Beaufort Lifestyle - January 2018

B EAUFORT, P ORT R OYAL A ND T HE S EA I SLANDS

J ANUARY 2018

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CONTRIBUTORS writers

photographers Cindy Reid

Susan Deloach

Cindy Reid has been published in About Town, skirt!, Salon.com and The Coastal Mariner. A graduate of Mills College in Oakland, CA, she spent most of her career working with authors in the retail book business before becoming one herself. She has a daughter who lives in the state of Washington. A native of New York’s Hudson Valley, she now makes her home on St. Helena Island.

Susan Deloach was born Susan Bessinger in Beaufort, where she still resides with her husband, Larry, and sons Hudson and Tucker. Susan has a gift for capturing the personality and unique essence of her subject whether on location or in the studio. Her portraits are as diverse as the personalities of the people she photographs some are edgy, some joyful, but all have one thing in common: the sensitive, skilled and thoughtful approach of the artist behind the camera.

Carol Lauvray

John Wollwerth

Carol Lauvray relocated from Ohio to Beaufort in 2011 to enjoy the pristine coastal beauty of the Lowcountry and this friendly, welcoming community. In Beaufort, Carol’s found more than a home--she’s found the ideal place to pursue her passions for history and writing. She became a docent for the Beaufort History Museum in 2013 and now serves as the President of the Museum’s Board of Directors. Carol has more than 20 years of experience in writing marketing communications and holds a Masters Degree in Organizational Communication from Ohio University. Her daughter Cristin and son-in-law Kevin live near Columbus, Ohio.

John Wollwerth is a photographer raised in New York, now living in Beaufort. He specializes in wedding and commercial photography, with additional background in portrait and stock photography. His work has appeared in such publications as The Washington Post, the Minneapolis Tribune, Coastal Living and South Carolina Homes and Gardens. John is involved with the Photography Club of Beaufort and the Professional Photographer of South Carolina.

He lives with his wife and three children.

Emily Burgess

Paul Nurnberg

Emily Burgess received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She is currently a stay-at-home mom to three boys and writes freelance. She moved to Beaufort in 2013 for her husband’s job and enjoys all the lowcountry has to offer.

Paul Nurnberg, whose studio is in Beaufort, SC, specializes in architectural and lifestyle advertising photography. He photographs a variety of subjects including people, products, food, nature and travel for ad agencies, large corporations and magazines. Local clients include Beaufort Memorial Hospital, The Vegetable Kingdom and Swanky J Boutique. Other clients include JCB, (UK/Savannah), Johnson Matthey, Parker’s Markets and Stertil­Koni. Paul also teaches photography and camera classes and one on one lessons to individuals. He just finished a twoyear term as president of the SC chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers

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Beaufort Lifestyle welcomes story ideas from our readers. If you have a story idea or photo essay you would like to share, please submit ideas and material by emailing Julie Hales at julie@idpmagazines.com.

Stories or ideas for stories must be submitted by email. Only feature stories and photo essays about people, places or things in Beaufort, Port Royal or the Sea Islands will be considered.

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JANUARY 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS 10

Bruce Dunbar

16

Motown Is In The Soul

22

KC Newcomb

26

Kevin McNamara

31

Beaufort Memorial Hospital

32

Local Business Closes...From Love

38

United Way Of The Lowcountry

Falconer of the Lowcountry

USCB In February

The Creator of Light At USCB’s Center For Performing Arts

An Irish Painter Makes Beaufort His Second Home

Valentine Ball Auction

Departments 09 Publisher’s Thoughts 35 Real Estate Section

16

22 06 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

10

26

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New Year Goals

PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS

H

ere we are, into another new year. I have a feeling 2018 is going to be a very good year for Beaufort Lifestyle.

2018 will be our first full year as a monthly magazine. So, you will still be seeing changes... some things being featured at different times, more themes throughout the year, more standard departments within the publication...we are all about change.

We also have more flexibility. Changing from six issues per year to twelve has given us the ability to be more timely... meaning we can publish more events and happenings....and it has given us the opportunity to bring our readers a fresh look each month...and to give our advertisers more opportunities to market their businesses on our pages.

Some of our goals are similar each year, mainly to bring you the best community magazine you can possibly have. This community has so much to offer and so many unique people.

We will continue to bring you some dynamite features on some dynamite folks! This is one goal we will reach.

We are also in the process of forming some new partnerships with some of our local organizations. These partnerships will be announced as the ink dries, so to speak, but will be a huge bonus to our community.

B EAUFORT, P ORT R OYAL A ND T HE S EA I SLANDS

J ANUARY 2018

We will also have several new advertising opportunities coming up in our next several issues. We are a small business and we understand the small business. So, we are developing new ways and campaigns to help the small business owners be a part of Beaufort Lifestyle.

