MarshClasses are professional-level master art classes for people who want to explore an artform intensively with a recognized artist while soaking in the lush inspirations of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Premiering in October & November 2009 specifically to introduce visitors (and locals too) to the year-round pleasures of Lowcountry living, MarshClasses will bring together the talents of emerging, visiting, and master artists with the beautifying forces of nature: dramatic Spanish moss and graceful egrets, the salt breezes, crackles, and bubblings of the marsh, and the entrancing views of marsh grass surrounding distant palmetto-studded islands. Lodging packages, with partners the Inn at Town Center and the Beaufort Inn, are available, as well as additional arts-related, historical & eco-tourism activities. The classes are held at ARTworks, the home of the Arts Council of Beaufort County in Beaufort Town Center, and a full digital brochure is available at www.beaufortcountyarts.com.

"Each three-day master class is an intensive study," explained Trevor Foster, a potter for twenty years with credentials in ceramic chemistry, teaching, and artist co-op administration. “My inspiration came from observations of my surroundings and studies of cultures from around the world. In my MarshClasses, we will combine wheel throwing or hand-building techniques with Lowcountry nature, to produce art work that represents each participant’s view of their surroundings."

Much of photographer Eric Horan's master class will be held outside. An award-winning outdoor photographer, Horan has been capturing the natural beauty of the coastal southeast for over 20 years and invites other photographers to come along: "We'll visit nature preserves, pristine barrier islands, or travel the meandering intra-coastal waterways." Horan will share his local knowledge of what to shoot, where and when to find it, and provide useful techniques on how to approach subjects in the field. His work has been published in Business Week, Fortune, Time, Newsweek, the New York Times Sunday Travel, Travel Holiday, and Smithsonian, among others. His 2004 book Carolina Nature is working its magic on coffee tables everywhere: every time the images are seen, they offer privileged glimpses into the natural mysteries of the Lowcountry. 

 Painter Linda Sheppard encourages artists to express themselves in their own style, and inspires them to paint with the highest standards of artistic quality. "Students will work in oil or pastel from a live model, with the focus on drawing, composition, color, and value. The underlying abstract relationships between shapes and colors are significant elements in drawing and painting. I encourage them to think in these terms," explained Sheppard, who is a Fellow in the American Artists Professional League, a Signature Member of the Connecticut Pastel Society, and a recipient of an Outstanding Art Teacher award given by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2001. Her awards include the Gold Medal of Honor in the AAPL and multiple awards in national juried art shows.

Kim Keats' class, Basketry: From Tradition to Innovation, explores new approaches for creating both utilitarian and sculptural forms using traditional basketry construction methods, random weaving, and combination techniques. A 2010 SC Arts Commission Fellow, Kim Keats pursued her graduate studies in fibers at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and received an MFA from Georgia Southern University. Kim’s fiber works have been exhibited in the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, SC, the Museum of York County in Rock Hill, SC, the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, and the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida, as well as Palmetto Hands, Craft of the Carolinas, and Material Objects. Her sculptures are in the Mark B. Coplan Collection of Art at the South Carolina State Museum and the Medical University of South Carolina’s Contemporary Carolina Collection. "I'll provide tools, along with imported and locally-collected indigenous weaving materials," said Keats. "An optional materials gathering session will also be scheduled."

 "Lampworking allows almost anyone to learn to make glass beads safely using a torch," said Curtis Cecil, a self-taught glass artist from North Carolina with 30+ years of experience. "I blend traditional techniques with modern capabilities to create uniquely recognizable work," he concluded, summarizing not only his artform, but the careful approach taken in these MarshClasses at ARTworks, the home of the Arts Council of Beaufort County, a service organization dedicated to the arts here and now: 843-379-2787 and www.beaufortcountyarts.com.

 http://www.beaufortcountyarts.com/events.htm

August 15th, 2009: Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers

Street Music on Paris Avenue ~ FREE performance in the heart of Old Town Port Royal: 6pm Saturday, August 15th, Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers. 

Dwayne Dopsie Rubin grew up in Louisiana and is the son of the “King of Zydeco” Alton Rubin Sr. (aka Rockin’ Dopsie.) At the age of four, he played the washboard and, soon after, the accordion to follow in his father’s footsteps. After traveling the zydeco circuit with his family, including appearances on The Dolly Parton Show and Super Bowl 24, Dwayne started his own band and has continued in the family tradition of entertaining: CBS This Morning, The Travel Channel, Discovery, 20/20, Good Morning America and The Fox Television Network, a feature in Rolling Stones Magazine, and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.  Produced by the Arts Council of Beaufort County, 843-379-2787, and presented by the Town of Port Royal, this is the 4th series, fueled by popular demand. Bring your chairs and dancing shoes!

August 29th, 2009: true indie with the Modern Society

Street Music on Paris Avenue ~ FREE performance in the heart of Old Town Port Royal: 6pm Saturday, August 29th, true indie with the Modern Society. 

Formed three years ago over shared musical passions, The Modern Society came together like a big bang of the right place and the right time. After recording five demos and sharing them online to a good response, the band booked their first show with no expectations only to have 400 kids show up. By their third show The Modern Society was nominated for several Atlanta Music Guide awards and shortly thereafter entered the studio to record their debut, The Beat Goes On. 

Produced by the Arts Council of Beaufort County, 843-379-2787, and presented by the Town of Port Royal, this is the 4th series, fueled by popular demand. Bring your chairs and dancing shoes!

