Moving Company in Bluffton

Our possibilities in the cultural arts continue to grow toward pre-pandemic conditions. I have recently joined crowds of arts enthusiasts as we weave our way through welcoming gallery spaces or are seated in concert and theater venues. Many consider an upturn in arts and entertainment to be a kind of bellwether to the way things were or the way we choose to remember them.

Here are a few arts and culture updates:

Famed Lowcountry artist Louanne LaRoche has brought her own distinctive vision to the Lowcountry. Known as a colorist for more than 30 years, she has combined her freedom of expression with her strength of representation.

LaRoche continues to experiment, exploring the relationships of color and texture. Her work has included Lowcountry settings or personal glimpses of times well-spent in Belize. Swimming and water references have been at the top of her past work, and her renderings of oystermen and shrimp boats in charcoal have captured everyone’s imagination.

LaRoche’s new work is a brilliant piece. The completely captivating, large-scale “Bird Land” is on view at Camellia Art, Fine Art Gallery and Framing, on Hilton Head’s south end. Her work may also be viewed locally at Camellia Art inside Banks Design mid-island and also on Calhoun Street in Bluffton. A dramatic departure from her earlier work, this 48-inch by 48-inch mixed-media piece in charcoal on canvas and crayon is breathtaking. In surprisingly brilliant greens, yellows and blues, it will stop you in your tracks.

“I think of birds and bird cages a bit like notes on a musical scale,” she shared, “or even a little like the improvisation I associate with jazz.”

LaRoche was born and raised in Pittsburgh and has been living in the South Carolina Lowcountry since the late 70s. Many associate her as the owner and director of The Red Piano Gallery on Hilton Head from 1980 until 1995. She founded the Red Piano, Too Gallery on St. Helena Island in 1991 and served as a board member of Penn Community Center on St. Helena.

“Fripp Island Friends of Music may be one of the longest running charitable institutions in Northern Beaufort County … that no one’s heard of,” commented Rick Stein, president of the Fripp Island Friends of Music. ”Prior to last season, canceled due to Covid-19, we were up to 36 seasons!”

The Fripp Island Friends of Music offers concerts of high-quality, world-acclaimed artists in a wide variety of genres. Their nonprofit status is due to their main mission of bringing high-quality music to students in the area. After a Sunday performance in the chapel of the Fripp Island Community Center, the artists present a mini-concert at an area school on Monday morning. The organization also supports the Beaufort Youth Symphony Orchestra financially and by offering musical trios or quartets to open some of their performances.

The upcoming season will feature: Hotlanta Dixieland Jazz, Oct. 17; Tom Knific Trio, Nov. 14; pianist John Sawoski with vocalist Michele Patzakis, Jan. 30; Appalatin, Feb. 27; Kyshona Trio, March 27; and singer/songwriter Rebecca Folsom, April 24.

More info: www.frippfriendsofmusic.com

I’m looking forward to the Gershwin musical comedy “Crazy for You” by the Southeastern Summer Theatre Institute. The all-new production, seen to by Joe Barrros, will feature performers who were auditioned in by SSTI professional staff as performing artists or as members of the crew. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. July 30-31 and Aug. 6-7; and 1 p.m. Aug. 1 and Aug. 8 at Seahawk Cultural Center, 70 Wilborn Road, Hilton Head.

Tickets: www.hhisummermusicals.com or 866-749-2228

“Mamma Mia!” continues through Aug. 22 at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina.

Tickets: www.artshhi.com or 843-842-2287

Leadership at the Main Stage Community Theatre (formerly Main Street Youth Theatre), which had a completely successful run of “Seussical the Musical” earlier this summer, shared that they are beyond excited to be back with not only a new name but a new vision, purpose and commitment to the community.

“Legacy Gullah Homecoming” showcases St. Helena artist Lisa Rivers’ in a bright and colorful homage to life in the South at Hilton Head’s Art League Gallery inside the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina at 14 Shelter Cove Lane.

