Feature Articles


December Issue 2001

Enjoy Decorations, Carousel Exhibit and Luminaria Nights at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawley's Island, SC

It's that time of the year at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawley's Island, SC, when the natural wreaths and decorations show off the gardens at their seasonal best. Beautiful pine, magnolia wreaths and swags festooned with pinecones and holly are everywhere as Brookgreen's holiday season is underway.

And, if you prefer more action with your decorations, a beautiful display of carved carousel animals will be on exhibit in the Rainey Sculpture Pavilion through Jan. 2, 2002. Round and Round: American Carousel Figures, is a collection of six different carving shops that arose in the late 19th century and were active until the late 1920s.

On two December weekends, visitors will get the full festive impact of Nights of a Thousand Candles when hundreds of luminaria will be lining the garden paths as carolers and musicians amplify the seasonal message. Those events will be Dec. 7- 8 and Dec. 14-15.

The exhibition, Round and Round: American Carousel Figures, features twelve elaborately-carved animals, including four new ones that have not been shown previously. Carousel horses, lions and tigers, cat, leopard, zebra, giraffe and more will be featured. The gallery will be transformed into a magical setting that creates an authentic carousel atmosphere.

Six bejeweled reliefs entitled The Fantasy Life of a Carousel Horse by New York artist Marsha Tosk will also be on display, a whimsical expression that delves into the imagination of a wooden horse, sure to delight young and old alike.

The carousel figures will be displayed in the traditional carousel circle, with a tree of poinsettias festively decorating the middle. Visitors are treated to audio and visual delights as well, with a revolving mirror ball hung from the ceiling and music playing throughout the gallery. "Everyone, the young and the old alike, will enjoy this collection, especially during the holiday season when we all like to take the time to remember or to relive childhood memories," says Robin Salmon, vice president and curator of sculpture. "There is even the possibility that people will find a figure from a park that they went to, or that they took their children to."

The exhibit was designed with the direction of Charlene Winkler, a practitioner in the art of the carousel. It will feature carousel figures carved as early as 1902 and displays both the Philadelphia shop style - elegantly carved realistic animals used mostly for carousels in the nation's city park pavilions, and the Coney Island styles of carving - wild looking bejeweled animals for the newer, glitzy amusement parks in the northeast.

This delightful exhibit is complimentary and is open to the public daily from 9:30am to 5pm. It is made possible in part by a generous gift from the Burroughs & Chapin Co., Inc.

For four nights this holiday season, Brookgreen Gardens will host a holiday event unlike any other on the Grand Strand. Our candlelight celebration, Nights of a Thousand Candles, will be held Fri. & Sat. evenings, Dec. 7-8 and Dec. 14-15. Hundreds of luminaria will light the garden paths, creating an unforgettably beautiful sight that's already become a holiday tradition.

The festive spirit of the occasion will come alive with seasonal music throughout the evening from Vocal Edition, bagpipe player and pianist and other featured musicians. A Lowcountry feast of roasted oysters, soups and stews will be available for purchase each evening from 5-8:30pm.

The gardens will be open from 9:30am-9pm on these four days. Nights of a Thousand Candles festivities begin at 4:30pm. Special Event Ticket in lieu of the $8.50 gate admission is required after 3pm each evening. Tickets prices are $6 for adults, $3 for children, and free for members of Brookgreen Gardens. Ticket is valid for a single evening. Advance tickets are recommended, and they're on sale at the Welcome Center.

Brookgreen Gardens, located on U.S. 17 between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, SC, is the country's first sculpture garden where more than 500 works of American sculpture are displayed throughout one of the greatest public gardens in the Southeast. Brookgreen has just been named one of the top three public gardens in the South by "Southern Living" magazine for the fifth consecutive year.

In addition, the property contains wildlife and historical exhibits that reveal the distinctive life and land of Lowcountry Carolina. Brookgreen Gardens is one of only 12 institutions in the country accredited by both the American Association of Museums and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.

For further info check our SC Institutional Gallery listings or contact Mona Prufer, Vice President for Corporate Communications, at 843/235-6021 or e-mail at (mprufer@brookgreen.org), and on the web at (http://www.brookgreen.org).

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