a four-hour jam session.

At Table Rock, you’re likely to see all ages picking away at a banjo or working a fiddle, from “old-timers” to teens to children barely big enough to tote their instrument.

The Lodge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s as a community gathering place, is home to Music on the Mountain.

Table Rock’s name dates back to the Native Americans who lived in the area. They imagined a giant lived in those mountains and used the tall, flat chunk of granite as his table, while he sat on the small “stool” to the side.

In addition to traditional campsites, Table Rock offers gracious cabins for overnight stays.

John Walters, who describes his work as “funky cool,” was born and bred in South Carolina. He now lives in Pawleys Island.

John Walters has worked as a professional diver, looking for treasure among the ruins a 16th century shipwreck. But the real treasure he found was what he calls “the underwater art galleries” that inspire much of his work.

John Walters recently took home first prize at the Arts International Festival at Francis Marion University.

For Deb Guess, the process of making her one-of-a-kind jewelry means tapping into her creativity is a way of feeding and connecting with her “soul voices.”

When Deb Guess got her hands on a metalsmithing torch seven years ago, it was love at first sight. Today she uses her metalsmithing skills to create jewelry like this Spinner Ring.

Sometimes Guess incorporates found objects into her jewelry, like the clasp of this necklace, which is made from an antique spoon.

Noelle Brault’s impressionist paintings are snapshots of some of the best places to visit in the state, like this charismatic Lowcountry diner.

Brault, who lives in Columbia, counts Edisto as one of her favorite place in the state.

Brault’s dreamy style perfectly captures the romance of everyday life in South Carolina.

In this painting, Brault captures an October afternoon jog in her home town of Columbia.

Columbia’s Indie Grits film festival begain this week with a kick off party at 701 Whaley.

This year, Indie Grits is more than just a film festival. Partner events like Columbia Open Studios celebrate all the arts.

Indie Grits commissioned brand new silent films that will be scored with a live performance by the S.C. Philharmonic at Cinemovements.

Partygoers feast at the grits bar at Thursday’s kick off party.

The kickoff party highlighted the festival’s many venues about town with scale models of the buildings decorating the ballroom.

Come to a Columbia April 21-22 for a look at 69 of the city’s best local artists during Columbia Open Studios.

The free, self-guided driving tour is an artistic treasure map to some of the best artwork in South Carolina.

With so many artists participating, there will be a variety of work on display from painting and sculpture to photography and mixed media.

During Columbia Open Studios, local artists invite the public to visit them at their own studios and get a peak at the creative process.

Cathy Brookshire’s documentary, Soldier Girl, will be shown as a part of this year’s Indie Grits Festival in Columbia.

Virginia Jameson, seen here standing between two “female” latrines, was in the U.S. Army and Air Force reserves, and she retired as a senior master sergeant after three wartime deployments.

The black and white photo from World War II of Ida Ostendorf is from when she served in the Women's Army Corps from 1942-1945.

The Discovery House features permanent displays on Hilton Head ecology and history, rotating exhibits and a charming gift shop.

The 68- acre former plantation features romantic, moss-covered live oak trees along its oyster shell trail.

Take a walk down the boardwalk and you’ll find smooth cord grass peeking out from the beneath the tide, oyster beds and fiddler crabs.

At high tide, the flooding subsides to reveal fields of smooth cord grass. Examine the leaves and you’ll see sparkling salt crystals the floods leave behind.

Now through the end of April, the Coastal Discovery Museum is hosting an exhibit about the ways in which the war affected the lives of the people in the region.

Old friends Ruth Bayard and Nora Floyd reinvent vintage handbags and jewelry at A Checkered Past, fueled by their shared love of art, history and fashion.

John Patton became interested in woodworking after seeing a man make a toy box turtle on TV. Building this one for his granddaughter became his first project.

Patton expresses his artistic philosophy by saying, “Every tree has a song and you have to find the right notes for the music to be beautiful.”

Over the past six or seven years, John Patton has become an accomplished woodworker, creating unique objects like this curvaceous set of drawers.

That line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream is taken to new “heights” in the USC production. Here, aerialist and guest artist, Andrea Moon, works with MFA student Yvonne Senat on her trapeze skills.

Robert Richmond’s production of Macbeth takes a look at the line between fair and foul in this muscular exploration of good and evil. Here, students learn broadsword technique for a fight sequence.

You can follow the arts to USC’s production of Twelfth Night or What you Will. From left, Katie Atkinson (Viola), Kathy Quiceno (Feste) and Brittany Price Anderson (Olivia). Photo by Katie Foshee.

The actors take to the skies (on trapeze) in this production of Shakespeare’s comedy full of magic, fairies and love.

A witch’s prophecy that he will be king sends Macbeth and Lady Macbeth down a violent path of murder and treason in Shakespeare’s play. Shown: Don Russell (Macbeth) and Yvonne Senat (Lady M.). Photos by Michael Brown.

Brick is an alcoholic ex-football player. Maggie is his lonely and desperate wife. Through the course of the play they face the truth about their relationship and what’s driven a wedge between them.

The play script not only gives you the text of the play, but often gives the details about the first time it was performed. Here’s the set groundplan for the 1950s Broadway production.

Before building the set, designer Randy Strange created this model out of cardstock. Once I’d approved the model, Strange went ahead and began construction.

The set begins to take shape as walls are built and painted. The set for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is Randy Strange’s 194th design at Workshop Theatre.

The play guns, princess hats, noisemakers and a golden bow and arrow arranged on this table may seem like a random assortment of knickknacks, but all of these objects are used as props in the show.

Jason Stokes and Hunter Boyle portray Brick and Big Daddy Pollit in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The second act is largely one 25 minute electric scene between the two actors.

Shayna Simoneaux happened upon Birdie a few years ago while working on what began as an abstract painting.

Simoneaux began creating jewelry with her signature Birdies when fans of her artwork lamented that they couldn’t afford an original painting.

Although Simoneaux returns to the Birdies again and again, each one is unique and different from the last.

Born in London, artist Simoneaux fled her foggy home almost seven years ago for sunnier climes in South Carolina.

One of the reasons Simoneaux never tires of her subject is that Birdie reminds her of her grandfather, who loved his birds “Cheerio” and “Nutsy”, and her godfather who inspired her love of art.

It’s not unusual to find Birdies in a lot of unusual situations and locations; this unique pendant depicts Birdie’s preparations for an undersea exploration.

If you think that Birdies are only colorful, exuberant or even child-like, check out this elegant Birdie dressed for a masked ball.

Unlike Columbia’s other historic homes, the Woodrow Wilson Family Home is a work-in-progress and offers “Hard Hat” tours while the building is rehabilitated.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Kyle Smith moved to South Carolina where he works on his pottery and teaches middle school art.

In 2008, Smith finished construction on his ceramic studio, where he works creating his beautiful, yet functional, pottery.

After hearing from customers that his decorative pieces were beautiful but that they didn’t have room for them in their houses, Smith began creating more pieces that were as useful as they are lovely.

This garlic dish is decorated with one of Smith’s signature designs, elegant blades of grass.

Smith’s work seems inspired by the natural world. Here, this 12” dish is covered in a flurry of butterflies.

Inside this centuries-old, Greek Revival church is the Karpeles Manuscript Library, whose rotating exhibits illuminate history with original documents.

Becky Blair’s bold jewelry combines expert wire work with found materials: pottery shards, seashells, sticks and even bones.

Blair creates talisman pendants by matching different objects and working them into happy, hanging trios of treasures.

Blair has created several “Celebration Necklaces” for her customers over the years. The pattern first emerged in 2001 when she was holed up during a snowstorm.

Blair’s eclectic sense of style extends from her jewelry to her paper collages, which include photos she took while living in Shanghai.

In Aggie Zed’s paintings whimsical creatures collide with hollow-faced humans and a sense of decay.

This exhibit at the Halsey Institute includes several of Zed’s miniature tableaux that include sad-faced, winged humans, horses and flying elephants.

The Beaufort Intergalactic Storytelling Festival and Liars Competition is a four-day celebration of tales, tall and true.

Delores Hydock’s witty stories range from medieval adventures to family fireworks.

Fusing music with storytelling, Hawk Hurst aims to inject mystery into our everyday world.

The exhibit also includes a fantastic photograph of the moon’s surface and the Apollo 15 landing site.

The Halsey Institute has organized an “out of this world” exhibit that looks at our relationship with the earth’s only satellite.

In tracing our exploration of the moon, the exhibit includes artistic renderings, historic artifacts, telescopes, interactive displays and, most notably, an actual moon rock.

By Indrani Nayar-Gall, mixed media, 2008

By Jessica Reynolds, acrylic on panel, 2011

On Feb. 28, Cyrus Art Productions will present this original performance piece in conjunction with Indrani Nayar-Gall's installation “Losing Dawn.”

The Rutledge Gallery and the Elizabeth Dunlap Patrick Galleries at Winthrop University are like having several cutting-edge Soho galleries in the middle of Rock Hill.

When you leave the galleries at Winthrop, make sure to wander the campus, which is dotted with wonderful pieces of outdoor sculpture.