We are your community magazine. The changes and additions we make are for you. We want the people of Beaufort, Port Royal and the Julie Hales, PUBLISHER Sea Islands to be read about their neighbors and colleagues.

We would love your input and any ideas you may have for stories and additions. You can email me at julie@ idpmagazines.com.

Help us make 2018 the best year for Beaufort Lifestyle!

Happy New Year!

ABOUT THE COVER General Falconry is a lost art! Well, it’s not lost here in the Lowcountry.

Meet Bruce Dunbar, a resident of Fripp Island. Bruce and his hawk, David, make a great team.

Read about them on page 10.

Bruce Dunbar

STAFF

Falconer of the Lowcountry

Julie Hales Owner/Publisher julie@idpmagazines.com

Naomi Forrestall Graphic Design

Lea Thornton-Allen Administrative Assistant lea@idpmagazines.com

Lane Leopard Administrative Assistant lane@idpmagazines.com

Beaufort Lifestyle is proudly produced by Independence Day Publishing One Beaufort Town Center • 2015 Boundary Street, Suite 330 • Beaufort, SC 29902 • (843) 379-8696 CIRCULATION: Beaufort Lifestyle is publlished monthly, printing 10,000 copies and distributed to over 200 locations.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2018

09

Bruce Dunbar

Falconer of the Lowcountry story by Cindy Reid photos by Paul Nurnberg

F

alconry is the hunting of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. Falconry is an art. It requires long hours, constant devotion, finesse, subtlety and skill. The falconer must train a bird of prey to fly free, hunt for a human being and then accept a return to captivity.

In a sport that started thousands of years ago, one might be surprised to find a practioner here in our modern world.

But really, nothing should be a surprise in the lowcountry, not even a current day falconer and his very well trained bird of prey.

Met Bruce Dunbar, General Falconer.

He and his hawk, David, make an elegant and sure footed team as they tramp and fly, respectively, through the gorgeous live oaks of a local pecan farm on a hunt.

David, a four and half year old Red-tail hawk, swoops and glides above our heads, never going far from Bruce, as they work in tandem in a present day illustration of this truly ancient art.

Being a falconer is something rare in our society. Bruce says, “There are only 2000 to 3000 practicing falconers in the country, out of 5000 licensed falconers.

It is a very long process to become a falconer, it requires a substantial amount of time and resources upfront, and it’s not something to be taken lightly. It is not just a sport. Falconry is a lifestyle.”

Becoming a Falconer Bruce, originally from Atlanta Georgia, attended Georgia Southern and graduated in 2013 with a degree in Biology. He says, “In college I wanted to do more with wildlife, but I didn’t know what I wanted to focus on so I started volunteering and then working at the Center for Wildlife

Education and the Lamar Q. Ball, Jr. Raptor Center on campus. “ He worked at Georgia Southern's Center for Wildlife Education for two years as a student volunteer and after graduation as Assistant Curator for two years.

Bruce says he became interested in becoming a falconer while working at the center. The center’s director and Master Falconer Steve Hein trained Bruce, guiding him through the laborious process and apprenticeship necessary to become a licensed falconer. Bruce is a currently a General Falconer and is now able to train others, although he stresses that becoming a falconer is a deep commitment.

David An apprentice falconer must catch their bird in the wild and are required to have a license and a sponsor before doing so or they can be charged with a federal crime and go to jail. A young hawk is captured in the wild, after it has learned to hunt, but before it is an adult. After capture, the extensive training begins.

This is not training a pet or exotic bird.

This is training solely directed in the art of hunting live animals as a team of human and bird of prey. Of training, Bruce says,”A falconer’s main goal is to earn the birds trust.”

Bruce’s bird David, a male Red Tailed

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2018

11

Hawk, was trapped by Bruce in Georgia in the winter of 2013. The training and expertise needed to train and care for a bird of prey is very extensive and requires much time, commitment and patience. Not only does the falconer need to train the bird, they must also learn everything about caring for a wild bird including learning to diagnose and treat raptor ailments, which can include fungal infections and West Nile disease. Their diet is specific; raptors are obligate carnivore and subsist on a diet of raw game meat such as mice and quail, which generally has to be mail ordered.

David weighs 2.2 pounds, which is a good healthy weight for this bird.

They are not what we would term sociable animals. Bruce says, “Red-tails are solitary animals and, outside of mating season, see other raptors as threats and competition.” They are entirely self sufficient. “David would be fine if left in the wild, he would be able to feed himself and would survive just as well as if he never been in captivity,” says Bruce, “ His lifespan would most likely be shorter though, hawks in captivity live up to and around twenty years, but in the wild only around two and a half years. “ Bruce uses a travel box to transport David to hunts and demonstrations and says “Hawks get used to whatever you

12 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

condition him to do. He does very well at demonstrations and will be perfectly content on his perch. As long as he is used to something he will do well. Stress for a hawk is whatever he is not used to.”

