Ketchup on This Dish

We’ve done a lot, y’all. It’s probably quicker for us to tell you what we didn’t do this summer… (Like, rest. Relax.)

Let’s run it back!

VACAY 2025

Hold Onto Your Phones, Pholks! We went to DOLLYWOOD!

Highlights:

• Did y’all know Dollywood has one of the last working coal-powered steam engine trains? We sure did. And we got to ride it!

• A bear encounter golfing in Gatlinburg?!

• Soooo much cinnamon bread. (Doesn’t compete with the Barths’ homemade cinamon bread though.

• Cotton candy, ice cream, and milkshakes the size of our heads…

  • Clearly food is a favorite of ours.

• Pool Time at the Cabin.

World Premiere

Oh man, did we have fun with this one! The world premiere of Feedback: R*M*R*S stormed the stage at the Charleston Music Hall this July during Disability Pride Month.

Framed as a music documentary about an infamous (and fictional) boy band during the new millenium, Feedback was all orginal - and all HEART. Have you ever wanted to live out your fantasy of being a new pop sensation?! We have. And we DID! That’s the beauty of creating your own shows - you can make it whatever the hell you want!

“The RMRS Are True (I Love You)” Music Video premiered on the big screen at Rip City at the Movies!

No Scripts on the Day!

As great as it would be, we don’t just show up on show day and POOF! magically the show happens. We put in months of hard work developing the script, crafting the characters, and building the scenes. But, honestly, rehearsal is half the fun anyway!

HEART IN the City Gallery

Juried Exhibition for Piccolo Spoleto

HEART’s collaborative triptych, “Electric I, II, III” was selected to be part of the Piccolo Spoleto exhibition at The City Gallery at Waterfront Park. We didn’t take home any prizes, but it was a thrill and honor to see our pieces hung so prominently in such an important art space. And, we never mind an excuse to be tourist in our own town.

Impromptu portraits at Waterfront Park

Water, Water, Everywhere!

Beach, Beach, Let’s Go Catch a Wave. Pool, Cool, Let’s Go Get Away.

Ryan handstands. Thomas spins. Daphne “Bobby Flops”. Nathan cannonballs. Austin soaks. Andy laps. William floats.

And the rest of us try not to get splashed by Karen.

Art Fields

High Water 2025

Fun-Raising for HEART at the Festival

Skating on the Point

It was hot. It was fun. It was wild. We’ll be back when the set up again next… fall.

MIS-fits-ELLANEOUS

Katie

“Someone send my t-shirt to Rae. She’ll think its funny.”

Ryner

Up to shenanigans in Mel’s office.

Sara

Post-filming gifties from Brooke.

Bowie

Even pups love dress up.

CofC Spring Market

The Group at The Gibbes

Gibbes Fountain

Fresh air after the museum

San

Sannie wearing sunnies.

Ryan and Sisi

Stickers and selfies @ The Gibbes

Ryan

Add it to the collection of twin Ryan reflection photos.

Stood Baby

Ellie visits. Only some of us are jealous of the cuteness.

Eliza and Ellie

Coodles with the Stood Baby

Ellie and Ryner

Mmmm… icing….

Ellie and Lauren

When will my reflection show…

PC Lunch

FYE End of Semester Fest

We’ll photoshop in Ryner later.

Eliza and Rae

“That’s art right there.”

Sara

Advocate!

Karen

A taco riding a churro burro, wearing a sour cream sombrero with sprinkles.

Mel and Karen

Duck toast.

Eliza and Sisi

Shoes.

Bowie

and Porter’s cheese.

Sara

Portrait of Sisi

Ugly Ducklings

Because the Lot is a wildlife refuge.

Ryner

Feeding the Lot ducks

Lot Racoons

Rae and Andy

Their hearts will go on.

Happenings at HEART

We got rained out last week, but that means you still have a chance to celebrate and SING with us!

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Time Marches on!

Can you believe it’s been 2025 for three whole months already… How does that even happen?! Guess it’s true what they say - time flies when you’re making art. And woooooweeee have we been making some art.

Resident pet portraitist, Donnie Driggers.

Donnie shows off his latest pieces, commissioned as gifts for some of his biggest fans. You, too, can commission a Donnie Driggers original pet portrait, y’know?

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That's what friends are for!

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Masahhhhhhge Train

Creating En Plein Aire at the new Goose Creek Amphitheater

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Shinin’ and Dinin’

It was easy to share the love this Valen-times. This year, it all landed on the same wonderful weekend. Performing at the The Night to Shine Prom filled our Friday. Then we celebrated Pal-entine’s with our besties by sharing Margs and a Magic Show. We can say for sure that it was a weekend to remember.

Catchin’ up with the Community

Inside the HEART Studio. We got to lob all our best questions at - and learn so much from - the actors Robert Cornelius and Jeffrey Rashad of the Acting Company. We scored this personal talkback thanks to the Gaillard Center - and thanks to them, we got to see Robert and Jeffrey perform in an incredible production of Comedy of Errors.