The exhibit is Aug. 3-28. An artist’s reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11. An artist demo is at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7. RSVP for the reception and demonstration at [email protected]

Organist JooSoo Son will present an American Guild of Organists recital at noon Aug. 13 at Providence Presbyterian Church, 171 Cordillo Parkway on Hilton Head. She has been the traditional music director and organist at the church since 2012.

For Savannah Morning News

It’s 5:30 p.m. mid-July, 95 degrees with a heat index of 102. Four motorhomes have already arrived, parked in shady spots, with four more expected at Whippoorwill Farms in Ridgeland, S.C., a small working homestead just 30 minutes from Savannah.

I’ve set up my tent within a cool, cleared out grove of pines where a nearby, newly constructed picnic table supports my flashlight, cooler, and water bottles. The nightly tour begins at 6:30 p.m.

Near the farm’s entrance we assemble, a group of agri-curious tourists from Boston, various parts Florida, and the Midwest all traveling the I-95 corridor eager to learn about what farmers Marissa Paykos and James Young are up to.

Chickens dart and cluck within large, shaded corrals. In the distance deeper in the forest, pigs squeal and grunt intermittently.

“How’s everybody doing this evening, hot enough?” Paykos asks. She smiles widely, her young daughter, Ellie, and German shepherd puppy, Bolt, at her side. “Are you ready to learn about our humble operation here?”

We nod, smile, drink from our water bottles, and set out on a path around the farm.

Paykos and Young, a wife and husband team, began growing vegetables about five years ago on two acres in Jasper County, S.C. They enjoyed it and had success enough that the pair wanted to expand and raise livestock. Nearly two years ago they purchased 40 acres of overgrown, abandoned timberland in Ridgeland and began making their dream of Whippoorwill Farms a reality. Their mission — to build a healthy, sustainable ecosystem through regenerative agriculture.

We head further into the trees where a healthy canopy rises above a noticeably cleared out understory. Here, chanterelle mushrooms punctuate the forest floor in dotted orange splendor.

Paykos points to the side of the path.

“Do you see the leaf litter there?” she asks. “When we purchased the land, it had been clear-cut 20 years ago and then not cared for. Without any management invasive trees like sweet gum and Chinaberry grew fast, and everything grew like toothpicks. James came in with heavy equipment and thinned the trees — we want some pines, oaks, and pecans to grow. That leaf litter was 18 inches thick all over and nothing could really grow. We brought the pigs into this area to root and work the ground, and now we have mushrooms growing, the pigs helped do that. The mushrooms are signs of a working, healthy system.”

Regenerative agriculture is not new. In fact, Indigenous cultures worldwide have practiced different forms for millennia, rotating animals through forests and open spaces and growing certain plants together so that one will replenish the soil that the other depletes.

In part, it works like this: a domesticated species, pigs for example, work a specific, fenced area for about a week, foraging and rooting, their inherent behavior mixing, fertilizing, improving the soil. Then the pigs are moved to a different location, and the area rests. A few weeks later, chickens are introduced, and they work it, eating different plants and insects, again fertilizing the soil with their excrement. At some point a cover crop is planted, and that helps maintain soil moisture and nutrients. The rotation, then, begins all over again.

Regenerative agriculture is 180 degrees opposite of large-scale, present day farming where monoculture is hard law of the land. Monoculture — growing a high concentration of one species in one space — is enemy of regenerative agriculture.

The tour concludes at the vegetable garden where tomatoes, beans, and okra are popping.

“We don’t use any pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics or wormers,” said Paykos, as she points to a row of tomatoes. “You can see insects are munching on some of them, but that’s OK. Some insects on the vines are way better than dealing with chemicals.”

Paykos pauses, and then continues in a thoughtful, emphatic voice. “We’re doing this for our daughter so she can understand all of our actions matter. Everything we do has consequences. How we choose to live matters. If we can be a part of making the world healthier and more just, that matters most to me, to us.”