The Hunt Falconry is a hunting sport. Some falconers work with a trained hunting dog, others work as a team of falconer and bird only. Bruce and David work together, and Bruce’s job is to flush game out for David to spot and kill. Squirrels, mice, rabbits and other small mammals are what they are hunting. Bruce says the Red-tailed hawk needs open spaces. “Red-tails thrive best in open forests and fields. This is a hunter,” he says, “and he is constantly looking for movement.” David’s visional range is two to three miles but he doesn’t wander far; in fact you can almost always see where he is during the hunt.

Bruce says, “Red tails sticks very close because they need to be in the action.”

David follows Bruce, watching from trees, and he will swoop down in response to Bruce’s whistle commands. Small bits of food also bring the hawk down to Bruce’s gloved hand. Bruce says, “He sees me as a food source and responds accordingly.”

Seeing David in action is a thrill. All economy of motion, he flaps his wings

in forward propulsion, then flies in a silent glide. It all happens very fast. He is in complete control of himself and the situation.

Like all birds of prey used by falconers, David has bells fastened on his legs.

This is so the falconer can tell what the bird is doing and where he is based on the slightest bell sounds. Bruce says

he is always listening to the bell and can differentiate between the slightest variations and so knows where David is at any time out in the field. They are a team, man and bird, working together.

Watching the two work together one can see the years of training and trust that has been established between them.

There is deep respect and appreciation on Bruce’s part for what this magnificent bird

is able to do, and for what they accomplish together.

Lowcountry Life As regarding the past and future of the sport Bruce says, “Falconry has been documented as far back as 2000 BC, when raptors were being used by humans to hunt in ancient China. It is the predator most referenced in history.” And of today he says” Falconry is currently experiencing a renaissance in United States. It has only been in the US for roughly 100 years and the number of falconers has doubled in the past twenty years in the US. North America has brought new birds into the falconry world such as the harris hawk which is now one of the most used birds in the falconry world.”

Bruce lives on Fripp island with his girlfriend Jessica Miller, the Head Naturalist for Fripp Island. That works out well because as Bruce says, “When you live with a naturalist, it’s ‘oh we have a hawk living with us’, and takes it all in stride.”

After three years of professional falconry in the Brunswick GA area, Bruce is currently employed at Fripp Island and available for falconry hunts and demonstrations through On The Fly Outfitters out of Brunswick, GA. (Contact info is through their face book page or call Adam Hein at

912-536-5808.)

“Falconry means something different to everyone. It is a connection to nature that you can’t get anywhere else. It is a primal event and you are in the front row to the action.” He pauses and says, “Personally, it speaks to me and keeps me going.” Watching Bruce and David working together is a rare treat and speaks to all of us who in thrall to our natural world.

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2018

13

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15

Motown is in the Soul

M

story by Cindy Reid

otown and More, a new show debuting at the USCB Performing Arts in February will bring together some of our region’s best musicians, Marlena Smalls, Velma Polk, Elaine Lake and the renowned Lowcountry Jazz Band as they team up once again for a show that will play tribute to the great Motown artists. They will be performing music from Aretha Franklin, Dianna Ross, Gladys Night and the Pips plus a few surprise selections.

Beaufort is a small town with big talent. It doesn’t get any bigger than an evening with these three fabulous singers and Beaufort’s own celebrated jazz band lead by David Hershey.

Each is s star in their own right but when they team up- watch out! Any genre of music they chose would be good but choosing the music of Motown makes this an extra special evening. As Dr. Marlena Smalls says, “Everyone enjoys the Motown sound, it has the blues of the south, the New York sound, the Los Angeles sound and so Motown music represents the various sounds from many communities of America. At the same time as Motown’s popularity you still had the blues and rock and roll, but Motown is in the soul of all of that music.”

Marlena Smalls She ought to know, as Dr. Marlena Smalls is an internationally

16 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

photos by Susan DeLoach

known vocal artist and the founder and director of the The Hallelujah Singers. Born in Ohio to South Carolina parents, she began singing in Ohio and went to Central State University before embarking on her singing career. Dr. Smalls’ talents have taken her around the globe and she has toured heavily in Europe, performed for the Queen of England, and held a concert in the Frankfurt Opera House in Germany. In 1985, she founded the Gullah Festival in Beaufort, which would celebrate the culture and preserve its many traditions, and by 1990, she had formed the Hallelujah Singers to preserve the Gullah culture of the South Carolina Sea Islands. Dr. Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers have performed at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in Washington, DC and their CD Juba is now sold in the Smithsonian gift shop.

She is a sacred music vocalist, also singing gospel, contemporary, jazz and blues. Inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame in 2004, Marlena has performed for the Queen of England and many U. S. and international dignitaries.