Winthrop offers exhibitions and permanent installations of student work as well as work by noted alums and internationally renowned artists, both in the galleries and outdoors.

In 1998, the Palacinos began raising goats for their milk. After success making soap for their own use, they decided to make their goat’s milk soap available to the public and Red Clay Soap was born.

Rachel says that goat’s milk has the same pH as human skin, allowing the all-natural ingredients in their soap to be easily absorbed.

The Palacinos, along with their goats, live on a beautiful farm at the base of Paris Mountain State Park in the Upstate.

With a degree in Anthropology and a career as a paralegal, Sally Peek always knew her path would be unconventional. Today she makes handcrafted handbags under the label Nana by Sally.

Sally’s handbags are named after her great-grandmother, whose quirky and independent spirit is captured in her unique creations.

In describing her customers, Sally says: “The Nana woman is independent and unique and respects these qualities in her friends. She often also holds a special connection to the women in her family.”

The U.S. Postal Service recently announced that “Flowers” by S.C.-born artist William H. Johnson will grace a Forever Stamp issued this spring.

Through her crafts label, Once Again Sam, Mandell sells her creations: delightfully cute felt creatures and leather jewelry that is at once feminine and edgy.

Click on the link marked “felt curiosities” on Mandell’s Etsy page and you will be whisked away to a whimsical world full of creatures like these google-eyed fellas.

While Mandell is great at crafting curious felt friends, she’s equally as adept at creating fashionable jewelry like these teardrop earrings.

Mandell trolls discarded design sample books, discarded and donated garments and remnants looking for materials for her trendy leather jewelry.

For adventurous fashionistas, Once Again Sam offers pieces like this studded leather bib necklace – a statement piece for sure.

This quirky sea turtle family is just one of the fun, felt creatures that Sarah Mandell has created for Once Again Sam.

Sarah Mandell admits she’s raised some eyebrows with her felt versions of the human heart, but these cool creations definitely capture something beautiful about the human body.

The Midtown Artery represents an internationally acclaimed collection of contemporary painters and sculptors from around the globe.

The Christopher Park Gallery strives to make the art gallery less intimidating with its happy blend of funky jewelry and outsider art.

The Art Crossing Studios along Greenville’s Reedy River house the studios of about 20 local artists.

Laura Ray first began making pogos four years ago at her daughters’ suggestion; they remembered the fun little creatures she used to make for them out of scraps of wool and remnant fabric.

Pogos aren’t just toys; they are whimsical creatures with distinct personalities who live in the forest near Ray’s home.

“Pogos are curious creatures,” Ray says of her wooly creations.

Winter is ushering in a ton of new art exhibits in Aiken, including the work of several local artists at the Aiken Center for the Arts.

Vista Studios/Gallery 80808 are hosting a Winter Exhibition featuring the work of Stephen Chesley, Mike Williams, Edward Wimberly and David Yaghjian.

A self-described “jack-of-all-trades,” the talented and multi-faceted Maeda makes her living writing and performing puppet theater, designing sets, constructing costumes and props, researching, painting and more.

Kimi Maeda’s interest in puppet theater (such as this production of The Raven) began when she took a college workshop with Peter Schumann from the renowned Bread and Puppet Theatre.

The Crane Wife combines a traditional Japanese folk tale with Maeda’s personal experiences and own family mythology.

After its successful production of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter at the 2010 fesival, The Gate Theatre returns with its production of the playwright’s Hay Fever. Photo by Patrick Redmond.

The New York Times called this performance by Montreal-based circus/cabaret troupe, 7 Doigts de la Main “…mad, pulse-raising magic.”

The Rebirth Jazz Band captures the traditional sounds of the French Quarter while exploring the realms of funk and hip hop. Photo by John Margaretten.

For decades, Alvin Ailey has been expressing and investigating the African-American cultural experience through dance. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Cedar Lake’s impressive company of dancers performs original works by the world’s most sought after choreographers. Photo by Erez Sabag.

Dwayne Dopsie and his handpicked band of Zydeco Hellraisers energize crowds with their blends of traditional zydeco with blues, funk, rock, reggae and punk.

ARTworks in Beaufort brings a little bit of New Orleans to the Lowcountry with a Mardi Gras celebration in Old Village Port Royal featuring Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers.

Zydeco is a form of American roots music that has its beginnings in the Creole and Cajun traditions of Louisiana. Performed with its trademark accordion and washboard, its raucous, fast tempo gets audiences on their feet.

The Columbia Museum of Art is an artistic gem by day, but at night it comes alive with a series of social activities, events and performances.

One of the best events at the museum is the ongoing Wadsworth Chamber Music Series, led by world-renowned cellist Edward Arron.

Artistic couple Barbara and Ed Street have both been working in glass for more than 25 years.

In 2010, the Streeters provided this large, ocean-inspired ornament that hung on a travel-themed Christmas tree in the White House.

The Conway Glass Center houses Barbara and Ed’s studio along with a wide variety of glass work including vases like this one, bowls, ornaments, mirrors, window glass and more.

Each handblown ornament that the Streeters create is a combination of sand, fire and air, but just like snowflakes, no two are alike.

The Streeters offer Saturday glassblowing demonstrations at the Conway Glass Center from October to April.

The Greenville Little Theatre’s 24 Hour Play Festival gives playwrights, actors and directors a mere day to bring a play to life.

Lifechance: Gala of the Stars on Jan. 21 will feature some of the nation’s best dancers, including Pennsylvania Ballet soloists Ian Hussey and Lauren Fadeley.

Brooklyn Mack, a native of Elgin, is in his third season with the Washington Ballet and also has danced with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, the Orlando Ballet and American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company.

This year, Columbia’s Main Street Christmas tree will give way to a Palmetto and crescent moon that will be dropped during the big midnight countdown at the 2011 Famously Hot New Year’s celebration.

At the Carolina Foothills Artisan Center you can purchase the work of dozens of Carolina artists including pottery, jewelry, hand turned wood, furniture, paintings and more.

When journalist Michele Nutwell moved to Folly Beach she was inspired to try her hand at fiction. Death on Coffin Island launched the series of mysteries set in her new home and filled with colorful characters and local landmarks.

Inside the storefront studio of Compass 5 Partners Architects lives the ART+CAYCE gallery, now showing a truly remarkable collection of medieval manuscript pages, some as much as 700 years old.

Now through the end of December, the lovely Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn hosts an exhibition of public art on its 60+ acre property.

Todd McGrain from Ovid, N.Y., created this large-scale bird portrait, which is displayed among the real birds at Honey Horn.

Bluffton’s Stephen Kishel created this aluminum sculpture whose fiery rays echo the S.C. sunset.

Mark Krucke’s Fortitude comes alive nestled beneath the live oak trees that mirror the artwork’s branches.

The Public Art Exhibition at Hilton Head features work from artists around the world, including this piece by Hawaiian artist Michael Shewmaker.

Mark Chatterley’s Wood Nymphs look right at home among the trees beside the Coastal Discovery Museum’s salt marshes.

You too will be “swept up” by the vast collection of sculptures on hand at the Public Art Exhibition. Don’t be content with seeing the art from a distance; make sure to get right up close to the pieces and look at them from every side.

Baron Rubenstein’s metallic, industrial structure provides a stark contrast to the natural environment that surrounds it.

The Price House, usually closed for the winter months, opened its doors for a special Christmas in Spartanburg: A History event.

In stark contrast to the elegant furnishings and lovely, nature-inspired Christmas decorations in the Price House, the nearby slave cabin shows the rough conditions in which enslaved people on the property would have lived.

Christmas in Spartanburg: A History saw the Seay house dressed in traditional holiday finery, including a fresh cut cedar tree in the parlor, decorated with homemade ornaments.

The Spartanburg Regional History Museum’s exhibit, Christmas in Spartanburg: the 1960s, recreates the decade’s holiday celebrations with aluminum Christmas trees and vintage toys.

Lorrie Rivers, who grew up in Irmo, has performed across the country and in Europe as both an actress and singer. Currently working on a web series and co-authoring an independent film, Lorrie adds writer to her many talents.

Maya’s Wonderland was a sultry and whimsical multi-media concert extravaganza that she tagged “Alice in Wonderland in a vinyl bustier.”

Rivers is a rare performer who can change styles like a chameleon. Rivers seems at home vocally, whether she’s singing electronica (here in Maya’s Wonderland), jazz standards or humming along with her eukelele.

A new exhibit in Pickens features the work of three generations of artists from the same talented family. Tom, Morgan, and Mark Flowers (from left to right).

Tom Flowers, 83, finds inspiration in “life and nature” for his paintings, sketches, and sculptures. “Life is always a learning experience for me,” the artist says.

Mark Flowers sees his work as a reflection of his life. “My paintings serve as journals,” he says, “where I think, reflect, and react.”

Morgan Higby-Flowers is interested in the intersection of art and technology. Pictured is a still from his digital video, Huge Truck Woman Bend Tweeked.

Michael Slattery’s black ink, mixed media pieces are inspired by gritty footage from security cameras and images of World War II.

