Homemade and homegrown

The story of sweetgrass baskets is woven into the tradition of the Lowcountry, but MUSC’s display of the treasured heirlooms comes with even more of a twist.

The fragrant fronds used to make the baskets are “homegrown,” tended and harvested on the grounds of the Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital.  

The baskets, mounted on a wall in the first-floor lobby of the MUSC University Hospital, are part of MUSC’s Arts in Healing initiative, which provides access to the healing powers of the arts for patients and the community. The program is intended to improve the patient experience primarily through works of art by local artists, as well as certain design and environmental features, such as lighting and finishes, in MUSC’s clinical spaces. 

“Research shows that art in clinical spaces has many benefits for patients,” said Mat Duncan, senior curator for the MUSC Health Arts in Healing program. “It improves patient outcomes and recovery time, decreases perceived pain and carries a host of other benefits. For the hospital, we wanted to showcase art that resonates with everyone and connects with the local culture.”  

The intricately woven baskets are of various shapes and sizes and range from round, traditional bread baskets and rice thrashers to larger contemporary styles. In addition to sweetgrass, they’re made of pine needles, bullrushes and palms. A nail is used to stabilize and bind the fronds, replacing hog and beef bones that weavers originally used for that purpose. Each one is displayed in a clear Plexiglas box, certified safe for use in hospitals.

The permanent installation is part of a larger “refresh” to enhance the hospital lobby’s appearance, Duncan said. “We’re always looking for ways to update our older buildings and make them more welcoming. Over the past year, we’ve made a lot of progress in the lobby, putting in new finishes, painting and adding new lighting. A key element was to show people that we’re their local hospital and that we’re passionate about providing the best care.”

 

Enter Daniel Jefferson, 40, a seventh-generation artisan from Mount Pleasant. Jefferson, who learned how to weave at his great-grandmother’s knee when he was 5, is no stranger to MUSC. 

Two years ago, while visiting a family member at the hospital, he spotted sweetgrass growing on the hospital grounds. Ever conscious of the dwindling availability of the plant, he hatched an idea. 

“I figured all I could do was ask about harvesting it,” he said. “I went to Robin Smith, the MUSC Grounds manager, and asked for permission to harvest it.”

Smith wasted no time saying yes.

And when Duncan asked Jefferson if he would weave baskets for the installation, he too wasted no time getting on board.  

From that point, the project grew like a field of healthy sweetgrass. 

Jefferson, a full-time longshoreman, set to work immediately, planning the designs and gathering the sweetgrass and other materials. Seven months later, the baskets were complete. Five are traditional; two others are his own designs, one with flowing grass that he calls a “never-ending basket” and another with loops and a bridge on top. 

Since the display was mounted in September, response has been enthusiastic. “Patients and visitors have found the installation to be beautiful and welcoming,” Duncan said. “Sweetgrass carries with it compassion and empathy, and it combines the stories of the craftspeople, the local history and culture. It’s very meaningful to see it displayed in the lobby.”

For Jefferson, the display has special meaning. “Sweetgrass baskets are the last art form that we as African Americans have that is still prominent today. This is an honor for my family and my community. It’s not about me; it’s about the hundreds of weavers to know that our baskets are being represented. It’s a gift that gives people hope and joy.” 

Smith said the arrangement with Jefferson has been a great partnership – one that has come full circle. “To have Daniel help us with the landscaping and to help him keep his heritage alive is so gratifying. To plant the grass, tend it, harvest it and use the creativity to make such gorgeous baskets brings this story full circle.”   

Do you know any artists? Mat Duncan said his team is constantly working on new installations for MUSC’s clinical spaces. “As far as collecting philosophy, we try to buy works only from local artists who work in or near the communities that we serve. We want to support and reinvest in the communities that we serve,” he said. 

MUSC seeks a variety of works, from paintings and collages to works on paper, drawings, craft-oriented objects and wall-mounted sculptures, including wood resins, steel and stained glass. “Our goal is to have a variety of installations using as much variety as we can,” Duncan said.

Final selections are made by a panel of patients and staff. If you want to submit a piece for consideration or know an artist who would like to do so, call Duncan at 803.920.4700 or email him.