She has worked with film producer Joel Silver and Academy Award winners Tom Hanks, Demi Moore and Glenn Close. In addition to many productions for PBS, SCETV and GPTC, she is known to international audiences as Bubba's mom in the Academy Award winning motion picture "Forrest Gump".

Of course the women will be visiting the hits of the Supremes and in addition Marlena will be singing “Try a Little Tenderness,” “Fever” and the Joe Cocker arrangement of “Unchain My Heart”

by Ray Charles. She says “We all had a great time last year collaborating on the Etta James show, and I am excited that I am a part of it again. This is something that is just good. The music makes you feel good. There is nothing better than sharing. Just share the good.”

Velma Polk A native Beaufortoian, Velma has sung professionally for over fifteen years. She has had the pleasure of entertaining for several highly ranked public servants, including South Carolina Lt. Governor Brantley Harvey, as well as members of the U.S. Secret Service. Velma credits her loving Granny for teaching her to harmonize and instilling her deep love of music, especially gospel.

Velma especially loves, “Singing praises for my Lord most of all because He has blessed me so.” Since her musical theater debut in “Honky Tonk Angels” Velma has appeared as a lead cast member in both “8-Track, The Sounds of the 70’s” and “Honky Tonk

Angels Christmas Holiday Spectacular” at USCB, amongst other show. An accomplished musician, Velma also plays the piano.

For this show, Velma will be performing the Aretha Franklin hit “Think,” done in the style of the Blues Brothers movie, as well as “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” among others. She says she loves working with her collaborators, “We are such a good team and work so well together. Honestly we are all worker bees!

Everyone, Dave, Marlena and Elaine are so talented but we aren’t in competition because we truly complement each other.”

She says, “This is the music I grew up with and it brings back such memories. That nostalgia is real and the artists of that era were so good, I like so many of them. Dusty Springfield is right up there for me, she is a favorite personally.” Velma says, “We are all really excited for the show and I know it is going to be really fun!”

Elaine Lane Elaine is originally from Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with a focus on performance. She was the recipient of the Mary Landon Russell Award for Outstanding Musical Achievement and was a four year member of the Lycoming College Chamber Choir and Tour Choir with performances in Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia. Some of her previous lead roles in numerous plays, musicals and reviews, including “She Loves Me,” “The Boyfriend,” “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” “Arsenic and Old Lace,” and “The Perfect Wife.” After spending eighteen years raising her two beautiful daughters Misti and Bayli, she appeared in “Honky Tonk Angels” and followed that up with roles in “8-Track, The Sounds of the 70’s” and the “Honky Tonk Angels Christmas Holiday Spectacular,” amongst other shows. Elaine wrote and performed two professionally recorded CDs for children, “My Room” and “Rockaby Moon.” In addition to her vocal talents, Elaine plays the mountain dulcimer.

As one of her solo songs, Elaine will be performing “Gee Whiz,” a number suggested by collaborator Marlena Smalls. Elaine says, “I have never sung this song before so it is fun and exciting to have a new song to debut!” Of her fellow performers she says,”We absolutely love working with each other, it is a joy to be on stage with these ladies, and the band. We have so much respect for each other.” She says, “I love the artists and the music of the Motown era, Velma and I sing several songs already in our show from that time. For many in the audience this will be a trip down memory lane. It is Motown and ‘more’ so there will be a few surprises as well. It is going to be a very entertaining evening for everyone.” www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2018

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The Lowcountry Jazz Band The Lowcountry Jazz Band is a sub-group of the Lowcountry Community Concert Band, which is sponsored by University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). They are primarily an academic group that promotes and curates jazz in the context of a large ensemble dynamic or “big band.” Band leader Dave Hershey is a retired US Army musician who retired after 24 years of service as a Trumpeter and Music Production Specialist. He has held the position of soloist on national and international tours, Principal Player, Section Leader, Group Leader, and Music Support Division Chief during that time period. His assignments were in Kaiserslautern, Germany; Ground Forces Band in Atlanta, GA; and the US Military Academy Band at West Point. Dave served as Chief Recording Engineer and Producer for the acclaimed West Point Bicentennial Commissioning Project. Dave Hershey is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and has been a member of LCCB for 2 years.

“I like Motown because it really started the cross pollination of the blues and introduced the blues to a much wider audience,” says Dave, “This concert will, at the very least, be fun because

18 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

music brings people together on both sides of the stage. In the Lowcountry Jazz Band, fun is the first ingredient to all of our rehearsals and events. Last year’s success has us all filled with anticipation for this year’s show.”