You can visit Whippoorwill Farms by registering online at Camp on the Farm—RVs and tent campers both welcome. You can also purchase their tasty meats and vegetables every Saturday at the Forsyth Farmers Market, every Sunday at the Root and Bloom Market in Bluffton, every Tuesday at the Hilton Head Coastal Discovery Museum Farmers Market, every Wednesday on Edisto Island.

https://whippoorwillfarmssc.com/about/

Forsyth Farmers Market

https://forsythfarmersmarket.com/

Hilton Head Coastal Discovery Museum Farmers Market

https://www.coastaldiscovery.org/explore/events/farmers-market/

Root and Bloom Market

https://www.discoverrootandbloommarket.com/about

Seasoned singer-songwriter Ron Keel is bringing his “Alone Acoustic” tour to South Carolina July 28-31, joining forces with non-profit organization Guitars 4 Vets.

Keel’s South Carolina Siege will begin at outdoor venue Awendaw Green July 28, followed by a show at the Roasting Room Lounge in Bluffton July 29. Next, Keel will perform at The American Legion Post 166 in Goose Greek July 30, where he’ll team up with members of the South Carolina Guitars 4 Vets staff. He’ll finish off his tour in Myrtle Beach, performing at local store Retro Active’s 16th anniversary celebration July 31.

The artist, who had hits in the ’80s such as “The Right to Rock,” and “Tears of Fire,” and who has toured with musicians like Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, Van Halen and others, considers himself something of a “metal cowboy.”

The moniker represents the dual nature of his current musical style: “That’s who I am. I had a big career in what they call heavy metal. The restrictions of that format really hit home in the early ’90s. We thought it was going to last forever, but nothing does. All I had left was my desire to create and entertain, and write songs and perform for people,” Keel said. He then discovered that he also possessed a talent for a different genre.

“I picked up the acoustic guitar and I started writing songs and they came out sounding like country music. So I developed a really successful career in the ’90s. I realized there’s two sides to my personality — one being the excitement, the electricity, the energy, of hard rock and arena rock. I also love the aspects of country music that allow you to tell a story about real life. And these songs are based upon the melody and the voice more than the glitz and the smoke and all the showmanship. So I tried to combine those two,” he said.

It’s a sonic mash-up that has earned him a loyal fanbase, with concert-goers following him to venues across the country. He’s looking forward to taking this act to South Carolina. Though it’s been over ten years since he’s toured with any of his bands in the state, it holds a special place in his heart — Keel lived in Charleston as a first grader.

The show will follow his typical Alone Acoustic format: an intimate, campfire-style show filled with songs from the musician’s past and present.

It’s a solo performance, but don’t expect Keel to sit sleepily on a stool, strumming his guitar.

“The Alone Acoustic shows are really special to me,” Keel said. “It’s kind of like skydiving. I have to walk on that stage with just my guitar, my songs, my voice. I’ll take you on a musical journey throughout my life and tell the stories behind the song. I have to hold the crowd with just those elements, so it’s a huge challenge.”

This series of Alone Acoustic shows is particularly important to Keel because of his passion for the Guitars 4 Vets program. The organization provides an alternative therapy for veterans suffering with PTSD, giving them a free guitar as well as free lessons, which often results in what Keel referred to as a “state of transformation.”

He first heard about the group in 2014. “I have a deep connection with Guitars for Vets,” he said. “When I saw what they were doing, I immediately knew I wanted to be involved.”

He quickly became one the program’s celebrity ambassadors. “We put guitars and the healing power of music into the hands of our heroes.”

Keel is grateful to Lee Burns, the Charleston division coordinator at the South Carolina chapter, for collaborating with him to coordinate a show that will support the organization. The Guitars 4 Vets staff will be his opening act for the June 30 performance at the American Legion in Goose Greek, helping him put on a celebration of veterans that will raise money and awareness for those suffering from PTSD.

To Keel, “music is the universal language,” and he is grateful to share it at every possible opportunity. He encourages concert-goers to stick around after the show — meet and greets are always free. f

Tickets for each of the South Carolina Siege performances are available through Ron Keel’s website.

July 2021, Bluffton, SC – The Vacation Company has strengthened its effort to connect with the South Carolina beach community through the help of a local leading media company, HiltonHead360.com.