Lynda Slattery’s colorful, cut-paper collages are an oasis of tranquility amid the busy hubbub of modern life.

Denise Woodward-Detrich attempts to elevate everyday objects into works of art, as she does here in these vibrant ceramic tea bowls.

Detrich, who is Head of Sculpture at Clemson University, seeks to open up a dialogue with his imaginative creations.

Thomas Cole’s The Course of the Empire: The Arcadian or Pastoral State,
1834, oil on canvas, Gift of the New York Gallery of the Fine Arts. Photo courtesy of Columbia Museum of Art.

Work by John Frederick Kensett, 1859, oil on canvas, the Robert L. Stuart Collection. Photo courtesy of Columbia Museum of Art.

Work by Thomas Cole, 1845, oil on canvas, the Robert L. Stuart Collection. Photo courtesy of Columbia Museum of Art.

Work by Louisa Davis Minot, 1818, oil on linen, Gift of Mrs. Waldron Phoenix Belknap, Sr. to the Waldron Phoenix Belknap, Jr. Collection. Photo courtesy of Columbia Museum of Art.

If you think Christmasville is just for kids, think again; the weekend also offers a jam-packed schedule of arts and culture offerings.

In Rock Hill’s beautiful Palmetto Room, arts and crafts vendors offer handmade gifts with a yuletide flair.

During Christmasville many local artists open up their studios and invite you into their artistic homes for conversation, browsing and maybe even a sweet treat.

Dance presentations are part of the Selugadu celebration at Hagood Mill. Here, Will Goins leads a traditional Native American dance.

In addition to dance, Selugadu offers traditional drumming (as seen here), arts and crafts tables, musical performances and storytelling.

For the celebration, Reedy River Intertribal invited dancers from across the state to demonstrate traditional dances, like the Grass dance seen here.

This Flamenco dancer’s pose reflects the wonderful motion and fluidity of an artist’s dance, while showing the skeletal and muscular systems that support the dancer’s creativity. Photo courtesy Institute for Plastination/ South Carolina State Museum

BODY WORLDS Vital uses perfectly preserved, authentic human bodies to allow visitors a glimpse at the inner workings of their own bodies. Photo courtesy Institute for Plastination/South Carolina State Museum

In addition to full body exhibits, specimens allow a more detailed look at different parts of the body, like this display of the hands. Photo courtesy Institute for Plastination/South Carolina State Museum

The Willcox opened its doors in 1900 and has hosted presidents, and once even turned away the Prince of Wales. Today, its luxurious spa, gracious rooms and friendly staff make you feel like royalty.

In Aiken, the game of polo is very much alive. There are numerous polo fields downtown alone and a Sunday match is more than a sport, it’s a social event.

Part of the allure of Aiken is the way the natural beauty is folded into the city from stately live oak trees to Hitchcock Woods, one of the largest urban forests in the U.S.

In Aiken, horses are more than just a hobby – they’re a way of life. Everywhere you go you’ll see them – in pastures, stables and on trails, but also on street signs, bumper stickers and in shop windows.

Aiken became the “Queen of the Winter Colonies” in the 1800s when well-to-do northerners would pack their families – and their horses – onto trains and come here to escape the harsh winter weather for few months of riding, racing, polo and fox hunting.

You probably aren’t used to sharing the road with a horse, but in Aiken’s Horse District that’s just what you’ll have to do.

Twice a week from October to March, locals keep up the tradition of fox hunting with the Aiken Hounds in Hitchcock Woods.

Robert Richmond began his career as an actor in the UK, but now he is an award-winning director and teaches at the University of South Carolina.

This production at the USC Lab Theatre was inspired by both Richmond’s personal brush with the kind of teen suicide found in the play and the film The Matrix.

Once a downtown department store, Tapp’s got a new life this week with the ribbon cutting ceremony marking its official opening as an arts center.

At Tapp’s, visitors can peruse artists’ work in the gallery space and also watch the artists work in their adjacent studios.

Not wanting the center’s use to be limited to graphic artists, planners added this cool performance space where musicians, theater troupes and other artists can share their work.

As part of First Thursday, the Anastasia and Friends gallery space offered up a menu of artistic creations on a culinary theme in their new exhibit, The Art of Food.

Arts and Draughts offers Columbia visitors an evening of arts and crafts, beer tasting and outdoor music in their lovely courtyard.

A playful scavenger hunt at A&D encourages visitors to spend time in the galleries. Here my husband solves the last clue in the hunt.

Charles Street Gallery is proud to show the works of exceptional Beaufort artists like Cabell Heyward. Heyward’s work, like this piece, Reflection, combines a flair for surrealism with the chops of a skilled realistic painter.

Henriette Charlotte Chastaigner (Mrs. Nathaniel Broughton), 1711, by Henrietta de Beaulieu Dering Johnston (ca. 1674 – 1729), Pastel on paper, Gift of Victor A. Morawetz. Image courtesy Gibbes Museum of Art

Designs, Wrightsville Beach, 1968, by Minnie Evans (American, 1892-1987), Collage with oil, crayon, and pencil on canvas, Museum purchase with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts Living Artist Fund. Image courtesy Gibbes Museum of Art

Blessed Are They That Mourn for They Shall Be Comforted, ca. 1988, by Virginia Fouché Bolton (American, 1929 – 2004), Oil on canvas, Gift of the artist in memory of her husband, Donald Gail Bolton "who knew that I was an artist before I did and encouraged me to do my best."

The egg on display, The Imperial Red Cross Easter Egg, is less decorated than other Fabergé Eggs in keeping with a sense of wartime austerity. Firm of Peter Carl Fabergé, Russian, 1846-1920, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The India Early Minshall Collection, 1063.637. Photo courtesy of Bob Jones Museum and Gallery.

Bob Jones Museum and Gallery’s latest exhibit examines Russian history by charting the nation’s stunning Russian icons. Christ the Pantocrator (Vsederzhitel), Workshop of Pavel Ovchinnikov, Russian, active late 19th century, From the Bob Jones University Collection. Photo courtesy of Bob Jones Museum and Gallery.

YALLFest, a new book festival centering on Young Adult fiction, will take place in Charleston on Nov. 12.

Kwame Alexander is a poet, children’s book author, playwright, producer, and the author of fourteen books including Crush: Love Poems for Teenagers.

Lisa Brown is a writer and illustrator of books for children, teens, and adults whose latest book is Picture the Dead, an illustrated Civil War ghost story written in collaboration with award winning YA author Adele Griffin.

Katie Crouch is the New York Times bestselling author of Girls in Trucks about a young woman who leaves her life as a “less-than-perfect” debutante in Charleston for a new life in New York City.

Garcia and Stohl, authors of the Beautiful Creatures book series, teamed with Blue Bicycle Books owner, Jonathan Sanchez, to start YALLFest.

Kitteredge is the author of eleven fantasy books for young adults and adults. Her latest work, The Curse of Four, is due on bookstore shelves on Halloween Day.

Brett Flashnik is a Columbia native who, after graduating from one of the nation’s most prestigious photojournalism programs, returned to South Carolina to start his own business, Flashnick Visuals.

Flashnick’s image of John McCain was taken at Columbia’s Adluh Flour plant during the heated 2008 S.C. presidential primary race. It was chosen as one of only 80 images for an Associated Press touring exhibit called “The American President.”

Flashnick is determined to get a fresh view of his subjects, “…whether that [means] getting up at 3 or 4 a.m. to be there when the light is right, laying down in a pit of mud, or climbing up a tree or the roof of a building, even renting a helicopter to get a higher vantage point.”

The statehouse is usually a spot for heated debate, but here Flashnick captures its lovely dome in a peaceful moment after a snowfall.

“I … think that there is nothing else like the experience of Williams-Brice Stadium during a University of South Carolina football game,” says Flashnick, who captures the stadium’s energy and excitement in this photo.

“When I’m out taking photos of a place, landscape, etc., … I go out of my way to follow the road less traveled and try to look at it in a way that others don’t,” says Flashnick, who photographed this beautiful scene near Fenwick Hall Plantation.

As the S.C. State Museum’s staff photographer, Flashnick captured this pivotal moment in state history as two Citadel cadets removed the Confederate flag from the State House in 2000.

When Brilliant became interested in looking around his everyday environment for inspiration, he was struck by the wooden coffee stirrers at his local coffee shop. The results of this moment of inspiration are his large-scale coffee stirrer installations.

Brilliant’s “Field of Good Fortune” was chosen by the Columbia Design League as a public arts project last summer.

Messages like this one met workers on their lunch breaks in downtown Columbia last June. Brilliant’s hope with the project was to bring some enjoyment into the lives of people going through their daily routine in the city.

In Brilliant’s hands these humble coffee stirrers are transformed into something incredible. The artist uses no adhesive; these creations are held together using only tension.

For Brilliant’s “Have Sticks Will Travel” tour he created 13 installations like this in more than three countries.

In creating large-scale installations like this, Brilliant sees an empty gallery space as a “blank sheet of paper,” and he creates a new piece in response to the quirks and qualities of each individual space.