Dave says the musical arrangements were done by his old friend Paul Murtha, who was the chief arranger for the United States Army Band. He and Dave were at West Point together and Dave says, “I knew what he could bring to this type of show and he had done a wonderful job on the previous show so why change?” Dave says, “I was lucky enough to be in the audience for his music back at West Point, and we are fortunate to have him do these arrangements.” He says, “To sum it up, performing with these wonderful musical people is like preparing a special meal.

Last year’s recipe was Etta James and this year it’s Motown and more; when you start with gourmet ingredients and apply some hard work mixed with love….you know a memorable musical feast will be had by all.”

“Motown and More” will be performed February 17 – 18 at the USCB Center for Performing Arts in Beaufort, SC. Ticket prices are Adults $30, Senior Military $25 and Students $15 .

For further information go to www.uscbcenterforthearts.com

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KC Newcomb

The Creator of Light at USCB’s Center for Performing Arts story by Julie Hales

photos by Paul Nurnberg

L

ight has many forms…some as simple as the sun…others, more complicated and manmade. Sometimes light is simply used to help us see, to perform our jobs, to read, to see our loved ones. Sometimes, light is used to make us see things in a different way, to enhance, to beautify, to bring to life….to entertain.

Entertain…that is what happens within the walls of the theatre at USCB’s Center for Performing Arts. That entertainment comes in different forms…singers, actors, set designers, costume designers, stage hands, sound designers…and lighting.

“Light is the first element of design; without it there is no color, form or texture.”

Thomas E. Farin – educator, lighting consultant Lighting is a crucial part of the equation.

Without good lighting, even the best of the best may possibly not look their best.

So, the role of the lighting designer is, by far, an important element. And, USCB has one of the best, KC Newcomb.

KC was born in Hampton, Connecticut.,

but moved to her mother, Cora Newcomb’s, hometown of Beaufort when she was only two years old. She has called Beaufort her home ever since.

By definition, a theatre lighting designer works with the director, choreographer, set designer, costume designer, and sound designer to create the lighting, atmosphere, and time of day for the production in response to the text, while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety, and cost. (Wikipedia) Lighting designers know how to make the best use of the subtle and powerful medium of light, creating effects that can be changed at will to match the mood of the action.

KC Newcomb has been working at USCB since she graduated from Beaufort High School in 2005. She says, “During high school I did technical theatre. Shortly after graduating, Carol Knapp, a friend, asked me to volunteer to work back-stage with her with the Harbor Master’s Show.

I agreed. Shortly after, I met with the Technical Director and was offered a job.”

While working at USCB, KC attended Savannah College of Art and Design.

She graduated from SCAD Cum Laude, with a BFA in Production Design and a concentration in Lighting Design. “While working at USCB, I fell in love with theatre and lighting design. I decided this was the

best career path for me,” she says.

KC definitely chose the right career path for herself. As they say, as long as you are doing something you enjoy, it never seems like work. Well, this young lady definitely enjoys her profession. “Lighting Design is my passion – I cannot imagine doing anything else. I love walking into the theatre. It gives me a sense of calm and I feel at home there. When I walk into the theatre, before the show begins, before the lights come on, I feel like I am walking into church and sometimes I get chill bumps up and down my arms,” she said.

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2018

23

Many of the general public have no clue what a lighting designer does. We only know that we get to see the finished products that the designers have created.

KC shares with us a little about what a lighting designer does, “My mom likes to say, ‘I turn the lights on and off in the theatre.’ It is a little more complicated than that: I like to say I bring the show to life. We can have the same set for the entire length of the show and it can look completely different depending on the lights. I can invoke the mood of the

24 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

scene, the time of day, and the general atmosphere. I can make a sunset look romantic, scary or hazed over with fog.

I can make a living room look cold and frigid…or homie and warm.

KC says her most rewarding experience at USCB has been working with the children’s theatre. “I have been working at USCB long enough now that I have watched the children grow up and do great things with their lives – including working in theatres around the country.”

She also shares that her most challenging experiences has been doing amazing lighting designs with outdated equipment.

But, this is no longer a problem. Recently, USCB received funding from both Beaufort County and the City of Beaufort to do some renovating at the theatre. The renovations have been a God-send to the staff at USCB and they are so thankful to the county and city for all their help.

The entire renovation cost a little under a million dollars. Beaufort County contributed $500,000, the City of Beaufort contributed $125,000 and the University covered the remaining costs.

The renovations included updating the rigging, the over-stage battens, including a moving electric batten, updating the sound

system, adding surround sound, and (KC’s favorite part) a top-of-the-line full LED lighting plot -- complete with brand-new light board.

“These renovations have meant so much to me. They have given me the ability to have more range and more creativity in my designs. The lights are brighter, cleaner and easier to work with,” she adds.

She also points out that the renovations make the entire process a much easier one for everyone involved in the theatre.

