"Plantation Smoke House" A Plein Air Painting of a Historic Outbuilding at Hobcaw Barony

"Plantation Smokehouse" is my plein air painting of a historic outbuilding at Hobcaw Barony, a Historic National Site and research reserve of the Bell W. Baruch Foundation.




In the painting, shadows play on the white side of the smoke house, as Spanish moss sways in the breeze from nearby Winyah Bay.
I used color contrasts and value changes to direct the viewer's eye from the moss filled tree at left, across the smokehouse and off through the shadows to the water in the distance.

"Plantation Smoke House"
Oil on panel
Size: 11" x 14"
Price on request

Hobcaw Barony is composed of land that was granted in 1718 as a "barony" to English royalty. It was later sold and subdivided into plantations extending from the Waccamaw River to the Atlantic Ocean. The word "Hobcaw" is a Native American term meaning "between the waters".

The antebellum smokehouse at Hobcaw was used to cure game caught by the hunting parties to the Barony when it was used as a winter hunting retreat by Bernard Baruch in the early 1900's . Duck, turkey, deer, quail, foxes, and wild boar were hunted by distinguished guests, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill .

"Friendfield Slave Village Church" plein air painting amid preservation work

Friendfield Village was home to enslaved Africans and later freedman who lived in the cabins from the early 1800's until 1952. In addition to homes, the village eventually included a school house, doctor's office, and church. The church at Friendfield was built in 1890 with the addition of the bell tower in 1905.

"Friendfield Village Church"
Oil painting on panel
Dimensions : 14" x 11"
Price on request

I had the privileged of joining artists from the Plein Air Landscape Society (PALS) to paint on location at Hobcaw Barony, a 17,500 acre research reserve and historic site managed by the Belle W. Baruch Foundation.

As we painted, work was in progress to preserve and stabilize the wood structures in this former slave community.

Brick footings and fireplaces have been strengthened, roofs repaired and cabins painted.


As at other historic sites in the SC Lowcountry (click here for Magnolia Plantation Slave Cabin Restoration Project), the Belle W. Baruch Foundation realizes the value of preserving the buildings at Friendfield Village to show how enslaved Africans lived on this southern plantation during the days of growing "Carolina Gold" rice in tidal rice fields during the 1800's and later as freedman descendants of slaves continued to live and work on the land when it became a winter hunting retreat in the 20th century. Click here to see a historic photo of a wedding party heading to the Friendfield Church.

Three Generations of a Lowcountry Family at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Members of the Leach family have lived and worked at Magnolia Plantation for generations Their family story is an important part of a new project at Magnolia Plantation to tell the history of the men and women who have worked here for over three centuries.

At 86, Mr. Johnny Leach is still an active member of the Magnolia Gardens staff. Mr. Isaac Leach (age 50) keeps the gardens beautiful for visitors by working on insect and disease control on the many historic plant species, in addition to maintaining the properties numerous ponds. Jackson Leach (age 18) works in grounds keeping and will be a historical interpreter when the newly restored cabins are open to the public.

Isaac, Jackson, and Mr. Johnny Leach revisited their former home on what they refer to as "the street" today to see the work that has been done to restore the cabins.
Mr. Leach (on the left) shows his son and grandson the addition to the old family cabin he built by himself over 50 years ago. He rigged a special rope pulling system to lift the metal sheets onto the roof by himself. Isaac Leach remembers a large wooden barrel that was used to white wash the cabin many years ago when he was a boy. All three men lived in the cabin, although Jackson was only 2 when he moved with his family to a new home.

New staff members meet with the Leach's at "the Street". Historical interpreter Preston Cooley and Managing Site Historian D.J. Tucker discuss plans for the historical sites opening in February with Jackson, Johnny, and Isaac Leach.

I'll post today's plein air drawing from the site tomorrow.
As both an artist and a former Park Ranger Historian with the National Park Service who interpreted the history of Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter in the 70's, I'm enjoying meeting those who are involved in the development of this historic site. When it's completed, Slave Cabin Row (aka "The Street") will be a unique addition to the history of the Lowcountry, telling the story of how the lives of workers on a southern plantation changed through the years from the colonial era up to the present.

Slave Cabin Row Restoration Project at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens 2008

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has completed restoration work on 5 slave cabins at "Slave Cabin Row".
On a recent plein air painting trip, I was given a tour of the site by Kevin Meek, owner of Rock Creek Craftsmen. His company has restored the cabins at Magnolia to show the evolving story of enslaved Africans and later freedman living in the structures from the Colonial period up to recent history (1969). Click here for more news coverage of the project.

Each of the cabins on Slave Cabin Row has been restored to demonstrate the building materials and living conditions of a different historical period.

Magnolia Plantation is the only Lowcountry Historical site that has cabins showing the changing conditions of the workers and buildings as life on the plantation changed over time.
Sean Connolly, Project Manager and Kevin Meek discuss work at two of the "older" period cabins.

Connolly, Meek, and Project Technician Kate Fowler are pictured by the Leach Family cabin. Members of the Leach family (click here for photo's of the Leach family) lived in this cabin until 1969. The oral history from members of the Leach family who are still working at Magnolia Plantation will be included in the historical interpretation of the site.
At this time the cabins are unfurnished, but the project includes plans to add historic objects to at least one of the buildings.

I, along with other exhibiting members of the Charleston Artist Guild, have been invited to create new paintings of the winter garden to exhibit during the 2009 Winter Garden Festival in the Plantation Gallery and Gift Shop.

The restoration project unearthed an artifact of particular interest. A handcrafted 14 caret gold object about the size of a cuff link was found in an area where the oldest cabins once existed.
The artifact may have had various uses, possibly as an earring. The owner of the gold artifact is a mystery as is it's origin.

Here are photos of my mortar and pestle and spinning wheel (circa 1800) in the cabin. Both are similar to those which would have been used on the plantation in the Colonial Era.


I think they add an interesting element to the story about the lives of the people who lived on Slave Cabin Row at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. For information about the restoration work of former slave cabins at Friendfield Village click here.

"Lowcountry Field Cabin"- A woodcut printed painting

Here is woodcut image of a typical cabin used for many purposes on farms and plantations in the old South. This type of building may have been used for housing farm hands, as a kitchen building or for storing farming equipment.

I thought the image of the cabin sheltered by ancient live oak trees made a statement about things that endure through time and hardship.

"Lowcountry Cabin"
Hand printed woodcut painting on Hosho paper
Image size: 6" x 9"
Hosho paper dimensions: 8.5" x 11.5"
Price: $85.00

To see more of my woodcut artwork, Click "Woodcut painting" here or in the Art Categories list at the right of this page.

(This is an artist's proof of a small series of hand printed paintings of this image.)