Longstreet Theatre in Columbia has been around for more than 100 years, and during that time it has inspired a lot of campus ghost stories.

The green room in the basement of Longstreet Theatre is ground-zero for spine-chilling tales, due in no small part to the fact that this area of the building served as a morgue when Longstreet was used as a military hospital during the Civil War.

“The Headless Horseman,” created by the Friends of the Richland County Public Library, took the top prize in the Business/Organization category at this year’s Scarecrows in the Garden contest at the Robert Mills House.

The “Harry Strawter” scarecrow by Rosewood Florists shows everyone’s favorite young wizard aloft his Nimbus 2000 broomstick during a rousing game of Quidditch.

This entry, “Su Ling Towers” by Christopher Towers, shows a beautiful Geisha in an enchanting garden setting. Make sure to get close and then look down; a mirror “reflecting pool” shows the figure’s face.

Although some of the entries in this year’s contest are frightening, entries like this one are simply adorable. The Brown Shern Family offers perhaps the most diminutive scarecrow with their “Be Nice to Bees and They will Make You Honey.”

This year, S.C. arts superstar Jonathan Green serves as this year’s MOJA poster artist with his work, Precious. Green also serves as a juror for this year’s MOJA Juried Art Exhibition. Precious image courtesy of MOJA Festival.

The Marion County Museum is housed in a building that was built in 1886 by the Marion Academy Society, the area’s first public school. Today its wonderful Oral History exhibit tells Marion County’s story in its own words.

Beach Ball is characteristic of Jonathan Green's work. It features powerful African American figures, cloaked in billowy dresses and large hats set against a brightly hued coastal setting.

The S.C. Tobacco Museum in Mullins explores a time when tobacco was the lifeblood of the region. The museum is a recipient of the S.C. Heritage Tourism Award.

Renowned bassist Biscuit Miller heads this group whose funky soul and blues will delight crowds at the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival. Photo courtesy of the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival.

This North Carolina Bluesman combines a variety of downhome sounds including the Blues, rags and Tin Pan Alley tunes. Photo courtesy of the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival.

This singer and pianist from New York will entertain audiences in Camden Oct. 6-8. Photo courtesy of the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival.

This internationally noted septuagenarian blues legend works the West Side sound at the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival. Photo courtesy of the festival.

Atalaya is the host of the fabulous Atalaya Arts and Crafts festival.

The Historic Belton Train Depot is not only an important piece of local architecture; it’s also home to the Ruth Drake Museum and the S.C. Tennis Hall of Fame.

Headlining this year’s festival is the jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra, winner of multiple Grammy awards for Best Pop Instrumental Album. Photo courtesy of Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art.

Ball in the House brings its classic a cappella harmonies to Brookgreen Gardens during this year’s Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art. Photo courtesy of Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art.

This program about the struggle to save Sandy Island’s unique Gullah heritage and community also will feature a discussion and Q&A with producer Betsey Newman and historian Lee Brockington. Photo courtesy of Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art.

This year’s “table event” is The Hit Men, featuring three of Frankie Valli’s Four Seasons. Attendees will have the chance to decorate their table and compete for prizes like “Most Creative” and “Best of the Lowcountry.” Photo courtesy of Pawleys Island Festival of Music and Art.

Greenwood’s downtown will become a mecca for photographers Sept. 30-Oct. 1, with a full line up of speakers, workshops and gallery exhibits.

Visit downtown Greenwood on Sept. 30 and you’ll be able to visit any of the participating gallery spaces for free from 6 to 10 p.m. You’ll also be able to treat yourself to live music and “A Taste of Greenwood” at participating local restaurants.

Click 646 centers around the art of photography, but the weekend’s festivities will mean that there will be something for everyone in the Emerald Triangle the weekend of the event.

The Anderson Arts Center, housed in a beautiful converted warehouse space, offers rotating gallery exhibits, arts classes, and a marvelous shop selling locally produced works of art.

You will feel like you’ve lived in Winnsboro all your life after spending a morning with the warm, enthusiastic guides at the Fairfield County Museum. The museum is working on two new exhibits: one on local doctors’ memorabilia, the other on Native American history.

The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art is an integral part of The College of Charleston’s School of the Arts.

In the lobby of the Halsey Institute, take a second to check out the “Art-O-Mat,” which dispenses $5 take home art prints.

Head to Hagood Mill for their Old Time Fiddlin’ Convention, part of their “Third Saturday” series which presents music, folk life demonstrations and more once a month.

Head to the lovely 1896 post office branch on Meeting and Broad. The building, which houses the Postal Museum, was constructed in 1896 on the remains of the old police building which was destroyed in the earthquake of 1886.

Don’t let snow, rain, heat or gloom of night keep you from the Postal Museum, a fascinating one-room history of the city’s postal service.

Alessandro King’s new play takes us back to a time when Benny Goodman was the “King of Swing.” From left to right: G. Scott Wild as Benny Goodman, Roz Stanley, Bianca Raso and Sarah Crouch.

The Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture began its life as a school for Charleston’s newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. Today, as part of the College of Charleston, it works to preserve African American heritage.

Hopsewee Plantation is home to the Beattie family, who opens the doors to the historic 18th century home in order to share it with the public.

While the lucrative rice crop raised on Hopsewee made a fortune for its 19th century owners, the 178 slaves who worked here lived in cabins like this one.

The charming Georgetown County Museum tells the story of the people who made Georgetown what it is today. The building it’s housed in used to be a Masonic Lodge and before that might have served as a colonial-era banking house.

Tapp’s Department Store on Columbia’s Main Street is being reinvented as a center for the arts.

The renovations at Tapp’s include the addition of more than 20 artist’s studios, many of which have already been occupied by eager artists despite ongoing construction.

Many of the photo contest entries are portraits taken in North or South Carolina, like this photograph of a child that won last year’s Best in Show.

Photographers must live or work in Darlington County and (with the exception of the International Eye category) their photos must have been taken in North or South Carolina to be eligible for the contest.

The Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum in Myrtle Beach is an outrageous “odditorium” filled with unbelievable oddities.

This artist’s rendering shows what the USS Harvest Moon would have looked like before she was taken down by a Confederate torpedo in 1865.

These scuba divers were part of an effort to raise the Harvest Moon in the 1960s. The attempt was unsuccessful. Today the ship’s smokestack can still be seen at low tide.

The Rice Museum in Georgetown tells the story of the region’s most important crop with a 60-minute tour that includes the film The Garden of Gold.

Admission to the Rice Museum also allows you to view the impressive “Browns Ferry Vessel,” the oldest existing boat of colonial manufacture in the United States.

The Pickens County Museum’s current exhibit includes information about esteemed South Carolina tattoo artists like Paul Rogers, pictured here.

Modern tattoo artists use their clients’ skin as the backdrop for magnificent drawings like this one, Koi, by tattoo artist Brandon Pettit.

Another incredible, colorful tattoo shows that today’s tattoos really can be considered art.

In the complimentary exhibit, Adornment, Upstate artists explore the different ways human beings are drawn to “adorning” themselves. Here, Melissa Earley depicts an Eastern Coral Snake necklace and bead weaving.

Allen Coleman’s Racer Boy Bling Machine looks at how status symbols and tokens of wealth are another way we adorn ourselves.

The L.W. Paul Living History Farm gives visitors the chance to experience what it was like to live on a South Carolina farm in the first half of the 20th century.

One of the really unique things about the Living History Farm is that even though it depicts the past, it is the relatively recent past, as evidenced by these vintage movie magazines on the farmhouse dresser.

This replica of an actual local house of worship is home to the church’s original pews and pulpit, which date back to the 1840s.

This hard-working and sweet mule lives and works on the farm. She is responsible for pulling the plow that tills the soil on this working farm.

Sugar cane raised on the farm is harvested and then turned into syrup when it is fed into this mule-powered machine.

It’s confusing to many in Rock Hill who grew up thinking the White Home was called that because it was, well, white, but the house actually got its name after the White Family, who lived in the house for five generations.

The beautiful wrought iron fence at the White Home has a “W” monogram on the gate, but it didn’t originally stand for “White.” The family bought the gate with its initial on it from nearby Winthrop University.

A White Home board member saved this historic detail from being “repaired.” A 1926 tornado embedded this wood fragment in the house’s siding.

For nearly 60 years, Bashful Brother Oswald (1911-2002) was one of the most influential and talented dobro players in country music. For the majority of his career, he was the dobroist for Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys. Photo by Jim Herrington, courtesy of The Smithsonian Institute.

With the creation of the Grand Ole Opry radio program in 1927 on Nashville’s WSM radio station, country music saturated the South and eventually other parts of America. Photo from the Grand Ole Opry Archives, courtesy of The Smithsonian Institute.

Mahalia Jackson is widely regarded as the queen of gospel music. Growing up in New Orleans, she absorbed the blues of that city but dedicated her talent to her faith. She made her name with such powerful hymns as “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” Photo by Les Leverett, courtesy of the the Smithsonian Institute.

