Inspirations
History
Rice was introduced in the Lowcountry as early as 1694, utilizing coastal wetlands to build intricate water systems for rice cultivation. Plantation owners relied on the skilled labor of slaves imported from West Africa. The enslaved persons were considered to be the most highly skilled and sought after labor sources, as they often taught the land owners how to grow, harvest, winnow and mill rice by hand. The Winnowing process involved gathering rice after being thrashed from the stalks and placing it in a "fanner" basket. The rice was tossed in the air to separate the hulls from the grains. The wind would blow the debris away, leaving the grains to fall in the basket. It was a long, dusty process requiring a large number of persons to process rice during the harvest. The method for weaving winnowing or "fanner" baskets was a skill passed from generation to generation in Africa, and continued in the US. This shared skill, found in the Lowcountry, uses sweet grass, bulrush, long needle pine and palmetto frowns procured from marshes, swamps and wetlands.
Memory
Sweet Charleston Designs elegant fine jewelry collections are inspired by the use of natural resources found in and around America's coastal wetlands. We begin with “The Essence of Lowcountry Elegance”, featuring our tribute to Sweet Grass Basketry. The craft is the oldest continuously produced African American recognized art form in the United States. Each basket creation starts with a coiled basket weave on the bottom, held together by palmetto frowns, giving strength to the designs foundation. Serving as a memory of the past, we carry the craft forward, complimenting the winnowing basket art form found along roadsides in the Lowcountry and in markets in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Fashion
Our Bulls Bay Collection and Sewee Collection reflect our interpretation of the circular coiled pattern to showcase the “Essence of Lowcountry Elegance.” Sweet Charleston Designs works with artisans, silver and goldsmiths in the United States, to assist with the production of our fine sterling and gold jewelry collection. It is our goal to bring educational awareness to the art form of Sweet Grass Basketry. When visiting the Lowcountry, we encourage visitors to meet the weavers and learn about their family history, culture and basket designs. Our adaptation of the historically unique art form known as Sweet Grass Basketry is destined to become a classic jewelry collection.