“I would not be able to make my lighting designs come to life without the rest of the production team at USCB - Set Designer, Greg Rawls; Set Painter, Mary Ann Ford; Costume Designer, Pat Willcox; Sound Designer, Uri Tinsley. We are a team,” she says.

a r a Nam

S s i H c t r o f u M a e B n i s e v k Ke rish Painter Ma

e m o H econd

An I

story by Carol Lauvray photos by Susan DeLoach

E

ach year, Kevin McNamara travels 3,750 miles from County Clare, Ireland to Beaufort to capture the essence of the Lowcountry on canvas. Many days during December and January this year, you’ll spy him standing on the dock by the former Dockside restaurant in Port Royal under a large umbrella. With his palette of oil paints, standing in front of an easel, he’ll be painting the idyllic scene before him—the shrimp boats moored at the dock, golden marsh grass, and pristine waters of Port Royal Sound.

Kevin says he prefers to paint outdoors, reacting directly and spontaneously to his subject, rather than in a studio from photos.

He finds inspiration for his paintings in the waters here in Beaufort and concentrates on the effects of the changing light and colors. Kevin says, “A painting evolves over several sessions and I adjust the colors and their relationships as I go, using brushes and palette knives to create my artwork. I’m always trying to build a tapestry of paint marks that reflect the beauty I see and there’s a child-like enthusiasm to my approach. All paintings are just flat images on canvas, but when I look at a painting after I finish it and see there’s a spark of something special I’ve captured—I call it the ‘X-factor’—then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.”

Kevin first came to Beaufort four years ago with his wife, Rachael Montejo, a photographer with artistic talent in her

own right who studied photographic printing. The couple met in Cape Cod in 2013 and married in 2016. They heard that Beaufort was a center for art, came for a season then, and have been coming back every year since. “I love to paint in Beaufort because of the wonderful water scenes and the great network of bridges here,” Kevin adds. He says he has also painted scenes elsewhere in Port Royal and at the Gay Fish Company dock and other locations on St. Helena Island.

Raised in Dublin, Ireland, Kevin has been drawing since he was two years old. During his school years, his teachers would catch him drawing instead of paying

attention in class. Kevin says his father was a major influence in his life and a very discerning person. “My father would tell me specifically what I did well and what I could do better. He always encouraged me to paint every painting as if it were my last one.”

Kevin studied at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin where he earned his degree in 1985 in fine art painting and the history of art. A year before leaving college, he had his first exhibition as a part of the Emerging Artist Show organized

by Guinness Peat Aviation, and the same year he participated in the Young Artists exhibition in Dublin. Just as here in the U.S., Kevin is sought after in Ireland for his paintings featuring water scenes.

He participated in the show ‘Four Irish Painters’ on prestigious Cork Street in London with the Messums Gallery and Petley Gallery. Kevin says that his artistic inspirations are such painters as Impressionists Claude Monet, American Childe Hassam, and Russians Konstatin Korovin and Valentin Serov.

McNamara presented a selection of 50 works at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, Florida from November 2007 through January 2008. Gary Libby of that museum described him as “a painterly realist with leanings into Impressionism.”

Since that time, Kevin has participated in several one-man and group art shows in America, London and Dublin. In addition, he has completed a number of portrait commissions and teaches occasional painting workshops.

For the past 20 years, Kevin has been working in both the United States and Ireland. He was an artist for Walt Disney Productions in the Animation Department, www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2018

27

as well as working in Ireland and England, on such animated classics as Tarzan, Mulan, Thumbelina and All Dogs Go To Heaven 2. For those animated films, Kevin painted backgrounds to exacting and intense color specifications to precisely match them from scene to scene. “That work taught me to be extremely discerning about color and light and how they relate to each other,” he explains.

Kevin and Rachael now divide their time between a home and studio in Lehinch on the rugged West Coast of Ireland and living here in Beaufort. Their home in Ireland on “The Wild Atlantic Way” is perched 275 feet high on a mountain, overlooking rolling pastures dotted with cattle and the famous Lehinch Bay. From

"All paintings are somewhat graphic images on canvas, but the struggle building rich tapestries of brush marks through problem solving leads me to that unique and special something in a painting. When I get to that point, I have accomplished what I set out to do." their living room window in Ireland, the couple can see in the distance O’Brien’s Tower near the Cliffs of Moher. Kevin and Rachael say they would love to find a small cottage in Beaufort to purchase so

28 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

they could live here three to six months each year. They’d also like to develop painting workshops to present in Beaufort when they return next winter. Kevin’s paintings are handled in the Lowcountry by the Hagan Fine Art Gallery & Studio in Charleston, SC, www.haganfineartcom. To

learn more about Kevin’s work, visit www. kevinmcnamara.us.

About his craft and talent, Kevin says, “I have a very simple way of looking at my art and a real love and appreciation for God’s creation and the beauty of the scenes that I paint. I want to share that with others.”

