Who else could use some illumination in their lives right about now? If you are ready to get out and take social distancing to a whole new level, take a trip over to Brookgreen Gardens(~1.5 hours away) to see the out-of-this-world exhibit, “Bruce Munro at Brookgreen: Southern Light.”
Bruce Munro’s “Field of Light” | Photo by the CHStoday team
London-based artist Bruce Munro is known for his immersive light installations inspired by his interest in shared human experience. His displays convey messages of the connectedness of humans + nature, spirituality, and experiences.
The garden’s acquisition of the globally coveted display began when Brookgreen’s Public Exhibits Production and Logistics Manager Jon McGann visited Munro’s exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens in Georgia in 2015. He was captivated by Munro’s work, personally wrote Munro a letter, and pitched the idea to the Brookgreen board multiple times in the following years.
McGann’s dream played out, and Munro visited Brookgreen in 2018 to begin planning. After his visit, Munro stated, “My site visit reinforced the notion of a garden being made up from a series of interconnected outside rooms. It also left me with an impression that the ‘garden rooms,’ populated by figurative sculptures, were surrounded by an untamed landscape. It’s a magical place with an edge of the unknown.”
Take a look at his beautiful displays at Brookgreen, along with the incredibly interesting, clever + thoughtful inspiration for each piece.
Time and Again
Bruce Munro’s “Time and Again” | Photo by the CHStoday team
“Time and Again” was inspired byAyers Rock (a.k.a. Uluru) in Australia, and actually made its debut there in 2016. The steel “lilies” are marked with a time-code pattern, symbolizing Munro’s realization that 25 years after he saw Uluru, it had not changed, but he had. The vision behind this piece is that present time is linked to a significant past + an undefined future. Munro stated, “By day the installation lies dormant, quietly marking time of the clouds and sky. By night the central hub of each lily shimmers with radial starbursts of light.”
Click the button below to see six more of Bruce Munro’s incredible light sculptures.
○ On Sunday, DHEC announced163 new cases of coronavirus and 5 additional deaths in SC. That brings the total number of cases in SC of COVID-19 to 8,816, and the total deaths to 385.
○ The 2020 Cooper River Bridge Run has been canceled. Mayors John Tecklenburg and Will Haynie released the following statement announcing the decision late Friday: “Given the current circumstances related to COVID-19, we feel that it is time to cancel this year’s Cooper River Bridge Run. These are truly unprecedented times and, as the situation is constantly evolving, we believe that this decision is in the best interest of all our citizens and visitors. We are grateful to Cooper River Bridge Run leadership and staff for their partnership and guidance as we reached this tough decision and we look forward to working with them to make next year’s race the best one yet.”
○ Starting today, close contact service providers, fitness and exercise centers, commercial gyms, and public or commercial pools in South Carolina will be able to open in a limited capacity. Close contact service providers include barber shops, hair salons, waxing salons, threading salons, nail salons and spas, body-art facilities and tattoo services, tanning salons, massage-therapy establishments and massage services.
○ Restaurant owners in the city of Charleston can apply for temporary use of private property and public sidewalks for outdoor dining. Learn more here and apply here.
○ Publix supermarkets are now open daily from 7 a.m.-9 p.m., and the store’s pharmacies have resumed normal operating hours. The chain also announced that designated senior shopping hours and first responder / health care worker hours have been discontinued. (The Post & Courier)
○ The following Charleston County parks reopened over the weekend: Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Cooper River County Park, Folly Beach County Park, the Folly Beach Fishing Pier, Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve, McLeod Plantation Historic Site (self-guided tours only at this time), and SK8 Charleston. Find a full list of open county parks here.
○ Looking for a new position in the life sciences? A new job board matches employees displaced due to COVID-19 with life sciences companies that are hiring right now. Companies can post positions on the board at no cost. Check it out here.
○Charleston Southern University announced four areas of financial assistance for residential and commuter students experiencing financial strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relief includes room and board rebates, CARES Act student grants, and the establishment of a COVID-19 student relief fund. Learn more about each here.
Hey, there. Looking for today’s #MustDo events? In accordance with the
CDC’s recommendations regarding public gatherings, we have decided to postpone public event coverage for the time being. We look forward to bringing you Charleston’s #MustDo events soon (until then, feel free to submit your virtual events
here).
Yeah, dogs + cats may make you smile when they appear in virtual meetings, but what if an owl with a big-ole smile popped up on your screen?
Ensure your next virtual happy hour is a hoot by booking a South Carolina Aquarium animal to make a special appearance. For $100, you’ll get 15 minutes of Zoom time with your critter of choice.
While Pippin the barn owl is sure to make heads turn 🦉 , you could also book a snake for a call your employees won’t want to *hiss* 🐍; a sea turtle, to ensure you have a shella good time 🐢 ; or, book an alligator so you can *literally* end your call with “See ya later, alligator.”
Civic ○ The RiverDogs, in partnership with Boeing, have created a military Hall of Honor to recognize veterans in the Lowcountry. Two inductees – one chosen by a community committee, the other chosen by the public – will be recognized at Boeing’s Military Appreciation nights starting June 16 on the RiverDogs’ field. Nominate your local hero here and read the stories of awarded veterans here.
NowOpen ○ Wild Blue Ropes Adventure Park(1595 Highland Ave., James Island) reopened its high ropes challenge course with limited capacity and fewer climb times. Waiversmust be completed before arrival and allreservations must be made ahead of time online. Participants are asked to wear masks + practice social distancing while at the park to ensure the health of others.
Edu ○ Trio Solutions, Production Design Associates, The Bend, and Gary Coleman Photography have teamed up to offer drive-in graduation ceremoniesfor graduating students. Students will be able to walk across a stage and be celebrated by family and friends while taking social distancing measures. Interested parties can email to learn more + book a ceremony.
Celebrate ○ Charleston International Airport is celebrating graduating seniors with new #CHSSeniorSalute campaign. During the month of June, senior photos will be displayed throughout the terminal. If you want to participate, you can email a photo with the subject line “Senior,” and be sure to include your name + school. Submission deadline is May 26.
Dish ○ Butcher & Beeis working on adding new menu items designed to hold well in packaging due to take-out demand. The restaurant will also be introducing a weekly delivery service called FarmBox, featuring local, seasonal produce and meats + some custom items.
Read ○ Whether you’re planning your first post-quarantine beach trip or are staying in the comfort of your own home, check out this list of newly-released beach reads from SC authors that will keep you entertained. (Charleston City Paper)
Job ○ Preferred Home Services is currently hiring HVAC Installers in the Charleston area. Perks include a sign-on bonus, PTO and paternity leave, a company truck, cell phone + iPad and more.Some experience required; see details + apply.Ⓟ
PlanAhead ○ Don’t miss Furman University’s last virtual workshop on Thurs., May 21 at 12 p.m. titled “Leading Virtual Teams Effectively and Productively in the Era of COVID-19”. Yoram Solomon, author of The Book of Trust and CEO of the Innovation Culture Institute, will lead the conversation as he talks through the 7 laws of trust and 6 components of trustworthiness. Register here. Ⓟ
Franny’s Manufacturing –operated by Asheville, NC-based owners Franny + Jeff Tacy – has grown significantly within the billion-dollar cannabis industry over the last year. The company develops 50+ branded CBD products from “seed to shelf,” ranging from hemp beard oil to CBD gummies.
They’ve raised $112,800+ in investments and are stillaccepting investors with buy-in beginning at $300.More info here.Ⓟ
