"The Spirit of Red House Plantation"
By Madeline Carol

It was an era in the Low Country when Charleston was surrounded by large and small plantations engaged in rice cultivation and the growth of cotton. The Low Country was a place of quiet, gently flowing rivers moving back and forth with the tide. Except for the voices of people working or talking, or the clatter of horses or the general splash of water by boats sailing along, it was an atmosphere of serenity. The marshes were pristine, and century old oaks were spread around the country side, draped with the beauty of Spanish moss. Successful planters put their earnings into beautiful homes, installing the luxuries of the Old Country. Gracing the landscape were ladies in large hoop dresses and gentleman in their coated outfits. This way of life, which seemed certain and prosperous existed until the War Between the States caused many of these plantations to become unprosperous or to fall into disrepair because of the death of their inhabitants or the loss of their fortunes. Union soldiers brought desolation to many of these fine homes. Fortunately for Red House, it became the headquarters for some New York Regiments during the War Between the States and did not fall to the invaders' torch.

Red House Plantation appears to have been part of what once was Cherry Hill Plantation. The original house was built somewhere between 1810 and 1850 by one Edward Bailey. The forerunner to this mansion appears to have been the William Seabrook Mansion built in 1810. Despite surviving the calamity of the war and the march of years, the mansion seems to have withstood adverse forces until WWII when it burned to the ground leaving only its brick chimneys.

Today, a visit to Red House Plantation is a meeting with the remnants of the past. There on what was the lawn of Red House Plantation are two large chimneys overgrown with vines. There is little that remains of the drives, the manicured lawn and the out buildings. Gone are the ladies in the elegant gowns, the planters who oversaw their plantation, and the inhabitants who once penetrated the silence of the setting. Left are the chimneys as a constant reminder not only of the frailty of our human existence but also of the footsteps that are left even by our temporary presence on this earth. But with a little emotion and reflection one can almost see the grandeur of a time past. The gentle breeze which moves off Bohicket Creek feels like the movement of spirits around the site and the natural beauty which overtakes you provides the energy for almost seeing what once was so typical of the lowcountry landscape.

Madeline Carol in the seventh and next to the last of the Spirits of Charleston Collection, captures this lost legacy. Red House Plantationis but an example of what could be painted of many other places across the Low Country. It is that which we had and that which we have lost. In"Spirit of Red House Plantation", Madeline Carol takes you to the site of one of these legends of the Low Country. While enjoying thepresent, she offers you that rare and enchanting trip back in time to a scene that once was.

In this exquisite print bursting with color are the semblances of life reinvigorating the ruins of Red House and creating the Ghost of the mansion that once stood there. The moss covered oaks and the blooming azaleas symbolize the annual growth and renewal that come from the rays of the spring sun.

Using renewal of spring, Madeline intensifies the hues in her watercolors to give you the same feelings as if you were there. Invoking the apparitions of what was lost in history, she treats the viewer to a scene that exists now only in the pages of history and the writings of people who once were. Not only can you see in the Spirit of Red House what once was, but also you can feel the present subtle quietness of this place with the sun's rays filtering through the moss-covered oaks, creating the bright mirage of a life that used to be. This gives the viewer a rare opportunity through artistic expression to travel back and see life in the plantation era. Through the webbing together of history, colors, and ghosts, she has the view encountering the spirit of Red House Plantation.

Madeline Carol, Capturing the Spirits
Art Gallery