Leona and Ethel

Ethel Sobel Brody and Leona Sobel at the Columbia Museum of Art
photograph by Tim Conway

When I worked at the Columbia Museum of Art I met these two inspiring women whom museum staffers affectionately dubbed "The Sisters." There is so much to love about the legacy that Mrs. Ethel Sobel Brody and Ms. Leona Sobel will leave to the Columbia Museum of Art, but my personal favorite memory was Leona's adoration of my husband: "You found a hunk!" she often reminded me. One of my last assignments before I said adieu to South Carolina was to interview "The Sisters" for an article in Columbia Metropolitan magazine. It was an honor to have worked alongside these amazing women in the name of art!

Gourd Aesthetic

My friend Leslie Pierce is one of the most creative people I know, and she uses her talents as an art educator and programmer at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, South Carolina. Leslie is maybe best known for her gourd art (here is a link to a video of Leslie describing her gourd process): her art is refined, sophisticated, and organic. I wish I still lived in South Carolina so I could see all of the beautiful works of art Leslie creates on a daily basis!