The great blues “harpist” James Cotton Throws heart and soul into his harmonica. Some call it a “harp.” Some call it a “Mississippi saxophone.” Whatever the name, the harmonica is a basic blues instrument. Photo by Kenji Oda, courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute.

Harmonica virtuoso Sugar Blue got his name at a Doc Watson concert when someone flung a box full of old records out of a window. He picked one up and saw the song title, “Sugar Blues.”

Songwriter and Iraq War veteran Josh Hisle met his perfect match in cellist Michael G. Ronstadt. Together they bring Hisle’s songs to life with remarkable truth and expressiveness.

Attending a performance by singer/guitarist Witt is a little bit like taking an around-the-world voyage. Singing in more than a dozen different languages, Witt is a musical ambassador.

Boulder Acoustic Society is rooted in the sound of traditional Americana, Blues and Gospel, but their sound has an undeniably modern, indie-rock edge.

The Catawba Cultural Center’s walking trail, located along an 18th century reservation wagon road, passes many interesting exhibits, including this reproduction of a 19th-century wooden Catawba house.

This totem on the Catawba Cultural Center’s walking trail is an artist’s depiction of the Yehasuri, mischievous forest spirits who like to bother little children.

This portrait of composer Phillip Glass is one of Abeles’ favorites. Image courtesy of Columbia Museum of Art, Phil/Fingerprint, 1940, lithograph, Museum Purchase with funds partially provided by Robert D. Ochs and Edward C. Roberts

Janet Fish’s colorful still life captures light as color. Image courtesy of Columbia Museum of Art. Diane’s Vase, 1998, oil on canvas, Fiftieth Anniversary Acquisition, Museum purchase with funds provided by Leona Sobel

The Upcountry History Museum hosts Greenville Chic: A Thirties Affair as part of the Greenville Lindy Exchange.

The Greenville Lindy Hoppers take to the floor with their fun, energetic swingin’ dance moves.

Greenville’s Lindy Exchange kicks off with a dance at the Upcountry History Museum with live music provided by Taryn and the Wednesday Quintet.

A scenic 30-minute ferry cruise takes visitors to Fort Sumter National Monument.

The monument at Fort Sumter commemorates the events of April 1861, when the first shots of the Civil War were fired here.

The Greenville Chautauqua is a weeklong celebration of “the ideas that changed America” with presentations by actors portraying Albert Einstein, John Muir, Mark Twain and more.

Since 2002, the Greenwood Arts Center has been housed in the city’s old Federal Building, offering arts classes for the community and visitors a chance to view exhibits of work by local artists in the galleries.

Fireworks celebrated the end of the 2011 Spoleto Festival at this year’s festival finale at Middleton Place. Photo by William Struhs, courtesy of Spoleto Festival USA

Setting a 2,000+ year old drama in the gospel-infused setting of a modern black church is just the kind of thrilling theater Spoleto delivers year after year. Photo by William Struhs, courtesy of Spoleto Festival USA

This year, the S.C. Festival of Flowers adds a new event: a Farm to Fork dinner of local foods hosted by Wyatt Farms.

Don Rigsby (pictured) and Midnight Call, J.D. Crowe and the New South headline the festival’s free concert on June 25.

Park Seed Company’s “Flower Day” gives visitors the opportunity to tour their test garden, which is full of more than 2000 different flower varieties in full bloom.

The Columbia Fire Department provides a fascinating look at firefighting through the years with exhibits that include antique fire engines, 19th century equipment and a memorial to firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.

The World War II-era aircraft carrier the USS Yorktown (aka The Fighting Lady) is the centerpiece of the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.

The Yorktown’s 40,000 square foot hangar deck is stocked with a great selection of military aircraft through the ages.

The moving Medal of Honor Museum aboard the Yorktown celebrates the Americans who have been bestowed with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669), 1658. Seventh state of seven. Courtesey of the Columbia Museum of Art.

This drawing, also known as The Hundred Guilder Print, is among the artist’s most famous. Arist: Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669), 1649. Second state of two. Courtesy of the Columbia Museum of Art.

Edisto Memorial Gardens was once the site of Civil War conflict. Today it’s home to more than 75 different types of roses.

The seemingly endless stretches of rose beds at the Edisto Memorial Garden provide a place for a relaxing stroll or leisurely picnic.

One of the great pleasures of a trip to Edisto Memorial Gardens is finding that one perfect blossom.

Because Edisto Memorial Gardens is one of 23 test gardens for All-America Rose Selections, some of the varieties are unusual and exotic.

The Saluda County Museum houses a large, hand-painted diorama that depicts two local heroes, Lt. Col. William Barret Travis and James Butler Bonham, who died defending the Alamo.

Piccolo Spoleto is the perfect complement to its “big sister,” The Spoleto Festival, offering more than 700 events including family friendly events and free and low-cost performances.

This year’s Sunset Serenade, a free concert at the U.S. Customs House, will feature performances by The Charleston Ballet Theatre and film scores played by the Charleston Symphony and Piccolo Spoleto orchestra. Photo by Peter Finger.

Unlike the Spoleto Festival, whose participants range the world over, Piccolo Spoleto features homegrown, Southeastern artists like Dee Schenck Rhodes, whose painting Gold Marsh was chosen as this year’s festival poster image.

Marion Square, always a hub of activity in Charleston, becomes even more lively during Piccolo Spoleto, hosting exhibits of local art, a children’s festival, and more.

Piccolo Spoleto presents a host of theatrical offerings, ranging from one-man shows to improv festivals to imaginative productions of classic and award-winning plays.

The Calhoun County Museum and Cultural Center’s current exhibit of John J. Ward’s antique maps traces the history of the South by tracing its changing borders.

Centuries-old oak trees, dripping with Spanish moss, soar overhead in Brookgreen Gardens’ Live Oak Allee. The oaks used to line the entry to the Brookgreen plantation and date back to the 1700s.

McCartan’s gilt bronze statue of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, presides over the Center Garden at the end of the Oak Allee.

Nestled among the dogwood trees is Riders of the Dawn, by A.A. Weinman. The roar of the fountain at the statue’s base mimics the sound of the horses’ hooves.

Sculptures are nestled in every corner, nook and cranny, all gloriously surrounded by nature’s beauty, like these impish figures resting on lily pads.

Visitors get the chance to walk amongst hundreds of butterflies at Brookgreen’s Whispering Wings Butterfly Experience.

Centuries-old oak trees, dripping with Spanish moss, soar overhead in Brookgreen Gardens’ Live Oak Allee. The oaks used to line the entry to the Brookgreen plantation and date back to the 1700s.

McCartan’s gilt bronze statue of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, presides over the Center Garden at the end of the Oak Allee.

Nestled among the dogwood trees is Riders of the Dawn, by A.A. Weinman. The roar of the fountain at the statue’s base mimics the sound of the horses’ hooves.

Sculptures are nestled in every corner, nook and cranny, all gloriously surrounded by nature’s beauty, like these impish figures resting on lily pads.

Visitors get the chance to walk amongst hundreds of butterflies at Brookgreen’s Whispering Wings Butterfly Experience.

Spoleto is honoring its founder’s centennial with a production of his 1946 opera, The Medium, about a fraudulent medium whose scam spirals out of control. Here’s a sneak peek at John Pascoe’s costume rendering for the character of Madam Flora. Photo courtesy of the Spoleto Festival.

Enter the fantastical world of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. This imaginative production uses intense light and color to create the opera’s dark, enchanting world. Photo courtesy of Angers/Nantes Opera.

The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County offers its community a wide variety of artistic programs, including wonderful, rotating exhibits of high-quality local art work in their Bassett Gallery.

Greenville’s annual arts festival, Artisphere, showcases artists from around the globe in a three-day celebration of the visual, musical (and culinary) arts.

Brian Olsen’s show, Art in Action, is a high octane show set to a rock and roll beat in which Olsen creates large-scale celebrity portraits to the delight of his audiences.

A local glassblower sets up shop on Greenville’s Main Street, complete with a 2000+ degree furnace, before a fascinated crowd.

This monument at Musgrove Mill is in honor of Mary Musgrove, a young woman who lived on the site during the Revolution. Little is known of the real Mary Musgrove, but thanks to a novel that imagined her as a Patriot spy, the woman took on legendary status as a Revolutionary War heroine.

Musgrove Mill’s informative walking trails give fresh insight into life during the Revolutionary War while taking you through some beautiful scenery. This lovely spot is the perfect place for a picnic lunch – if you don’t mind the chance of being interrupted, as I was, by a wild turkey!

Begin your visit with a trip to the Charleston Museum for an historical overview of the Holy City.

The Powder Magazine illuminates early Charleston history, taking you back to the early 1700s when the city was known as Charles Towne after the English king.

Housed in a former slave market, this museum is a haunting reminder of a dark chapter in Charleston’s history.

The Nathaniel Russell House has been immaculately restored by the Historic Charleston Foundation to it’s 19th century splendor.

The Aiken-Rhett House offers an informative audio guide tour and a rare look at the lives of the city’s enslaved population. Unlike the quarters at other historic homes, the backyard slave quarters here have survived hurricanes and earthquakes and remain intact today.