September 5, 2009: old-time string music with The Phantom Sheiks

Street Music on Paris Avenue ~ FREE performance in the heart of Old Town Port Royal:  6pm Saturday, September 5th, old-time string music with The Phantom Sheiks. In the fall of 2007 the Phantom Sheiks were officially born. Davis Inman and Kirk McAlpin have shared a tune or two over the last 15 years, but it was not until they went to the hills of North Carolina that they began to synthesize their love of classic radio tunes with their wide-ranging skills on the stringed instruments that they heard on early recordings from the deep south. Although temporarily separated by a state, they will set your foot to tappin’ if you are lucky enough to catch them at a party or festival. Armed with guitar, fiddle, mandolin and dobro, these Georgia boys will spin you an original yarn while delighting you with the twang of the great old-time string bands. 

Produced by the Arts Council of Beaufort County, 843-379-2787, and presented by the Town of Port Royal, this is the 4th series, fueled by popular demand. Bring your chairs and dancing shoes!

September 19, 2009:  an icon of original American music: Bill Kirchen & Too Much Fun 

"Bill Kirchen rules. It's just that simple. His no-nonsense diesel guitar attack, powered by great booming, bottom-heavy licks still covered with axle grease, is undoubtedly the real thing, scattering scorching guitar runs in all directions, it's all immediate, in your face and more than a little dangerous.” — Austin American-Statesman.

Street Music on Paris Avenue ~ FREE performance in the heart of Old Town Port Royal: 6pm Saturday, September 19th, Bill Kirchen, icon of American music, and Too Much Fun. Bill Kirchen has become widely known for the trademark big-rig guitar riffs that powered the Commander Cody hit “Hot Rod Lincoln” into the Top 10 in 1972. Since 1993, he has recorded seven critically acclaimed albums of his own that have made him one of the musical elder statesmen of today’s Americana music, He received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance 2001, and is considered a Titan of the Telecaster guitar by Guitar Player magazine. His new album is Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods from Proper Records. 

Produced by the Arts Council of Beaufort County, 843-379-2787, and presented by the Town of Port Royal, this is the 4th series, fueled by popular demand. Bring your chairs and dancing shoes!

Port Royal named one of "America's Coolest Small Towns"

(Port Royal, SC) - Port Royal has been designated as one of "America's Coolest Small Towns" by Budget Travel Magazine readers, receiving a total of 2,256 votes. The results of the poll were announced during the 8am segment of the CBS "Early Show" on April 15th, 2009 and will also be included in the October issue of Budget Travel.

1. Oswego, N.Y.
2. Rockland, Maine
3. Grinnell, Iowa
4. Vevay, Ind.
5. Huntington, Pa.
6. Onancock, Va.
7. Jim Thorpe, Pa.
8. Mineral Point, Wis.
9. Silverton, Ore.
10. Port Royal, S.C

For additional information, please contact Elizabeth O'Brien at 379.CVB1 (2821).

Beaufort - Port Royal Convention & Visitors Bureau Launches Website

(Beaufort, SC) -- The Beaufort - Port Royal CVB website launched on December 16th, 2008. The site can be found at over 180 landing page addresses including www.beaufortportroyalcvb.com , www.travel2beaufort.com and www.travel2portroyal.com.

The site includes a comprehensive listing of accomdations and hospitality members in Beaufort and Port Royal. Other features include numerous interactive maps showcase the countless activities available to visitors including historical trails and markers, beaches and parkes as well as a calendar of noteworthy events. Users may request information for hosting group events or meetings nad requets to receive visitors or relocation guides and information according to their interests. Additional listings and upgrades to the site are ongoing.

The site was designed by Lowcountry Style Marketing and Design, Inc.

For additional information, please contact Elizabeth O'Brien at 379.CVB1 (2821).

(Beaufort, SC) - Effective November 10th, 2008, Elizabeth O'Brien assumed the position of Executive Director of the Beaufort - Port Royal Convention and Visitors Bureau. O'Brien stated, "I welcome the opportunity to lead the Bureau's efforts in my hometown. The Bureau's mission to support and grown the tourism and hospitality industry in the Beaufort - Port Royal area provides the perfect platform for me to use my experience in marketing and online advertising to benefit the community I love.

Tourism provides nearly $1000 in property tax relief each year for the homeowners, creates entry-level and good paying jobs for resident and increases the opportunities for our children to have careers in their hometown. Tourism is second only to the military in supporting our local economy and it has never been more important to keep tourism strong and grow it in a way that protects what is unique and special about this area.

I look forward to working the Chamber, the Economic Network, local and state governments and our nearly 400 members. I hope we have a big turnout for the Marine Corps Birthday Party at the Beaufort Town Center this Saturday from 11am to 3pm."

For additional information, please contact Elizabeth O'Brien at 379.CVB1 (2821).

Inaugural United States Marine Corps Birthday Party at Beaufort Town Center

(Beaufort, SC) -- The Beaufort - Port Royal Convention and Visitors Bureau will host its inaugural United States Marine Corps Birthday Party on Saturday, November 15, 2008 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The celebration will occur in Beaufort Town Center in teh area between BiLo and the ArtWorks, home to the Arts Council of Beaufort.

The event, sponsored by the Beaufort - Port Royal CV and local businesses, is free to all local military ad their families. The general public is also invited ad encouraged to attend. Please visit Beaufort Town Center and wish our marines a Happy Birthday. Non-military attendees are asked to make a voluntary donation to the Marine Graduation Foundation, a non-profit organization that assits families who need financial assistance to attend the US Marine Corps graduation.

This family-friendly event is a compliment to the formal balls held to celebrate the United States Marine Corps' birthday. In addition to commemorating the Marine Corps' 233rd Birthday, it is an opportunity for our community to show our appreciation for our military men and women, their families and the many sacrifices they make for us all.

This fun-filled day will include children's activities, games, music, food and birthday cake. Local businesses will be present to provide special promotions. There will also be a guest speaker and the presentation of colors by the Battery Creek High School ROTC.