Ellen Difazio Art

August Artists

Natalie Daise Headshot

NATALIE DAISE

For more than 30 years, Natalie Daise has developed and facilitated interactive learning experiences for educators, students, and audiences in schools, universities, conferences, and other venues. Her belief in the positive power of stories is demonstrated in her speaking as well as in the performing and visual arts. A self taught, visionary artist, Natalie’s painting and functional art pieces arise from the tradition of storytelling.

She has been married to Ron Daise, her cheerleader, supporter, and committed partner in creativity and life since 1985. They have two children, Sara and Simeon, by birth, and one, Sabrina, by heart. She earned a BA degree from Vermont College in 1992 and a MA in Creativity Studies in 2014.

Best known as “Ms. Natalie” on Nick Jr.’s award-winning television program, Gullah Gullah Island, Natalie is committed to making presentations that entertain, educate, empower and inspire.

Awards and nominations include:

  • 1997 and 1998 IMAGE Award nominations
  • 1998 Daytime Emmy nomination
  • Silver and Gold Parent’s Choice awards
  • South Carolina’s highest honor, The Order of the Palmetto
  • South Carolina’s Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award, given for lifetime achievement and excellence in folk art
  • Merit Award for Art, ARTFields, 2017
Amiri Farris

AMIRI GEUKA FARRIS

At Montage Palmetto Bluff, we value the significance of creating a genuine sense of place. To further this initiative, we have established a gallery featuring the works of local Gullah artist, Amiri Farris, as well as artifacts sourced from authentic, local vendors – all of which showcase the impact of the Gullah Geechee culture in the Lowcountry.

Our hope is that this exhibit deepens the cultural richness felt at Montage Palmetto Bluff, contributing to a more profound connection to our surroundings and the communities that shape them.

Amiri Geuka Farris is a contemporary, multidisciplinary artist who uses a wide range of media, including painting, drawing, video, performance and installation. As a contemporary African-American male artist, he blurs the boundaries between abstraction and representation, sculpture and printmaking and contemporary and traditional. Farris writes of his own artistic practice, “I like to see artwork that will take one medium and use it to do something else. Artwork that is bold, expressive and completely different.” In addition to being inspired by the materials around him to create dynamic and colorful pieces, Farris also looks to his own life as he creates works that are full of intimate personal experiences and examinations of subjects that are compelling to him, including issues surrounding diaspora, Gullah Geechee culture, memory and perception.

Flowers in Lobby Lounge

AUGUST FLORAL

As we honor artists in the month of August, we must highlight one of our artistic partners here at Montage Palmetto Bluff. August Floral Event & Design crafts the beautiful floral arrangements, and cares for the plants that are seen within all of our buildings. From high profile celebrity or fortune 500 company galas, to elaborate weddings or intimate home celebrations; Kim Cheney and her floral team at August Floral & Event Design have delivered exceptional floral design services for hundreds of wide-ranging and successful events and we are proud to showcase their work throughout our spaces.

Brims on the Bluff Hat

LAUREN DEMBECK

Lauren Dembeck, the founder of Brims on the Bluff, is a resident of Bluffton. She shares her home with her husband, Fire Captain Joe, and their four-year-old daughter, Piper. Lauren’s work is a true reflection of her passion and creativity. Her journey began in the hospitality and creation industry, managing renowned establishments like Ritz-Carlton Hotel Resorts and Starwood. She has also partnered with Montage and Four Seasons for numerous events, showcasing her commitment to delivering exceptional experiences.

​Brims on the Bluff is an extension of our other venture, M2M Brands (Mountain to Marshes). M2M Brands is dedicated to designing and delivering exceptional experiences for both local and corporate guests. Brims on the Bluff, our new luxury hat boutique, is a testament to our commitment to offering unique and unforgettable experiences to boutique shoppers and private groups alike.

​We take pride in our ability to bring our clients’ unique visions to life, and to create unforgettable moments that will stay with them forever. Lauren wears many hats – no pun intended.

Building on the success of M2M Brands, we are excited to offer unique and unforgettable experiences to boutique shoppers and private groups alike in Old Town Bluffton.

Sweet Grass Baskets

JERY TAYLOR

Jery Taylor began learning the art of sweetgrass sewing from her grandmother at the age of five on the Boone Hall Plantation grounds in Mt. Pleasant, SC. As she continued to learn and grow, so did her dedication to the Gullah-Geechee culture and arts. Her work has been featured on HGTV and the Discovery Channel and included in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian and private collections.