Time-honored crafts thrive in Charleston, thanks to local artisans who celebrate Lowcountry traditions. Think of skillfully woven sweetgrass baskets, deep blue indigo-dyed fabrics and objects that reflect the Holy City’s character. These are the crafts that keep us connected to Lowcountry culture while beautifying and enriching our lives. Visit the gallery to find these crafts, meet the artists and enjoy their creative expression.

Alethia Manigault, sweetgrass basket close-up

Aleathia Manigault is a master of sweet grass basket making, an art that came to South Carolina in the 17th century with the arrival of enslaved West Africans. The skill has been preserved by the Lowcountry Gullah community and passed down through generations. True to tradition, Aleathia uses local sweetgrass, bulrushes and pine needles, weaving them together into circular designs and binding them with palmetto fronds. Her award-winning baskets, each signed and dated by the artist, are prized by collectors.

Susan Livingston, a mixed-media fiber artist, works with natural dyes to create silk scarves, textile handbags, table linens and fiber collages. Browsing her work in the gallery, it’s easy to see that indigo is one of her favorite hues. Indigo was vital to South Carolina’s economy from the mid- to late-1700s, when it was grown to produce blue dye, primarily for English textile mills. Second only to rice as an export, indigo was also a labor intensive crop involving the toil of thousands. The beautiful blue hues in Susan’s fiber artistry honor the cultural memory of indigo’s place in Lowcountry history.

Selma Andrews brings Charleston’s character, and characters, to her jewelry and decorative objects. Her colorful “Charleston Lady” necklaces and ornaments are whimsical expressions of the city’s past and present characters. Selma works in lightweight polymer clay to craft each Charleston Lady bead for her necklaces, adding a floral or abstract pattern on the reverse side to create two necklaces in one. Each piece artfully captures the essence of an intriguing lady and, if they could talk, the lively stories and historic gossip would surely flow!

You’ll find many more handmade objects that reflect our local cultural heritage when you visit the gallery. We look forward to seeing you soon!