Current Exhibit

Mami Wata

Mixed Media on Canvas

48 x 36 x 2.25 in.

Legend: The Gullah Geechee, descendants of enslaved West Africans in the coastal Carolinas and Georgia, preserved deep spiritual beliefs tied to nature and water. Mami Wata (Mother Water), is seen as a divine spirit, often with mermaid-like features. Associated with healing, protection, fertility, wealth, and mystical beauty.

The Heron That Never Left

Mixed Media on Canvas

24 x 30 x 2.25 in.

Legend: There is a belief among some Hilton Head Gullah families that each family has its heron—not just a species, but a specific bird-spirit that lives in the marsh near the land where the family once lived or still lives.

Captain Braddock’s Pirate Treasure

Acrylic Ink on Canvas

40 x 30 x 2.25 in.

Legend: Captain John Braddock, a fearsome privateer-turned-pirate, was said to have buried his treasure on the southern tip of Hilton Head before he was captured and hanged. The ghost of Braddock, with glowing red eyes and boots that leave no footprints, is said to haunt the shores—guarding his gold wit

Water Spirit of the Dunes

Mixed Media on Canvas

30 x 40 x 2.25 in.

Legend: Tales of water spirits—ethereal beings that dwell in the rivers, marshes, and ocean surrounding the island. These legends blend Gullah traditions, European seafaring myths, and African spiritual beliefs, giving rise to stories of mysterious women in the water, guardian spirits of the sea, and sightings of mermaid-like figures.

The Pale One Who Waits

Mixed Media on Canvas

30 x 24 x 2.25 in.

Legend: This egret is not real in the usual way—it’s a keeper of memory for a Gullah family whose elders once lived nearby. It has returned not for fish or rest, but because someone in the family is about to make a decision that will echo forward generations.

The Coral Root

Acrylic Ink on Canvas

18 x 24 x 1.5 in.

Legend: A sacred coral root, hidden beneath the reef near the mouth of Skull Creek, was said to bind the stories of the Gullah ancestors to the whispers of the ocean. When storms would rise, the root glowed faintly — protecting the turtles, conch, and seahorses who carried messages between the living and the dead.