Narrative Dance with Simone Liberty. Another lucky-us moment thanks to the Gaillard. Following a mesmerizing dance performance of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, teaching artist Simone Liberty guided us through developing our own narrative dance choreography.

Fresh New Freshman. With a whole new class of CofC First-Year Experience (FYE) students, we got to enjoy a private improv class courtesy of the primo improvers themselves, Greg Tavares and Brandy Sullivan from Theater 99. PLUS, Professor Genese Gee-Schmidtke got us movin’, groovin’, and partnered up to dance in the fresh air. Where else? Why, the Gaillard Center of course!

Arts Day. Our performance on the Statehouse steps got rained out. Booo! But, Sisi still got to shake hands with our legislators and advocate the importance of supporting ALL ARTS. Thank you to the South Carolina Arts Alliance for facilitating this opportunity, and all of the vital work they do to advocate for the arts.

Yoga with Freckled Bloom at Goose Creek Rec. We love yoga. But, we really loved this yoga class with Erika and Freckled Bloom. Including trying our hand at playing the singing bowls. This class is available regularly through the Goose Creek Therapeutic Recreation Department. Highly recommend!

Workshop with the Acting Company

Workshop with the Acting Company

Narrative Dance with Simone

Improv with Theatre 99 and CofC

Greg and Karen Improv

Eliza and Brandy Watching the Improvers

Elijah and Greg

Nathan and Greg

Improv with Theatre 99 and CofC

Dance with Professor Genese and CofC FYE

Arts Day

Yoga with Freckled Bloom

Who needs personal space? Psssh. Not us.

Definitely not Karen.

We love the start of Market and Festival Season!

Could do with a wee bit less pollen, though. If you don’t mind.

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Impromptu Denim Day at the Redux Spring Art Market

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ART!

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Set up at GiGi Fit Acceptance Challenge

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Bowie the Booth Boy

It’s called FASHION!

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MIS-fits-ELLANEOUS

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Community Calendar

So Long, Summer!

HEART brought the heat this summer, that is for sure.

It was nonstop and we kind of still can’t believe how much we got up to. Take a look for yourself!

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Performing at The Honors night for the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce

OtherBrother Fest benefitting Warrior Surf and HEART!

You may recognize these friendly faces as the expert spirit-makers from Beyond Distilling Co. Seen here happily purchasing some killer artwork to adorn their new location.

Public Works Art Center Block Party!

Turning the Big One-OH!

Beaches. Pools. Obvi…

Rehearse! Rehearse! Rehearse!

We are extremely lucky to have so many helpful resources just a hop. skip. and jump away from our Studio. We could not bring life to our shows, or our shows to the stage, without the caring kindness of our friend Hannah Miller from the City of Goose Creek Therapeutic Recreation Department. We got the run of the Rec Center as we prepared for our original musical, MonoMyth!

Fun Fact: Hannah was just awarded Employee of the Year by the City of Goose Creek. A clear choice, we think. Congratulations, Hannah!

Stoop Kids

To the Great Unknown

The Park Circle Gallery selected HEART to be the sole exhibition in its space throughout August this year. The tactile and interactive work was created both collaboratively and individually by the HEARTists. Viewers were invited to happily raise a toast to those big unknowns in life. We can’t possibly map the ocean, or know the whole galaxy. We can’t even know what life has in store for us in this next minute. But, isn’t that what keeps us going?

View all of the pieces by clicking below.

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Disability Pride

For the past 4 years, HEART has been organizing Disability Pride events and celebrations all over the Lowcountry - along with all our friends in the community. July 2024 was BUSY in the best way possible!

Empowerment Through Employment Celebration with Be the Change Charleston at Beyond Distilling Co.

Mix and Mingle with music by the Amazing Mittens at City Lights Eastside

Cult Classic wrestling show by Cult Inclusive Wrestling benefitting HEART for Disability Pride

Seriously… it is impossible to have more fun than this!

Professional photography by Samuel Vogel

Disability Pride Finale Celebration

It might have been a little rainy, but that didn’t dampen our PRIDE! All we need for a good time is great people, the Porter Room, and lots of Disability Pride.

Professional photography by Samuel Vogel

Photographer Samuel Vogel in action.

Fate and great timing led us to meet the wonderfully talented Samuel Vogel. A professional photographer newly moved to Charleston, it was our honor to have Samuel photograph the Cult Classic and Finale Celebration events for us.

Follow Samuel on Instagram!

Start Spreadin’ The News!

Disability Pride has been a part of the Disability community in the U.S. since 1990. Yeah! That’s a long time… Since our first celebration in the Lowcountry in 2021, we’ve seen the awareness and excitement around Disability Pride fomenting and spreading amongst our fellow Charlestonians. Now, the idea that celebrating the Disabled Identity is a great thing has really taken hold of the zeitgeist.

Check out some of many news appearances from this summer’s celebrations. Click the pics for video.