With its solid followers and wide industry network, HiltonHead360.com (HH360) sure knows how to connect with different vacationers in the area. With the same goal, HiltonHead360.com promotes the sought-after Luxury Vacation Homes and villas on Hilton Head Island, The Vacation Company. Partnering with HH360 is part of The Vacation Company’s commitment to reach a wider audience.

It is also part of The Vacation Company’s unmatched marketing exposure. The property management company is known for its cutting-edge web-based tools to showcase properties to the world. In addition, they showcase an expansive portfolio of properties that can be checked online. They make sure that each property’s professional interior and exterior photographs are able to highlight what the property can offer to the rental guests. They even have 3D tours so potential clients can easily understand the layout of the rental property.

The Vacation Company has proven itself a leader in technology. They keep properties safe and secure with internet-controlled Yale door locks and systems. This allows property managers to control thermostats, lights, motion sensors, and moisture sensors. They are also able to detect any unexpected activity inside the property. These systems are extremely helpful in deterring theft as well as reducing energy costs.

On top of that, the Vacation Company also values excellence at work. They make sure that no property is neglected under their watch. With the Vacation Company, “each property is watched over by a trio of professionals, one Internal Property Manager, and two External Property Managers, to ensure no detail is overlooked.”

The Luxury Vacation Rental company on Hilton Head is also loved by many for its people. “Technology and dedication alone aren’t enough to make an experience truly memorable. It takes people, and people are perhaps Vacation Company’s biggest strength,” the company states.

Among the many friendly faces and tireless professionals who have helped set Vacation Company apart over the last three decades are the leading ladies of the company. The company is composed mainly of female leaders who are experts in their work.

To find Luxury Villas Rental in Hilton Head, interested parties may visit https://www.vacationcompany.com or call 1-843-686-6100. The short-term vacation rental and property management firm is located at 42 New Orleans Road, Suite 102, Hilton Head, SC 29928.

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For more information about Hilton Head 360 , contact the company here:

Hilton Head 360
Dan Monroe
(843) 247-7272
[email protected]
2 C Anolyn Ct Bluffton, SC 29910

Hilton Head Island got a little extra TV exposure recently, as a DIY Network episode of “Beachfront Bargain Hunt: Renovation” made its debut.

If you missed it July 9, you can watch the episode titled “Lookin’ for Low-Cost Renovations in the Low Country” at 2 p.m. Aug. 20.

The homebuyers working with Hilton Head Realtor Sherry Thomason on the episode are identified on the show as Kyle and Lindsay from Lake Norman, North Carolina. Through Thomason, they declined to share their last name.

The couple was looking for a condo in the South Forest Beach area for vacations and as a rental. During the episode, a camera crew followed along as they rode bikes past an alligator, kayaked in the salt marsh and played tennis. Drone video showed sweeping shots of the beach.

“The photography of Hilton Head was gorgeous,” said Thomason, who explained that filming took place over several months between February and May.

Thomason, of Weichert Realtors Coastal Properties on Hilton Head, showed the couple three condos in the $300,000 to $355,000 price range. Their budget, including renovations, was $375.000.

“The biggest obstacle in our house hunt is that the market is super hot,” Lindsay said during the episode.

Thomason said there were multiple offers on the condo they wanted.

“I was very proud of the end product,” she said. “It was a fun experience. ... More than anything else, it was a good experience for my clients.”

The couple worked with local contractor Ryan Chowansky of Bluffton Builders LLC to renovate the condo they purchased, and the episode showed them doing a few decorating projects with family members.

“I never thought I’d have a place this close to the beach,” Lindsay said at the close of the episode. “It’s amazing. We literally always thought, like, it was a dream, and we got it.”

Viewers can see the episode titled “Lookin’ for Low-Cost Renovations in the Low Country” at 2 p.m. Aug. 20 on the DIY Network. Please note that not all cable plans include DIY Network as an option.

Previous seasons of the show are available on the HGTV Go app and on Discovery+ online, but the current fifth season was not available as of July 16.

Those who want to see the episode via streaming can purchase it on Amazon Prime ($1.99 SD or $2.99 HD) or may find it on other paid streaming services such as Philo, which offers a free 7-day trial.