January Issue 2000
Essence of Beaufort & The Lowcountry compiled by Caryl Sweet
A Book Review
by Lese Corrigan
Essence of Beaufort is a book that is a compilation of essays, poems, drawings, photographs, paintings, and woodblock prints that describe the Beaufort area its essence as viewed by young and old. Many of the works are by school children, indicating an acknowledgement by a new generation of the natural wonders of this area. The crabs, fish, alligators and oaks command the attention of children and adults alike. The architecture and local characters are also represented in the work.
This is an intimate history of Beaufort, Hilton Head and St. Helena's Island, that is more documentary than literary. Included are a foreword by Pat Conroy and an image by Jonathan Green. The book promises on the title page to be "a community-supported, cooperative effort by and for the people of Beaufort County to benefit youth and the environment" with the proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Club of Beaufort.
Artwork is paired with descriptive poems and essays on what the individuals who donated their work find to be the essence of Beaufort. Much of this area is currently being destroyed by growth, modernization and development, and opinions thereof are included. There are some good and interesting facts to be gleaned from the text on subjects such as the Penn School, now known as the Penn Center, marsh tackies, a special breed of workhorses which has vanished from the area and Sam Doyle, the outsider artist who painted on tin scraps.
There are works of note such as Living on the Edge, which is an essay balancing personal stories, the natural environment and the bigger picture of humanity. Comeyuh Come Home speaks sweetly of pain and finding a sense of home. Sacrificial Fox is a poem about nature's destruction by man's construction. Included in the book is a lovely watercolor by Penny Royall as well as her fish print which is imbued with life and woodblocks by Dan Brown that capture the static stance of birds the moment before a human approaches.
It would be nearly impossible to write about the Lowcountry without a focus on its natural surroundings and beauty. Visitors feel the magic of the area almost immediately upon arrival. How else would so many, especially writers and visual artists, end up on these shores?
For anyone homesick for Beaufort or wondering what the area was like in simpler days, before traffic and bustle, this is an interesting read enhanced by the artwork.
Essence of Beaufort consists of 188 pages with color images, published by KC Newnham & Company available for $35. It can be purchased in Charleston at Chapter Two and at Beaufort area bookstores as well as the large booksellers in Columbia.
Lese Corrigan is a native Charlestonian who is an artist, educator, writer and consultant in the visual arts field. She also is manager of The Verner Gallery in Charleston.
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