The Dock Street Theatre’s resident company, Charleston Stage, offers the chance to take in a show – as well as the theater’s lovely, newly restored interior.

Corella Ballet is known for its explosive mix of athleticism and traditional ballet. Photo by Jesús Vallinas

Cedric Andrieux performs his own autobiography in dance in this inventive show, conceived and choreographed by Jérôme Bel, that takes the audience behind the curtain of the dance world. Photo by Herman Sorgeloos.

Choreographer and visionary brings the same cutting-edge artistry that made the world tune in to the 2008 Olympics’ Opening Ceremony to Charleston’s Spoleto Festival this spring. Shen Wei Photo by Lois Greenfield.

Choreographer Emmanuèle Phuon breathes new life into traditional Cambodian dance in Khmeropédies I & II. Photo Courtesy of the Esplanade Singapore.

Tony Award-winner Garry Hynes directs The Druid Theatre of Galway in Martin McDonagh’s play about an Irish town turned upside-down by rumors of a Hollywood director coming to film on location. Photo by Ros Kavanagh.

The Kneehigh Theatre brings their inventive, theatrical sensibility to Hans Christian Anderson’s classic story The Red Shoes. Photo by Steve Tanner.

This autobiographical one-man show by hip-hop theater artist Lemon Andersen explores his early life in his Brooklyn neighborhood, loss, addiction and more in a style that combines drama with urban poetry. Photo credit Bjorn.

In his one-man show, Edgar Oliver introduces us to the motley crew of neighbors that share the decaying townhouse on Manhattan’s East Village that Oliver has lived in for more than a quarter of a century. Photo by Alice O'Malley.

Afterparty hosts Lake Carolina and Inspired Communities get into the recycling act, turning some old shoes into a sculpture that demonstrates that the neighborhoods are just “steps” away from all that Columbia has to offer.

This creation entitled “Alice in Recycle Land” imagines a fantastic Mad Hatter in a dress of aluminum cans, staples and thread.

Master banjoist Béla Fleck has spent his career combining the sounds of Bluegrass with World Music to extraordinary effect. Photo courtesy of Béla Fleck.

Trombone Shorty brings the sounds of his native New Orleans to the Holy City at this year’s Spoleto Festival. Photo by Jane Richey.

Dianne Reeves is returning to the Spoleto Festival this year as part of the Wells Fargo Jazz series. Photo courtesy of Dianne Reeves.

You can tell that these dancers, parading here as part of the Grand Entry, are competing in the Grass Dance category by the long, colorful streamers on their regalia.

While some of the dances at a Pow-wow showcase contemporary twists on traditional styles of dance, others focus on the history and traditions of the dance. Here, a Traditional Dancer sports the time-honored, feathered bustle.

Today, in what used to be Rock Hill’s post office and courthouse, you will find a gallery space, artists’ studios, arts organizations and even a yoga studio.

Peer through the post office’s old windows and you will see potters at work creating one-of-a-kind ceramics right in front of your eyes.

Rather than demolish the building’s beautiful courtroom with its magnificent plasterwork and chandeliers, Rock Hill has simply repurposed it. Today the room is rented out for special events.

The John Verdier House served as headquarters for the union army after after the Union victory in the Battle of Port Royal.

Indie Grits is a juried film festival dedicated to showcasing the work of Southern filmmakers and films with a Southern theme. Movie Maker Magazine recently named the festival one of the World's 20 Coolest Film Festivals.

The Florestine Collection is Columbia native Helen Hill’s last film. After she was murdered in 2007, her husband, Paul Gailiunas, finished editing the film. Its screening in her hometown promises to be an emotional occasion.

In this quirky short, a man who at age six had abandoned his quest to learn how to ride a bike decides to give it another go.

The Spring Fling is renowned for showcasing some of the South’s best artists and craftspeople. More than 300 people compete for just 90 spaces at the festival.

Henrietta Bennett’s wonderful sweetgrass baskets were just one of the varied arts and crafts on display at the Pendleton Spring Fling.

The culinary arts also are on display at the Pendleton Spring Fling. This local goat cheese farmer delighted hungry crowds with samples of their pimento goat cheese and feta.

While visiting the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, drop by the Shrimp Shack for fried food done right.

The York W. Bailey Museum chronicles the life of the Penn Center, an important institution that began as one of the first schools for African-Americans in the country.

The S.C. State House is not only the seat of our state government but an architectural gem. The pillars you see here at the top of the steps are unique in that each one is carved out of a single, large piece of stone.

The state house grounds are filled with monuments and memorials like this one dedicated to the men of the Palmetto Regiment who fought in the Mexican War.

The Greer Heritage Museum is housed in Greer’s old WPA-built post office. The building has recently been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

With a program of more than 40 runway shows featuring high end and emerging designers, Charleston Fashion Week offers something for every fashionista. Photograph by David Despeaux, courtesey of CFW

Charleston Fashion Week will host a whole day dedicated to tulle, lace and taffeta with their Spring Bridal Show on Saturday, March 26. Photograph: Ed Kavishe, courtesey of CFW

The Camden Archives and Museum provide a slice of the historic region’s history as well as assistance in tracing your family tree.

The Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail has named Gil Huggins the 2011 Quilter of the Year for his lovely quilts and his service to the community.

This beautiful quilt shows the precision, artistry and attention to detail that have made Gil Huggins the “Quilter of the Year.”

This museum, housed in what was once a slave auction gallery, details the history of Charleston’s role in the slave trade.

This neo-gothic “castle” is actually the old jail, which was built in 1855. Today it is home to the Colleton Museum, which celebrates the rich history of Colleton County, which dates back to the 17th century..

In addition to its indoor collection, the Hartsville Museum boasts a fine outdoor sculpture garden, including a topiary by Bishopville celeb Pearl Fryar and this piece, The Performance, by sculptor Lawrence Anthony.

Colorful guides bring Charleston’s rich history of revolution and piracy to life at the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon.

The Manigaults, who designed and lived in this magnificent three-story brick building, fled religious persecution in France to make a fortune in rice at their Lowcountry plantations.

The Cayce Museum traces the area’s transformation from an Indian settlement to an 18th century trading post to a Revolutionary-era fortification and finally to today’s thriving center of business.

Not only does City Hall host a portrait gallery on the second floor, it also has a basement level exhibit on the building’s history that’s not to be missed.

Dana Schutz, Missing Link Finds Superman, 2006. Oil on canvas, 66 x 60 in. Collection of the Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University, Wichita, Museum Purchase

J. Henry Fair’s evocative look at the earth’s changing landscape is on display at the Gibbes museum through March 2011. Expectoration, 2005, by J. Henry Fair.

Learn all about the history of telephones and making calls at the Comporium Telephone Museum in Rock Hill.

Exhibits at the Comporium Telephone Museum in Rock Hill show young people how telephones work and allow them to make calls the old fashioned way.

The Historic Columbia Foundation brought Christmas 1860 to life with candlelight home tours and nostalgic carriage rides.

The Aiken Center for the Arts has five exhibition galleries, offers art classes for children and adults and has one of the state’s best shops for purchasing local arts and crafts.

Built 40 years before the Revolutionary War, Drayton Hall is a masterpiece of Georgian-Palladian architecture, as evidenced in the building’s emphasis on symmetry.

Today the grounds outside of Drayton Hall feature rolling, green fields and lovely moss covered oaks. In Drayton’s day, the land would have been planted with crops and filled with grazing livestock.

Edgefield is the home to the National Wild Turkey Federation. Festive turkeys, decorated by local artists, line the streets of downtown Edgefield and were sponsored by the organization.

The beast, a powerful catapult, hurled arrows engineered to pierce metal
armor at Rome’s enemies. Here, a re-enactor demonstrates the Beast’s
dominance with this modern replica.

For the ninth year in a row, the Roman legion has set up camp at Givhans Ferry State Park for a weekend of artillery drills, machine demonstrations and talks on Roman life and culture.

For the past 15 years, Dalton Stevens has been putting buttons on just about anything he can find. You can see many of his creations, including a hearse, an outhouse and a coffin (all covered in colorful buttons of course), at the Button Museum in Bishopville.

Unknown Flemish (follower of Rubens) from the Bob Jones University Collection. Currently on display at the Bob Jones University Gallery on Heritage Green.

By George Henry Harlow from the Bob Jones University Collection. The BJU collection is rounded out with secular works, like this portrait of the legendary actress Sarah Siddons.

By Pompeo Batoni from the Bob Jones University Collection.

By Gerrit van Honthorst, called Gherardo delle Notti, from the Bob Jones University Collection.

Pirates, Privateers and Buccaneers provides visitors not only with the opportunity to see authentic pirate weaponry, but also allows them to handle reproductions, like this sword.

The infamous pirate Blackbeard’s ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, sunk just off the coast of North Carolina. Today, excavations of a wreck along the Carolina coast thought to be the QAR have revealed artifacts like this ship’s bell, cannons and fragments of gold.

