Charleston’s National Parks Welcomes Student Artist in Park Program
On a cold Friday afternoon in January, the wind whipped gently along the storied grounds of Fort Moultrie on Sullivans Island. Tiana Whitehead, a 22-year-old senior at the College of Charleston’s School of the Arts, crunched through frost-dusted grass as she explored the historic site with Park Ranger Shelby McAllister and Artist in Park Program Coordinator Michelle Haas. The trio moved through the weathered brick corridors and open batteries as McAllister and Haas recounted the layered history of the site, each detail sparking Tiana's curiosity. She listened closely, absorbing the spirit of the site as the first official student artist chosen for Charleston’s National Parks’ participation in the National Park Service’s Artist in Park Program.
The Artist in Park Program is a National Park Service initiative adopted by Charleston’s National Parks, encompassing Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumter, and the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site. It highlights how art can serve as a lens to understand and share our collective history. The program honors the legacy of artists who have documented and interpreted American stories, offering a bridge between the past and present. Art has been an integral part of appreciating our natural and cultural heritage, from Indigenous traditions to the works of the Hudson River School painters. Today, it continues to inspire and engage, creating opportunities for dialogue about our landscapes and societal challenges.
Tiana’s journey into this role began when a professor at the College of Charleston introduced her to the program. She applied, submitting examples of her mixed-media work, which often centers on fabric painting and the human form. Originally a biology major, Tiana shifted her focus to the arts during her junior year, captivated by how art can explore identity, storytelling, and history.
Tiana, who will graduate in spring 2025, has long been fascinated by the intersections of history, mythology, and artistic expression. Her inspirations range from Frida Kahlo to folk art and religious iconography, often incorporating themes of body, eyes, and figures into her work. Her own body, adorned with tattoos resembling her artistic style, reflects this fascination. She has a particular interest in Egyptian history and storytelling, drawing inspiration from ancient artistic expression, which she connects to the complex historical narratives and evolving interpretations found within Charleston’s National Parks.
When asked why she applied for the Student Artist in Park opportunity, Tiana shared, “I’m hoping to learn how to work with an established organization, dive into historical archives, and incorporate elements of non-fiction into my otherwise surreal storytelling.”
Haas, who has been with the National Park Service for 21 years and at Fort Moultrie for a decade, explained that the program has two key components. The first is the Student Artist in Park initiative, a partnership with the College of Charleston and Friends of Charleston National Parks, which hosts a student artist for a semester-long independent study culminating in a gallery exhibition. The second opportunity, which will begin recruiting local amateur and professional artists this spring, invites participants to create art inspired by any of the three park sites during the fall.
This year marks the program’s first fully structured iteration, though its roots trace back to 2023, when photographer Christian Fiedler requested a special use permit to capture long-form exposure photographs using the pinhole camera technique known as solography. His focus on the Charleston Light served as an informal trial run for what has now become a sustainable program designed to connect art, history, and community engagement.
Fort Moultrie acting Superintendent Dawn Davis praised the program's evolution, emphasizing how art can inspire new ways of understanding historical spaces. “The information has always been here,” she noted, “but now people are asking different questions.” Davis commended Tiana for her creative approach, highlighting how her artwork will offer a fresh lens on the parks’ narratives.
Tiana has already visited all three sites and received a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion grant from the College of Charleston to help fund her project. She plans to visit regularly throughout the spring, working onsite in a visible volunteer uniform and engaging with visitors curious about her artistic process. A public schedule will soon be available, allowing guests to see her at work and learn about her creative process firsthand.
For those inspired by Tiana’s residency, the tradition of plein air painting remains alive within Charleston’s National Parks. In the past, the parks collaborated with the Mount Pleasant Artist Guild for open-air painting events at the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own canvases and brushes to capture the beauty and history of the sites.
As Tiana continues her work, she remains drawn to the parks' unique lighting, stating, “I’ve always loved the light around here, so I bought light-sensitive materials that I hope to use in my shadow studies. I’ll be doing a lot of research on the parks as part of this project.”
Friends of Charleston National Parks, a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving and enhancing Charleston’s National Parks by funding projects that protect their cultural, historic, and natural resources, proudly supports the Artist in Park Program. They look forward to witnessing how Tiana's creative vision will illuminate new dimensions of Charleston’s National Parks for the community.
