I just realized that there are countless sites on the Internet that provide information about Brookgreen Gardens and that our photos and comments probably can't compete with the more professional works you can find. What I can promise you, however, is that my comments about the Gardens and the statues you see here are totally genuine and come from the heart. When we, as the "SCTravelersX3" go to a place it is
not for any 'commercial' or 'publicity' reason. It is because we have determined that the location has something that will enrich our lives in a unique way. And - we have concluded that by seeing it ourselves - and - sharing it with you, we will all be better
off!!! So, that's why we are here and why we say the things we do. I hope you can feel the sincerity of our feelings. At any rate ..... the grounds at Brookgreen are exquisitely serene and are an almost guaranteed way to bring some peace into your soul. As I might have mentioned before, we have been here many times in the past but it is almost as if every visit is the first time. Actually, you could almost design the kind of experience you want to have and Brookgreen could accommodate you. For example ... if you took the time to go back through our posts you would get to
one that showed our tour of the canals in the North and West of the property. Those waterways meander past the ancient rice and indigo fields that once were such a crucial underpinning of the economy along the South
Carolina coast. Or - you might find the pictures we posted from the Zoological Gardens that allow you to submerge yourself in the environment of the coastal denizens of our beautiful state and to see countless creatures "up close and
personal" that many - if not most - folks might never see in their lifetime. Or, you might even take a look across the highway if your interests lie in architecture or in the way people like the Huntingtons developed their "home away from home"
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| Raphell by Bruno Lucches |
when they purchased a new property. At Brookgreen, however, I think you will find all of these things - and more - all mixed into one incredible potpourri. It is a combination that, in my opinion, presents the most favorable features
of Anna and Archer Huntington. But - let's get on with things!! I'm not going to even attempt to tell you about the inner workings of Brookgreen gardens - how decisions about programs, displays, changes, etc., are made - but let me give you a very tiny picture of what
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| Boy and Panther by Rudulph Evans |
is going on now. Since the late 1990s the governing body of Brookgreen has had an aggressive "Artist In Residence" program that has brought in some of the most outstanding sculptors in the world - to give them an environment for creativity - so that they will have the
freedom and opportunity to express their most creative energies - and so that they can be accessible to those who love and support art in all its forms. An example of the kind of thought that led to the program (my interpretation) is the sculpture seen on the right - "Boy
and Panther." When I looked at that particular sculpture by Rudulph Evans it looked so fresh and new it was as if the artist completed it just a short while ago. When I found that it was based on Mowgli and Bagheera - the characters from Kipling's "The Jungle Book" I said "Aha!!" That makes sense. (Of
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Wings of the Morning - M.M. Fredericks
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| "Wings" is based on Psalm 139 |
course I was thinking of the version my son had watched in the mid '70s!!) It was only later I learned that Evans had completed the statue in 1919!!!! Whoa!! And then, I found that he was also the designer of the statue ofThomas Jefferson found in that fantastic forum at the Jefferson Memorial in ou
r nation's capitol I was stunned. Yeah .... I know .... I'm getting my years all tangled up. How can someone who lived from the 1870s until the 1960s have any bearing on what was done in the 1990s??? Well if you look at the concept of art and artists - it's clear. Artists - sculptors - speak a language that is timeless!!! It is vital that we expose our youngsters to these timeless geniuses who can show them that the beauty of art is a story that never grows old. To me the Jefferson Memorial is one of the freshest, most inspiring monuments in our nation's capitol and I love it. (And I find it unbelievable that it has been vandalized on occasion!!!!) But the point is that if we allow these amazing artists to show us the way we can learn how to appreciate the
entire spectrum
of beauty created on the surface of our planet - natural and man-made - and - perhaps - we can come to know how important it is for us to champion creativity more than conflict!!! Another thing about the statuary at Brookgreen Gardens I find refreshing is the emphasis on youth. Here you will find many, many statues that depict children, youths and young animals in all kinds of settings but what you have to be alert to notice is that this is not simply an emphasis on chronological youth - it is a celebration of the 'spirit' of youth. A spirit that, hopefully, never grows old in any of us. The youthfulness of thought, of creativity, of hope, of confidence. It is a spirit that, if we pay attention to it, might
just lead us in the right directions. When you get the chance, pay close attention to the poetry found throughout the garden. It reminds us of the value of art, of education, of respect for nature and, yes, of love. I fervently hope that Brookgreen Garden and places like it around our country and the world can continue to serve as gleaming beacons of hope, peace and love and that their messages will continue to shine forth with increasing effectiveness. We'll be back soon with some additional statues. See ya.
