http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/jan/21/support-a-good-cause-for-paws-upper-king-gallery/

Support a Good Cause for Paws: Upper King gallery Aster Hall holds SPCA fundraiser

By Denise K. James, Special to The Post and Courier

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Aster Hall on Upper King is one of the city’s newer contemporary art spaces, and this weekend, a fundraiser for the Doc Williams SPCA in Berkeley County will showcase art and feature food and music.

Sean Ferneau, the gallery’s director, has been working with owner Angela Hall since 2008. “Our concept of Aster Hall is a boutique-gallery approach,” says Ferneau. “It’s a contemporary space, with not only art on its walls, but also accessories, home goods and other items.”

Provided

Aster Hall’s SPCA fundraiser will feature art, food and music. Proceeds support the Doc Williams SPCA in Berkeley County. Shown is Alex Loepold’s ‘Love Is.’

The Doc Williams SPCA takes in about 13,000 animals per year. It features a low-cost clinic where the area veterinarians donate their time to spay and neuter animals, while volunteers try to find adoptive homes. “I think they need our support as a community,” says Ferneau. “We are donating the commissions from the art sold that evening to the SPCA.”

The show will feature work by Southern artist Alex Leopold. The Atlanta artist is known for his contemporary pieces, using “found” objects as his medium. “There’s an organic quality to his work,” says Ferneau. “He uses everything from vintage photos to a rusted brass door-hinge. All of his materials have a past life.”

“I met Angela Hall at a festival in Birmingham,” says Leopold. “I grew up outside of Columbia, S.C., and I spent a lot of time in Charleston growing up. My stuff is all driven by colors, music, and nature. It’s deep references of my childhood in the South, growing up in Irmo. I grew up around nature, became inspired by it. I love living in the city now, but I’m really happy in the woods.”

The fundraising event at Aster Hall is Leopold’s first formal show in the Charleston area. Aside from his pieces, there also will be other donated works from area artists — more than 40 local and regional artists. Several Doc Williams volunteers will be present to explain the mission of the shelter and clinic and to accept donations. You also can purchase an SPCA T-shirt designed by Leopold.

“I’m grateful for being able to get my stuff back into my home state. Aster Hall is my starting point,” says Leopold. “As I get more chances to show my work, I hope to move on to other things as well.”

Snacks and drinks for the fundraiser will be provided by local businesses such as Avondale Wine and Cheese, Lana Restaurant and the Sweetwater Brewing Co. Guests may enjoy music by local funk band The Healing.

The fundraiser takes place 6-9 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $10 at the door, and all commissions from the art go to the SPCA.

“Animal shelters are constantly underfunded, and as an animal lover and owner, I’m glad to be part of this show,” says Leopold. “I am proud to be involved in such a worthy cause, generating awareness and funding, and I hope the event is a great success.”

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/nov/26/26teachers/

Lowcountry Teachers do the ‘write’ thing

By Denise K. James, Special to The Post and Courier

Thursday, November 26, 2009

The Lowcountry Writing Project is one of those “behind the scenes” organizations in our city that makes living in Charleston a more enriching experience. Originally started thirty years ago in San Francisco as the National Writing Project, the idea of “teachers teaching teachers” spread through out the nation to more than 200 sites, including our local LWP, directed by Thomas Thompson of the Citadel.

“The organization has been in the Lowcountry since the 1980s,” says Thompson. “It has always been physically located at the Citadel, but has not always been directed here. “

Thompson took the position of director in the late 90′s and dedicates himself to helping Lowcountry area teachers flourish within the program. “We improve students by improving the way that teachers teach,” he explains. “Because we expect our students to read and write well, we must do it ourselves.”

The LWP scouts out the best teachers in the area and trains them, via a special four-week program in the summer. “We try to get the word out to teachers about the program,” says Thompson. “We advertise in school district bulletins, we go to conferences–and sometimes teachers will find our branch after moving here from another place that has the program.”

The Invitational Summer Institute is the “core program,” and it helps outstanding teachers learn to instruct other teachers. After an application and

interview process, teachers go through rigorous training for four weeks, and emerge the program better able to share knowledge with their colleagues.

“It’s very practical,” says Thompson. “This is real life stuff, very hands-on. It’s all about learning what you can use in the classroom, to improve the experience for everyone.”

And the program is not limited to Language Arts teachers; according to Thompson they have had every discipline, including math, science and home economics. In fact, a recent conference dealt with using math and writing together.

Of course, the training doesn’t just end with the core summer session. There are plenty of “continuity programs” available for further enrichment. The classes are designed to help teachers continue their own post-graduate education, (and earn credit hours) with courses such as Professional Writing, Writing Children’s Books, and Writing Short Fiction. In addition there are “Study Groups,” which are small groups of teachers who meet regularly to discuss a certain book. (The groups themselves decide on the material.) Although the programs are open to anyone who applies to take them, they are mainly focused on teachers of K-12. The Web site of the LWP keeps teachers up to date on the courses offered, plus future plans and activities.

“We really respect the knowledge of teachers,” says Thompson. “We have a lot of exceptional educators in this area. And if we can just get them to share ideas and to motivate each other, everyone will be better off as a result.”