Charleston will hold its annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Marion Square on December 4 at 4:30 p.m. Marion Square also is home to the fantastic Holiday Market on Saturdays and Sundays December 4-20. Photo courtesy of Charleston CVB.

The Rosemary Inn got a modern flair as local designers decorated the rooms of this 1902 beauty. From traditional to modern to whimsical, each room took on a different, enchanting character.

The S.C. Artisan Center will host a juried Holiday Craft Fair Nov. 19-20 featuring some of South Carolina’s best handmade pottery, jewelry, sculpture, paintings, baskets and more.

Lesley Dill (b. 1950), Rush, 2006-07, silver foil, organza, wire, 20 x 60 feet.  Collection Friends of the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College, State University of New York. Purchased with funds provided by the Ruth and Seymour Klein Foundation and the Neuberger Museum of Art.

Lesley Dill (b. 1950), Rise, 2006-07, 20 x 50 x 6 feet laminated fabric, hand-dyed cotton, paper, metal, silk, organza with cotton. Courtesy of the Artist and George Adams Gallery, New York, N.Y.

As part of Columbia’s “Vista Lights,” celebration, acclaimed fabric artist Susan Lenz will create “Find a Mate,” an art quilt that will be made of donated, matchless socks. Looking for a Mate (in progress) by Susan Lenz. Photo courtesy of Susan Lenz.

The John Fox House is one of 36 historic structures situated on the property at the Lexington County Museum. It was built in 1832 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Lexington County Museum offers 13 different educational programs for children free of charge. You don’t need to be a school group – informal groups of chaperoned children also are welcome. Call (803) 359-8369 for more information and to make a reservation.

Geter’s evocative pieces use paint, ripped paper, found objects and more to create haunting portraits of people in between two worlds like the work seen here, The Shadows of Our Former Selves. Photo courtesy of the Sumter Gallery of Art.

See Targeted Man #2, part of Twiggs’ “Targeted Man Series” at the Sumter Gallery of Art now through Oct. 29. Photo courtesy of the Sumter Gallery of Art.

The Historic Columbia Foundation’s annual “Scarecrows in the Garden” contest invites groups, local businesses, families and artists to create a handmade scarecrow. This is artist Judy Shackelford’s Molly and Bolly – a fun-loving take on the scarecrow.

Rosewood Florists’ Pumpkin Gump goes all out in its scarecrow spoof of cinematic pumpkin-head Forrest Gump. The scarecrow comes complete with a suitcase, a spot-on costume and, of course, a box of chocolates.

This vintage train car is one of three on display at the Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum. This car, a Pullman circa 1910, used to carry wealthy visitors to their “Winter Colony” in Aiken. Today the museum hopes to raise funds to transform the vehicle into a dining car to be used at special events.

Mepkin Abbey’s 2010 Crèche Festival presents the incredible opportunity to celebrate the holiday season with the Trappist monks who live there and to view the brothers’ collection of unique nativity scenes. While you are there, take the time to tour the grounds, where the natural beauty of the land combines with unique architectural features like the bell tower – called the Tower of the Seven Spirits – pictured here.

“Homecoming,” by renowned sculptor Stanley Bleifeld, is just part of the complex of historical panels, water features and works of art that make up the elegant Greater Charleston Naval Base Memorial. The base was operational for nearly 100 years before it was decommissioned in 1996 and parts of it, like today’s Riverfront Park, have been converted for public use.

George Long’s “Two Headed Ass” took home the prize for “Best in Show” at North Charleston’s National Outdoor Sculpture Competition.

The Anderson County Museum’s collection of everyday items is combined with expert commentary to give a full picture of the area’s history and people. Here, visitors take in the museum’s cotton gin, part of a wonderful exhibit on the textile mills that once drove this region’s economy.

The Museum of Education, tucked into a corner of the USC campus, celebrates the achievements of South Carolina’s remarkable educators. Here, Wil Lou Gray is honored in the museum’s outdoor window installation. Gray was a pioneer in adult education and an advocate for literacy.

Atalaya will host the 35th Annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival Sept. 24-26. The work of more than 100 artists and artisans will fill the rooms of this castle at Huntington Beach State Park.

Archer Huntington designed Atalaya as a winter home for he and his wife, Anna. He was a great devotee of Hispanic culture and included touches of Spanish architecture throughout the complex. “Atalaya,” is a Spanish term meaning, “watchtower.” It is an apt name for the home as this tower sits at the center of the courtyard.

Bill and Mary-Anne Collins’ colorful sculptures, like Looney Bird 1 seen here, often depict fanciful (and sometimes zany) fish and other animals. See their work and that of more than 100 other artists this September at the 35th Annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival. Photo courtesy of David Egan.

A window at Atalaya at Huntington Beach State Park is one of the many details that distinguish the castle, which will host the 35th Annual Atalaya Arts and Crafts Festival Sept. 24-26.

Cat Wondergem and Rick Steingress use the art of Gyotaku, or Japanese
fish printing, to capture the image of Southeastern fish in these
beautiful prints, like Mackerel, seen here. Enjoy their work and that of
more than 100 other artists this September at the 35th Annual Atalaya
Arts and Crafts Festival. Photo courtesy of Rick Steingress.

The beach clubs on this four-block strip of Main Street were the birthplace of shag dancing. Dancers in the 1930s began to morph the jitterbug into the slower dance we know today as shag.

North Myrtle Beach is proud of its legacy as the home of the S.C. state dance as evidenced by this silhouette of two shaggers adorning the city’s water tower.

Fat Harold’s walls are covered with old photos and memorabilia from the golden age of the shag. It’s still a year-round hot spot for shag dancing today. Its weekly Tuesday night beginner’s classes are a great way to get acquainted with shagging.

Offering what is perhaps the best collection of beach music and R&B in the country, Judy’s also sells an assortment of shag memorabilia and instructional DVDs. It’s also the place to go along the Grand Strand if you are looking for a pair of your very own shag shoes.

This oceanfront pavilion is one of the original spots for shagging. It's a hot spot for dancers spilling off the beach onto the open-air dance floor.

The Museum Mile Weekend allows you to visit 13 of Charleston’s best sites for just $20. One of the participating museums is the Old Slave Mart Museum, whose fascinating displays on the history of the slave trade are given added poignancy by the fact that the museum is housed on the very ground where human beings were once bought and sold.

Not only does the Gibbes Museum house one of the best collections of art in the south, but its rotating exhibits feature some of the most exciting work from around the world. Its “Charleston Story” exhibit tells the history of Charleston through a series of rotating works of art from its permanent collection. It’s a must-see for visitors.

Local musicians provide a festive soundtrack for the Main Street Marketplace, held every Friday through the end of October at Boyd Plaza outside of the Columbia Museum of Art.

Vendors show off art, crafts, clothing, soaps, handmade jewelry, even their novels at the Main Street Marketplace. Between 20 and 30 booths are set up every week.

The Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg boasts a 500-seat auditorium, black box theater, three museums, several galleries, artist studios, a dance school and more on its three-building campus, built in 2007.

The North Charleston and American La France Fire Museum houses a collection of fire trucks going back as far as 1785. Photo courtesy of the Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Robert Mills is best known as the architect of the Washington Monument, but he also spent some time in South Carolina, where he designed this beautiful, two-story house for the Hall family. The architect’s insistence upon absolute symmetry is evident in this picture of the home’s brick exterior.

The formal dining room at the Robert Mills House is displayed as if the Hall family is throwing a magnificent dinner party. In the early 19th century, dinner parties were a way for people to socialize and to display their wealth and status.

Elloree is a Native American word meaning “home that I love.” The love that the people of Elloree have for their town is what’s really on display at the Elloree Heritage Museum, which celebrates the history of this rural town.

Alternacirque is a truly unique company of performers. The company includes fire performers, hula hoopers, tribal belly-dancers, magicians and more. If you want to catch their monthly act at Artbar, get there early; the audience fills up quickly with Alternacirque’s loyal fan base. Photos courtesey of Alternacirque.

No one knows better why Columbia is known as “famously hot” than the fire performers in Alterncirque. The fire performers are just part of this thrilling act, which performs monthly at Columbia’s Artbar. Photos courtesey of Alternacirque.

From Sept. 23-Oct. 24, visitors to Charleston will have the opportunity to tour privately owned, historic homes that are not usually open to the public as part of the Preservation Society of Charleston’s annual fundraiser, the Fall Tour of Homes. Photography by Milton Morris, courtesy of the Preservation Society of Charleston.

The Fall Tour of Homes is a unique opportunity to experience the sumptuous architecture of Charleston from the inside. Buildings from many different eras will be a part of the tour, from Colonial to Georgian to 20th-century additions. Photography by Milton Morris, courtesy of the Preservation Society of Charleston.

Participating in the Fall Tour of Homes presents an opportunity to step inside private homes. These homes are historical gems that tell the story of Charleston. But remember, the tours take place inside people’s homes, so no backpacks or heeled shoes are allowed (heels damage wood floors.) And please do not touch any of the furnishings. Photography by Milton Morris, courtesy of the Preservation Society of Charleston.

