This year’s South Carolina State Parks Artist-In-Residence program received nearly 100 applications. Out of the 20+ artists that were chosen, eight live in the Upstate.
Before we introduce the artists, let’s talk about the program.
Each artist will have the opportunity to be inspired by our state parks’ natural + cultural resources through a free, one-week cabin stay in one of 15 state parks:
- Upstate: Devil’s Fork State Park, Oconee State Park, Table Rock State Park + Lake Hartwell State Park
- Midlands: Barnwell State Park, Cheraw State Park, Chester State Park, Poinsett State Park, Dreher Island State Park + Hickory Knob State Park
- PeeDee: Little Pee Dee State Park
- Low Country: Edisto State Park, Givhans Ferry State Park, Myrtle Beach State Park + Santee State Park
In return, artists will produce an original piece of artwork for the park.
Here are the Upstate artists taking up residence in our state’s parks and the mediums they work with:
KC Christmas
Barnwell State Park, acrylic paint + paper collage
KC’s work for Barnwell State Park will be similar to her Upstate Waterfall series. | Photos provided by KC Christmas
Sarah Mandell
Dreher Island State Park, needle-felt + jewelry
Sarah’s experienced four consecutive residencies and her fifth will be in October at Dreher State Park. | Photos provided by Sarah Mandell
Margaret Vetter
Cheraw State Park, mosaic
Margaret’s mosaic work features small, colorful glass cuttings. | Photos provided by Margaret Vetter
Casey Shoub
Edisto Beach State Park, photography
The @upstateoutdooradventurer is leaving the mountains for the beach for his residency in Edisto SP. | Photos provided by Casey Shoub
“There is nothing I love more than spending a day in South Carolina’s nature capturing a new place while still taking the time to mentally enjoy my surroundings... and that’s exactly what I plan to do on this Residency. — Casey Shoub
Ellen Richardson Conner
Lake Hartwell State Park, photography
Esther Gambrell
Chester State Park, photography and digital painting
Michael Gambrell
Devil’s Fork State Park, astrophotography
Greg Hammond, Givhans Ferry State Park, photography
See the work of 2021’s Artist-In-Residence program here + the artists taking part in this year’s program here.