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Valentine Ball Auction

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magine vacationing next winter in Colorado’s beautiful Crested Butte ski resort or relaxing in a five-star villa overlooking the stunning Knysna Lagoon in South Africa.

Maybe you prefer to stay closer to home and spend a week this summer in the scenic mountain community of High Hampton in Cashiers, North Carolina, or indulge in a six-night getaway to The Barclay, a luxurious condo in downtown Atlanta’s prestigious Buckhead, renowned for its upscale shops and trendy restaurants.

Whatever your fantasy getaway, you’ll have the chance to make it a reality this February when these extraordinary vacation packages come up for auction at the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Valentine Ball.

A highlight of the annual fundraiser benefiting Beaufort Memorial Hospital, the silent auction will feature an extraordinary collection of items that include everything from a Sunday afternoon oyster roast for 50 in the ACE Basin to a scotch tasting for eight on the veranda of the historic Secession house in downtown Beaufort.

The much-anticipated auction will take place at both the Cocktail Affair Feb. 9 and the Valentine Ball gala Feb. 10 being held at Tabby Place in downtown Beaufort. Descriptions of most of the 115 auction items can be viewed at www.Valentineball. cbo.io starting the second week of January. Select photos will be available for viewing.

To make it easier for bidders, items will be listed by category, such as travel, sports and art. Each item will include a minimum starting bid and minimum bid increment. Guests will have the opportunity at both events to submit bids on the website using their cell phone or other mobile device. They will be notified via text if they have been outbid.

Participants will need to complete a simple online registration before they can submit a bid. This year, online bidding on the silent auction items will accepted starting Feb. 1.

The auction committee chaired by Laura Beall, Melissa Derrick and Amy Lang worked diligently to secure a vast array of items ranging from the unique to most sought after.

Among the more unusual items being auctioned off is the “Five Alarm Firehouse Birthday for 20.” The party for little firefighters will be held at Station No. 2 on Ribaut Road and will include a tour of a fire truck, demonstrations and a fire hat and sticker for each child.

Busy guests may opt for the “Squeaky Clean!” item. It includes four hours of professional house cleaning, carpet cleaning, a $200 voucher for outdoor house cleaning services, detailed window cleaning and a $100 dry cleaning gift certificate.

The eclectic collection of auction items also includes: • A Lowcountry boil with beer and wine for 20.

• Installation of three 15-gallon trees of your choosing.

• A portrait session with a professional photographer.

• A Guided Hunt and Lunch for four at Ogeechee Plantation.

“We’ve got everything from a purse donated by a local boutique to a private ballet lesson,” said Foundation senior events manager Brenda Molony. “With such an extensive collection of items, everyone will have the chance to participate in the fun.”

Now in its 29th year, the Valentine Ball has raised more than $4.7 million to date for a wide array of hospital needs. Proceeds from the 2018 event are earmarked for the renovation of Beaufort Memorial’s surgical pavilion.

Deadline to purchase tickets for the Cocktail Affair and Valentine Ball is Jan. 12. For more information, visit valentineball.org or call the Foundation at (843) 522-5774.

www.BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2018

31

Local Business Closes…From Love Story by Gene Brancho

S

Photos from Eat Sleep Play Beaufort

mall businesses come and go…not just here in the lowcountry…but all across our nation. Generally, these closings are due to the economy or poor management. But, here in Beaufort, we have a local business closing…for none of the typical, standard reasons.

The journey for Joli Home Accents is coming to a close.

Mother and daughter owners, Cheryl Hunter and Allegra Craig, are closing up shop. This decision was made from love, due to Allegra’s illness.

Allegra Craig was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Sadly, the cancer has returned. This time, she will be fighting a harder battle and will be in treatment for quite some time.

The journey for Cheryl and Allegra began about 12 years ago.

After falling in love with gorgeous Beaufort and moving here from the Philadelphia area, the two decided to mesh their areas of expertise – interior design and event planning – to create a shop filled with items to decorate locals’ homes and to help Southerners entertain.

The original shop opened in October of 2007, located in Habersham’s marketplace. The ‘shopgirls,’ as they refer to themselves, gained a smattering of loyal local followers both in and out of the neighborhood. By the summer of 2011, Joli had outgrown its small Habersham space, and the girls decided to make the move to Bay Street.

Moving to Bay Street was a new adventure. It allowed the ‘shopgirls’ to truly achieve the mission they had from the beginning, to serve the local community.

“We love our out-of-town visitors,” explains Hunter, “And getting to know our neighbors and our community members was the icing on the cake. We’re going to miss our regulars, many of whom have become friends.”

Putting her family first, Cheryl is closing the store so that she can be there for her daughter.