A winding pathway at Clemson University’s Botanical Gardens is lined with one of the most impressive rock gardens you are likely to see. Before you even step foot inside the museum you are treated to a collection of quartz, fossils and other large mineral samples. Inside, more than 10,000 more specimens await.

What began as a small assortment of rocks inside the Geology Department at Clemson has grown into an impressive collection. From the gaping jaws of the saber-tooth tiger that meet you when you enter to the fascinating display of glowing rocks in the Florescent Room, the museum truly fulfills its mission to inspire a curiosity about the natural world.

At the Upcountry History Museum, high-tech video and interactive computer exhibits combine with elements like this happy porker that offer hands-on fun to guide kids and adults alike through the history of the region.

Walk through the doors of the Upcountry History Museum and you find yourself back outside. Well, in a way. The musuem is set amongst this almost life-sized re-creation of a town square. As you wind your way through the “town,” you also find yourself wandering through South Carolina’s past.

Internationally known photographer Jan Banning will exhibit his photo collection Bureaucratics at 701 CCA in Columbia starting on Aug. 5. The photos document civil servants at work throughout the world. Here, we see a civil servant at work in Bolivia. Photography by Jan Banning, courtesy of 701 CCA.

This beautiful tiered, organdy dress was worn by Marianna Howard when she married Benjamin Walter Taylor on Dec. 14, 1865. It is just one of the magnificent gowns on display at the Charleston Museum, now through Aug. 29. Photo courtesy of the Charleston Museum.

This bridal portrait is of Wilhelmine Dorothea Meyer upon her marriage to Adolf Gevert Hollings in 1914. The dress, veil with orange blossoms, kid gloves and pumps are on exhibit at the Charleston Museum as part of their exhibit, Aisle Say: 150 Years of Wedding Fashion. Photo courtesy of The Charleston Museum.

Greenville provides self-guided tours so that visitors can enjoy great public works of art like the sculpture Harmony by Ken Betsch and William Hobbs outside The Peace Center. Downloadable maps are available on the city website.

River Place is not just a destination for shopping and fine dining in Greenville. It’s also home to a vibrant artists’ colony, with more than a dozen open studios lining the first floor of the complex.

The Upstate Shakespeare Festival presents The Merry Wives of Windsor now through August 8 on its outdoor stage in Falls Park. All performances are free. Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnics.

The Daniel Morgan Monument was erected in downtown Spartanburg in 1881 to commemorate the centennial of Morgan’s victory in the American Revolution’s Battle of Cowpens. This battle is just one of the historical events illuminated at the Spartanburg Regional History Museum.

This depiction of Spartanburg’s downtown shows how much it has changed since the monument was erected. Cars have replaced horse-drawn buggies. Cafes and gas stations line Main Street. Spartanburg’s ability to change and adapt to its times is still a hallmark of the area today. Learn more about the changes the area has seen over the course of the past five centuries at the Spartanburg County Regional History Museum.

Grammy, Oscar, Tony and Emmy Award-winning performer Liza Minnelli will open the Peace Center’s 20th anniversary season with a concert on September 8. Season highlights include performances by Emmylou Harris, Darius Rucker, Mercy Me and Natalie Merchant.

This stately Federal-style townhouse belonged to wealthy merchant Nathaniel Russell. The Historic Charleston Foundation has meticulously restored the building to its 19th-century splendor.

The ornate ironwork above the building’s main entrance includes a large monogram. The cursive “N.R.” announced to all who passed that the lavish home belonged to Nathaniel Russell.

The lovely gardens that lead you to the Nathaniel Russell House visitor’s center were installed in the 1980s. Although the original gardens likely were laid out in a more formal design, this pleasing green space is a comfortable oasis on a hot Charleston day.

The Abbeville Opera House doubles as this charming town’s City Hall, but walk past the administrative offices and you’ll find a turn of the century treasure.

The Abbeville Opera House is authentically restored to its turn-of-the-century state but it is not a museum. The opera house is a working theater that presents a full season of theatrical offerings. Here the set is being built for a new play.

The S.C. Cotton Museum traces the history of “King Cotton” with interactive exhibits, original artifacts and a 3-foot tall boll weevil.

Catawba Indian potter, the late Georgia Henrietta Harris, is one of six South Carolina ceramics artists featured as part of the Columbia Museum of Art’s exhibit S6: Six South Carolina Innovators in Clay.

Georgia Henrietta Harris
American, 1905-1997
Bowl with Effigy Heads, c. 1973
Earthenware
Columbia Museum of Art, Gift of Georgia Henrietta Harris

Inspired by traditional Edgefield face jugs and the folk tradition of a memory pot, artist Peter Lenzo creates face jugs that seem to explode with found objects.

Peter Lenzo
American, born 1953
Still Trusting My Inner Voices, 2010
glazed stoneware, found objects and nichrome wire
Loan of the artist

Beautiful, functional and collectible, a wide array of examples of South Carolina-made pottery can be seen at the South Carolina State Museum now through December 2010 in the exhibit Tangible History: South Carolina Stoneware from the Holcombe Family Collection.

The designs on pots like this one were like a modern-day receipt; if the owner had a problem with a jug after they purchased it, the sculptor's unique design would prove the piece was theirs.

This painting titled “Jacob” is just one of the portraits by Jill Hooper on exhibit at the Greenville County Museum of Art.

Jill Hooper combines classical portraiture with a modern point of view in paintings like this one, Francis.

The work of innovative watercolorist, William Lumpkins will be on exhibit at the Greenville County Museum of Art through August 15th. William Lumpkins, Untitled Gray Triangle, 1940. Courtesy Peyton Wright Gallery

This work by Andrew Lenaghan La Grande Jatte, Reedy River and the Greenville Skyline from Room 623 at the Hampton Inn (2009) is just one of the many works of art on display at the Greenville County Museum of Art’s exhibit A Portrait of Greenville, which features works commissioned by the museum over the course of the past 25 years.

Driving down an ordinary suburban street in Bishopville, you stumble upon Fryar’s Topiary Garden, a three-acre oasis of whimsy and fantasy in the middle of a normal South Carolina town.

Pearl Fryar has been sculpting these topiary masterpieces since 1984. He began getting involved in topiary in order to win a neighborhood competition for best yard. Today he welcomes visitors from around the globe.

Hootie and the Blowfish will play the Family Circle Magazine Center in Charleston on Aug. 11. Audience members are encouraged to bring donations of school supplies to benefit needy schools in South Carolina.

Hootie and the Blowfish return to South Carolina with its “Homegrown” Concert on Aug. 11. The band itself is “homegrown” -- the band members met in Columbia when they were students at USC.

Captain Sonny White is just one of the 200+ South Carolinians featured in the S.C. State Museum's exhibit Palmetto Portraits.

One of the many South Carolinians featured in Palmetto Portraits is Leigh Magar of Magar Hatworks in Charleston. Near her portrait in the exhibit you also will find some of Magar's exceptional original millinery works.

The Gate Theatre performs Noël Coward’s Present Laughter at Spoleto Festival USA. Photo courtesy of The Gate Theatre.

Spoleto Festival USA presents Brazlian jazz artist Fabiana Cozza. Photo courtesy of Fabiana Cozza by Luiza Spinola.

Die Roten Punkte, Otto and Astrid Rot
Brother and sister rockband, Die Roten Punkte, rock the 2010 Spoleto Festival USA. Photo by Christina Fiedler.

Spoleto Festival USA presents the revival of Lucinda Childs' groundbreaking 1979 Dance. Photo by Sally Cohn.

Daniel MacIvor in This Is What Happens Next, in its U.S. Premiere at Spoleto Festival USA. Photo by Guntar Kravis.

Rock Hill’s Main Street now proudly showcases this large-scale wood sculpture installation, Ain’t Misbehavin’, by artist Patrick Dougherty.

Patrick Dougherty sculpts works like this one from wooden sticks and saplings. Passersby are invited to walk inside the soaring nest-like structures.

Femme dans un fauteuil, 1956
By Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881 – 1973)
Oil on canvas
39 ½ x 31 ½ inches
Courtesy of Esther and James Ferguson

Railroad aficionados will be fascinated by the number of historic photos, memorabilia and historical artifacts on display in this new museum dedicated to Spartanburg’s long history as a major railway “hub.”

The Hub City Railroad Museum had its grand opening on May 1. The museum, in the beautifully preserved Magnolia Street station, shares the history of this railroad town and reveals how Spartanburg got its nickname.

The Columbia Museum of Art has unveiled its latest acquisition, a 14-foot tall, 1600 lb. glass chandelier by renowned artist, Dale Chihuly. The piece was commissioned by the museum to hang in its atrium where its “Carolina Sunset” red, orange and gold colors greet visitors.

Myrtle Beach Mayfest features a number of concerts and meet-and-greets with a host of teen stars from Disney and Nickelodeon. And on Memorial Day weekend, the festivities will be kicked off by a free concert featuring American Idol Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks.

Jim Harrison Gallery

Independent Film Served Southern Style

Historic Dock Street Theatre Reopens

Historic Dock Street Theatre Reopens

Historic Dock Street Theatre Reopens