not for any 'commercial' or 'publicity' reason. It is because we have determined that the location has something that will enrich our lives in a unique way. And - we have concluded that by seeing it ourselves - and - sharing it with you, we will all be better
off!!! So, that's why we are here and why we say the things we do. I hope you can feel the sincerity of our feelings. At any rate ..... the grounds at Brookgreen are exquisitely serene and are an almost guaranteed way to bring some peace into your soul. As I might have mentioned before, we have been here many times in the past but it is almost as if every visit is the first time. Actually, you could almost design the kind of experience you want to have and Brookgreen could accommodate you. For example ... if you took the time to go back through our posts you would get to 
one that showed our tour of the canals in the North and West of the property. Those waterways meander past the ancient rice and indigo fields that once were such a crucial underpinning of the economy along the South 
Carolina coast. Or - you might find the pictures we posted from the Zoological Gardens that allow you to submerge yourself in the environment of the coastal denizens of our beautiful state and to see countless creatures "up close and 
personal" that many - if not most - folks might never see in their lifetime. Or, you might even take a look across the highway if your interests lie in architecture or in the way people like the Huntingtons developed their "home away from home"
of Anna and Archer Huntington. But - let's get on with things!! I'm not going to even attempt to tell you about the inner workings of Brookgreen gardens - how decisions about programs, displays, changes, etc., are made - but let me give you a very tiny picture of what 
freedom and opportunity to express their most creative energies - and so that they can be accessible to those who love and support art in all its forms. An example of the kind of thought that led to the program (my interpretation) is the sculpture seen on the right - "Boy 
and Panther." When I looked at that particular sculpture by Rudulph Evans it looked so fresh and new it was as if the artist completed it just a short while ago. When I found that it was based on Mowgli and Bagheera - the characters from Kipling's "The Jungle Book" I said "Aha!!" That makes sense. (Of 
r nation's capitol I was stunned. Yeah .... I know .... I'm getting my years all tangled up. How can someone who lived from the 1870s until the 1960s have any bearing on what was done in the 1990s??? Well if you look at the concept of art and artists - it's clear. Artists - sculptors - speak a language that is timeless!!! It is vital that we expose our youngsters to these timeless geniuses who can show them that the beauty of art is a story that never grows old. To me the Jefferson Memorial is one of the freshest, most inspiring monuments in our nation's capitol and I love it. (And I find it unbelievable that it has been vandalized on occasion!!!!) But the point is that if we allow these amazing artists to show us the way we can learn how to appreciate the 
entire spectrum
of beauty created on the surface of our planet - natural and man-made - and - perhaps - we can come to know how important it is for us to champion creativity more than conflict!!! Another thing about the statuary at Brookgreen Gardens I find refreshing is the emphasis on youth. Here you will find many, many statues that depict children, youths and young animals in all kinds of settings but what you have to be alert to notice is that this is not simply an emphasis on chronological youth - it is a celebration of the 'spirit' of youth. A spirit that, hopefully, never grows old in any of us. The youthfulness of thought, of creativity, of hope, of confidence. It is a spirit that, if we pay attention to it, might
just lead us in the right directions. When you get the chance, pay close attention to the poetry found throughout the garden. It reminds us of the value of art, of education, of respect for nature and, yes, of love. I fervently hope that Brookgreen Garden and places like it around our country and the world can continue to serve as gleaming beacons of hope, peace and love and that their messages will continue to shine forth with increasing effectiveness. We'll be back soon with some additional statues. See ya.
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