DATE:    1/22/04
CONTACT: Christine Drais, (864) 656-6205; cdrais@clemson.edu
WRITER:  Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741; spalmer@clemson.edu

Artist will restore sculpture
he built at Botanical Garden

     CLEMSON -- Charleston-based nature-based artist Herb Parker will
return in February to the South Carolina Botanical Garden to revision
"Crucible," the nature-based sculpture he built in 1995.
     "Crucible" was the Garden's first sculpture. There are now 12
sculptures scattered throughout the garden.
     "'Crucible' was installed nine years ago and remains one of the
Garden's most popular sites," said Ernie Denny, sculpture program
facilitator. "However, the impact of its popularity has resulted in its
needing a 'face lift'. Since next year is the sculpture program's tenth
anniversary, it seems fitting that we appropriately honor our inaugural
sculpture by inviting Herb to return to revision his creation, and to
make it more impact resistant."
     Each artist selects a site from various landscapes and habitats
throughout the Garden. Once a site is selected, the artists design a
work based on their impression of the site.
     "This site was chosen because of the presence of a natural
spring," said Parker.
     The sculptures are created from natural materials. Some artists
choose to only work with materials collected from or near the site.
Others prefer to work with material that is indigenous to the region.
Some prefer to use any natural material and some prefer to blend the
two.
     Parker has created many structures throughout the U.S., as well as
in Canada and Italy.
     He was born in Elizabeth City, N. C. and received a Bachelor of
Fine Arts from East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. He then
joined the United State Marine Corps and the Peace Corps before earning
a Master of Fine Arts from East Carolina.
     Parker is associate professor of art at the College of Charleston.
     The goal of the Garden's public art program is to commission at
least one major ephemeral, nature-based sculpture per year.
     The Garden is on the Clemson University campus at the intersection
of Highway 76 and Silas Pearman Blvd. It encompasses 295 acres of
gardens, streams and woodlands and is open year-round from sunrise to
sunset free of charge.
     Support your state botanical garden by being a "Friends of the
Garden" member. Contact Christine Drais at (864) 656-6205, for more
information.
      For more information on the Garden or the sculpture program go
to: http://www.clemson.edu/scbg/.
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