Trident Technical College offers a new Charleston Artisans Series

CHARLESTON, SC – Trident Technical College Division of Continuing Education and Economic Development is pleased to announce a new series of workshops, The Charleston Artisans Series, to be offered from Sept. 15-Dec. 2, 2015 featuring local musicians, writers, poets, storytellers and artisans. Each workshop costs $19-$29 to participate and take place at Trident Technical College’s Main Campus in North Charleston and Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston.

“The Charleston Artisans Series is our way of showcasing local talent and providing them a venue to share their story and the inspiration behind their work to the Charleston community. We provide a copy of the artist’s work and want people who enroll in the presentations to feel a sense of community as we offer free coffee and tea to provide a casual and collaborative atmosphere to the presentation,” said Dr. Daphne Holland, youth and personal enrichment program manager for the Trident Technical College Division of Continuing Education and Economic Development.

 

Fall 2015 workshops include:

• Artisan Handmade Soaps: Join Denise Mungin of ‘GIN Soap Company and learn the art and craft of making homemade artisan soaps. From Aromatherapy to Mango Tango, Off the Vine and Rose Blossom, these soap fragrances will envelop your senses. You not only get to make your own soap, but take it home to enjoy. Class meets on Oct. 28 or Dec. 2, 2015 from 6-8:30 p.m. at TTC’s Main Campus in North Charleston; costs $29 per student.

• Storyteller Music Series – The Summer of You and Me: Join singer/songwriter Tristina Dupree for a night of music and storytelling from her first EP “The Summer of You and Me” (CD included with class registration), featuring her hit about zombies, “All I See is Red,” as well as a song that she wrote about being dumped three times on her birthday. Class meets on Sept. 15, 2015 from 6:30-8 p.m. at TTC’s Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston; costs $19 per student.

• Storyteller Novel Series – Raptures: Tales of Darkness & Light: The stories of Charles Watts take you on journeys to Iran to hunt for a wolf cub, to India to learn how to fish and on an epic journey across the U.S. with a man and his dog – funny, poignant, haunting and perceptive. Registration fee includes his book of short stories, “Raptures: Tales of Darkness & Light.” Class meets on Nov. 10, 2015 from 6:30-8 p.m. at TTC’s Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston; costs $19 per student.

• Storyteller Poetry Series – Poetically Thinking: Join local Charleston poet, Denise Mungin, as she shares selections from her “Poetically Thinking” series of books. Enjoy these fun, energetic and inspiring books as you learn more about the Gullah culture and African-American people. Registration fee includes both “Poetically Thinking” poetry series books. Class meets on Oct. 12, 2015 from 6:30-8 p.m. at TTC’s Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston; costs $19 per student.

• Storyteller Poetry Series – Poetry Slam: Join Matthew Foley, founder of Holy City Youth Slam, for an exploration of the art of spoken word. He breaks down the process of writing poems and will perform excerpts from his book “We Could Be Oceans” and album, “What You Will Need in Class Today.” Registration fee includes a copy of his book and album. Class meets on Oct. 14, 2015 from 6:30-8 p.m. at TTC’s Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston; costs $19 per student.

• Storyteller Poetry Series – Waking Up in a Beautiful Room: Charles Watts has been writing audience-oriented poetry since the late ‘60s and has presented his work in readings across the U.S. and abroad. In addition, he edited Seizure Magazine and organized poetry workshops on three continents. Registration fee includes his book “Waking Up in a Beautiful Room.” Class meets on Oct. 26, 2015 from 6:30-8 p.m. at TTC’s Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston; costs $19 per student.

• Slave Dwelling Project: Joseph McGill, Jr., an employee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Charleston, gives a presentation that chronicles his experience of spending nights in over 60 slave dwellings in 13 states since 2010. The project is an attempt to bring much needed attention to extant slave dwellings. Class meets on Nov. 17, 2015 from 6:30-8 p.m. at TTC’s Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston; costs $25 per student.

 

About the instructors:

Matt Foley teaches English and creative writing at the Charleston Charter School for Math and Science. He was voted Charleston’s Favorite Literary Artist by the readers of Art Mag. Matt co-hosts The Unspoken Word poetry series and has released his first poetry album, “What You Will Need in Class Today.”

Joseph McGill, a descendant of slaves, has devoted his life to ensuring the preservation of the historic sites of slave cabins through the Slave Dwelling Project. A native of South Carolina, he also works for the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Charleston.

Tristina Miller is a singer/songwriter living in Goose Creek, S.C. She is an English instructor at a college by day and a musician by night. Her first EP, “The Summer of You and Me,” is available for download on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and many other stores. “The Summer of You and Me” features her highly favored hit about zombies, “All I See is Red,” as well as a song that she wrote about being dumped on her birthday three times. She is currently working on her first full length album “When the Smoke Clears,” and it is set to release by the summer of 2016.

Denise J. Mungin is a native of Harlem, N.Y. Her journey to the South opened up many avenues of passion for her and one in particular was her writing. She is an avid poet as well as a motivational writer and a student at The University of South Carolina majoring in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in English and History. She is also an entrepreneur and started ‘GIN Soap Company LLC in March of 2014, specializing in manufacturing quality handmade soaps. With ingredients such as poppy seeds, oats, spinach powder and honey, ‘GIN Soap Company makes handmade soaps with a unique twist. ‘GIN Soap Company is the brainchild of Denise J. Mungin and its name was derived from a portion of her last name.

Charles Watts received his MFA in poetry, lived and worked in eight countries and published poems and stories in Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Brazil and the U.S. He currently splits his time between the High Peaks around Lake Placid, N.Y. and the Lowcountry of Charleston, S.C. His award-winning works have been published in various journals, magazines and as stand-alone books. He has twice won first place at the North Country Writers Festival (in 2009 and 2012), won the 2015 Patricia and Emmet Robinson Prize for best poem from the Poetry Society of South Carolina, and won the “People’s Choice Award” for best book of 2010 and was nominated for the 2013 best fiction award both by the Adirondack Center for Writing.

 

Registration and discounted rates information:

To register for the workshops, visit www.tridenttech.edu/ce or call 843.574.6152.

Senior citizens aged 65 and older can take advantage of the new “Senior Scholars Program” and receive a 10 percent discount on any personal enrichment courses including those in the Charleston Artisans Series. To receive the discounted rate, call 843.574.6152 or register in person at Bldg. 910 at Trident Technical College’s Main Campus in North Charleston.

For more information, contact Daphne Holland, youth and personal enrichment program manager for the Trident Technical College Division of Continuing Education and Economic Development at 843.574.6655 or email [email protected].