“We’ve loved being here and have been a fantastic motherdaughter team over the years,” Cheryl said. “When a family member becomes ill, other family members must alter their lifestyle and take on some of the role functions of the ill person, which in turn affects their own normal role functioning. I need

32 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

to be able to be there for her, completely focused and completely available.”

The popular store will be open around January 16th for a five day closing sale. “Whatever is left over after our sale will be donated,” Cheryl says, pointing out that both Friends of Caroline Hospice and CAPA, two local organizations which operate thrift stores, will be the recipients of leftover merchandise and store fixtures.

From Cheryl and Allegra We’ve loved these days…

Many of you, our dear customers and friends, know that the younger partner in our mother daughter partnership was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. Some of you know that the cancer has returned. Unfortunately, Allegra will be in treatment for quite a while and the treatment is no picnic.

The older partner in this arrangement wants to be able to drop everything at a moment’s notice to be available for Allegra. All of the mothers who read this will understand. It is for this reason that we have decided to close our shop, Joli Home Accents.

To paraphrase an old Billy Joel song, we’ve loved these days.

We have loved being a part of our charming Bay Street shopping district. We have loved our fellow business owners. We have especially loved you, our customers. You have made Joli a joy to own and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Joli will reopen for a five day clearance sale in January. Please check our Facebook page and Eat Sleep Play Beaufort for dates and further information.

Again, we want to thank you all for your loyalty and patronage.

It has been a privilege and “We’ve loved these days.”

Cheryl and Allegra, The ‘Shopgirls’

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A Note from the UWLC Chairman of the Board

M

y name is Jon Rembold. I am very fortunate to be married to my wife Heather, who is my most trusted partner in this amazing and sometimes crazy journey we call LIFE. We have four wonderful children: Molly (15), Alyssa (13), Samuel (12), and Thomas (9).

I grew up in Western NY (Salamanca) but have been in Beaufort for 19 years. Heather and I often say that we got here as quickly as we could!

I’m employed as the Airports Director for Beaufort County. In that role I am responsible for the Hilton Head Island Airport and the Beaufort County Airport (Lady’s Island).

I’ve been with United Way for three years (almost) as a Board Member and have served as Chairman for the past two years. The United Way’s purpose or mission is to mobilize resources to solve human problems. Simply put, the United Way of the Lowcountry exists to help people, our neighbors, in Beaufort and Jasper Counties. The United Way of the Lowcountry partners with many local organizations to provide materials, services, funding to those in need through the Community Impact Program but also coordinates its own crucial programs such as the Help Line and the Early Grade Reading Program. It’s really amazing how many people volunteer their time to help with these programs.

38 January 2018 | www.BeaufortLifestyle.com

It’s immensely satisfying to see the human spirit that we are blessed with here in the lowcountry. The responses to Hurricane Matthew and then to Tropical Storm Irma were nothing short of heroic. The staff worked countless hours to help coordinate relief funding and to help connect people in need with the best agency to solve their particular problem. It’s humbling to realize that any one of us is really just one crisis or one stroke of bad luck from being in desperate need of help. We tend to feel invincible if we are employed and basically happy. But the fact is tragedy can strike anyone at any time. We need to remain thankful, humble and helpful.

Working alongside the United Way of the Lowcountry has been immensely rewarding. From the relationships I have cultivated with our awesome staff and selfless board members to the many volunteer opportunities that are available, I feel fortunate be associated with an organization of this caliber. You asked me to describe some of my favorite times with UWL. That’s a challenge but I can mention a couple as a sampling…A particularly gratifying and fun event was filling backpacks with supplies for school children who might not have the resources to arrive at the first day of school with all of their supplies. Being a Dad of four and having a teacher and administrator as a wife, I understand many of the dynamics that happen in these little ones’ lives. This event was a lot of fun and ensured hundreds of our youth were all geared-up for day one! Another rewarding event was a dedication that was made at the ribbon cutting for the new headquarters building on Ribaut Road in Beaufort. During that ceremony, we dedicated a tree to the memory of Jim McCornock, a truly dedicated and amazing member of our board and campaign leadership who recently passed away. Jim’s wife, Beth, was there with us to share that moment and it was a great way to honor Jim, who worked tirelessly for years to help raise money during our campaign. Jim is sorely missed, but, it is the memory and inspiration of people like Jim who make the United Way of the Lowcountry a special, meaningful, and impactful organization.

Local Partnerships United Way of the Lowcountry also partners with several local agencies who specialize in improving the lives of “at risk� children in poverty and those suffering from neglect and abuse. UWLC helps meet the immediate needs of our communityand works to create lasting positive change.

GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. Make a gift online at uwlowcountry.org or text LOWCOUNTRY to 30306 Mail Donations to: P.O. Box 202, Beaufort, SC 29901

START OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH PERFORMING ARTS!