Press
Clock Tower on Ornament
Owner of Joyfilled Garden and Gift and two regional artists have designed a limited edition, commemorative ornament of
the Georgetown Clock Tower.
After selling Frederick and Catherine Steingress' hand-crafted, pewter jewelry for several years, shop owner Ellen McClinton approached the couple about creating a commemorative ornament representative of Georgetown.
McClinton said her customers — tourists and residents alike — ask for art representative of Georgetown. Tourists, she said, are looking for up-scale souvenirs.
"It's amazing how many people, especially tourists, say 'do you have anything with something Georgetown on it'," McClinton said.
But McClinton said the Steingress' ornament is more than a decoration, it is Georgetown County's history.
"It will always be relative to history," McClinton said. "The focus is on keeping the history alive and meeting the requests of my customers. There's a lot of other history here."
Frederick and McClinton think the ornament will give natives and new residents an appreciation for South Carolina's third oldest city.
"This is where history for the county started," McClinton said.
The Georgetown Clock Tower sits at the intersection of Front and Screven streets. The town clock and clock tower bell were built circa 1845.
Part of the proceeds from the Georgetown Clock Tower ornaments will be contributed to the Georgetown Maritime Museum.
The ornaments, where are $30 each, have been on sale for a few weeks. McClinton says she has sold a dozen of the 200 ornaments.
To make an ornament, Catherine sketched the clock and then took a digital photo of the historic landmark. The two images were blended to create the image of the Georgetown Clock Tower seen on the ornament.
The Steingresses got their start making pewter ornaments for church fund-raisers. They are from Asheville, NC, but just bought a home in Maryville.
The couple makes pewter, painted pens and silver jewelry — brackets, rings, ear-rings, pens and custom-made belt buckles — decorated with gems.
Every piece is done by hand and represents wildlife, McClinton said. Most of the pens are shaped like fish or birds.
"Each piece is one of a kind," McClinton said. "It's not a stamp."
McClinton moved her gallery and teaching studio from Fogle Mall to 701 Front St. in March. She has been open since October 2003.
The store features hand-made jewelry, photography, artwork, pillows, and knitted creations by 40 local artists.
Joyfilled Garden and Gifts sells originals and prints of the Clock Tower from other local and regional artists.
"If I had a wish list for my business, it would be to have a storyteller," McClinton said. These storytellers would pass down the facts with their personal stories, she said. "It's putting a face with the events."
McClinton said sharing the God-given gifts and talents of local artists with the public is what makes her job so fulfilling.
"This is the best job I have ever had in my entire life," she said. "This is my ministry. There is such peace and joy in this."