Moving Into The Future
by: Gail Lang

Mission Statement for the Artisans Center:
The primary mission of the South Carolina Artisans Center is to showcase and market the hand- crafted work of our state's leading artists, while ensuring that art inspired by tradition is protected and nurtured. The non-profit center utilizes a retail outlet, interpretive displays of Southern folk-life, live demonstrations, and educational and informational programs as venues to communicate South Carolina's culture to the public. By promoting the indigenous fine crafts produced exclusively by South Carolina artists, the Center creates a better understanding of our rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The historic central cottage welcomes visitors with its lovely wraparound porch and overshadowing oak trees. This historic setting creates a pleasant atmosphere for visitors to enjoy the arts and crafts of South Carolina artisans. Having grown continually since its birth, the Center is now ready to expand and provide the rest of its vision, artists-in-residence, onsite workshops as well as an art studio area, museum, and resource materials for artists and public alike.

The city of Walterboro has made a commitment involving a neighboring, historic DeTreville house. Built around the turn of the century, the house is in a state of disrepair. With adequate funding for restoration work, it offers space for the Artisans Center. A Department of Transportation grant and matching funds from SCANA were used for initial renovations to the building.

DeTreville House

Working within historic guidelines, the Center set about stabilizing the building. The badly leaking roof was repaired. Extensive water and other major damage contributing to its deterioration have been repaired. Additional funding is being sought for further restoration. The DeTreville House will become an educational center with a workshop area, studio area, and perhaps even a museum area. Currently most workshops and seminars have to be held offsite. The additional space provided by the DeTreville House will help to centralize all aspects of the Artisans Center and enable further growth.

Add-on kitchen in rear of DeTreville House

An add-on kitchen, with no historical significance, was moved to the back of the main lot with the initial grant and SCANA funding. This building is destined to become the home for an "artist-in- residence." That single, one-room, old building will eventually serve as a site where school children and visitors of all ages learn what goes into art. Artisans Center staff looks at each building not as old wood that cries out for repair and paint, but as another means of achieving the dream of sharing and promoting our Southern art.

In addition to the education center and workshops, the Artisans Center will have a resource room housing unpublished documentation and videos. The Artisans Center plans to video tape artists in their shops telling the story of their craft and demonstrating their art for those unable to attend a live workshop. This resource material will be available to the public as well as other artists.

Future home for an artist in residence

In time, the plan is to build this complex of historic buildings into a complete art complex: museum, retail shop, workshop and resource facility. Preserving so much beauty to share with others is a truly wonderful thing. How soon will the Artisans Center reach its dream? The renovations are costly. The Artisans Center is currently seeking funding to make this happen. Donations to the Artisans Center are tax deductible. If you would like to help support this love of art and build this wondrous dream for the future, bringing the past, present and future of art together in one historic complex, send your donations directly to the Artisans Center. Their address is:

South Carolina Artisans Center
334 Wichman Street
Walterboro, SC 29488
(803) 549-0011