Location: Lowcountry

  • Jael B. Gadsen

    Jael B. Gadsen

    Interview

    Transcript

    00:00 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Hello, my name is Ryleigh, and today we are talking with Jael B. Gadsen, a professional creative working from and within South Carolina. As we get started, can you tell us your current career and where you are from? 

    00:13 Jael B Gadsen 

    Sure! I’m an entertainer, which means I am a singer, songwriter, and actor. I’m from Charleston, South Carolina. 

    00:23 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Very nice. Okay, so before we go into the details of your profession, we have this brief little section of the interview. It’s called “One Career, Sixty Seconds”, where you describe your job in 60 seconds or less. It’s similar to an elevator pitch. 

    00:40 Jael B Gadsen 

    Okay. 

    00:41 Ryleigh Kelley  

    Well, let me get the timer started. Alright, are you ready? 

    00:47 Jael B Gadsen 

    I’m ready. 

    00:48 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Alright, okay, you’re on the clock. 

    00:52 Jael B Gadsen 

    Alright!  I am a singer, songwriter, actress. I’m an entertainer. I’ve been doing it since I was twelve years old. I work professionally as a singer at theme parks. My current one is Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. 

    I also do a lot of regional theater. Recently, I finished a show at the Springer Opera House in Georgia. I’ve worked at Universal Studios in Japan. I’m also a songwriter, so I write songs and record music. All of that I do consistently. 

    01:25 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Perfect. Yeah, you did that in thirty five seconds, so that was good. 

    01:29 Jael B Gadsen 

    Oh, wow, I could have kept going! 

    01:31 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Yeah, but we’ll obviously get more into it, but that was really good. That was really good in thirty five seconds.  

    As an entertainer, is there anything South Carolina or Charleston in particular, brings to your work? Does it have a unique influence on you compared to people in the same profession in different states? 

    01:54 Jael B Gadsen 

    I would say so because I did a lot of my training in Charleston, South Carolina, which is where I was born and raised. I grew up doing shows, musical theater in high school, middle school, and in the community. There was always a show. I did some lessons at the Dock Street theater in Charleston, and so I got to get some theater training there. I also was a part of the modeling school, Millie Lewis of Charleston. 

    I also currently perform in Charleston. I have a band and we do a lot of gigs around Charleston, because Charleston is popular for live music. We love our live music in Charleston. When I’m not at a theme park or doing a musical, I come home, and I get to do live music. So, it definitely has had a big influence on my career, and still now, today. It’s a big part of what I do. Yeah. 

    02:55 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Awesome! Was there a defining moment in your life which had an impact on your creative journey? I know you mentioned that you worked at Universal Studios in Japan, if you would like to touch more on that experience, because that’s really, interesting. Was there a particular project or something you produced which showcased your creativity in, like, a way it never had before? 

    03:22 Jael B Gadsen 

    Yeah, I’ll talk about Universal first. That was a big moment for me in my career, and I worked there for 7 years and it was just a great opportunity to go somewhere abroad, be a part of another culture and learn and perform, doing what I love. So that was one of my career highlights. 

    Another was, as I said, I write music and songs, and I won a songwriting contest called Lincoln Spotlight, and it was nationwide. My song won first place, and I got to open for the artist Common. He’s a rapper at the House of Blues in Chicago. 

    04:08 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Hmm. 

    04:09 Jael B Gadsen 

    Then won a grant some money for doing it, so I got a lot of exposure then too. So that was a good way to encourage me to keep going. 

    04:20 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Yeah, absolutely. Before entering your field, did you have any fears about becoming a creative professional, and what inspired you to continue beyond those fears? 

    04:33 Jael B Gadsen 

    Oh, yes. I had fears of being able to afford to continue doing it, because. 

    A lot of jobs pay differently, so sometimes you might just get a little, and sometimes you get paid a lot. I did have that fear of worrying if I would be able to survive as just purely an entertainer. 

    But I’ve learned that there’s so much that we can do that I learned along the way. The theaters, the amusement parks, cruise ships. Making music from writing and singing for other people. It’s definitely possible. 

     05:18 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Going into that, do you have any advice for young adults or students who have an interest in pursuing a similar career in the creative world, and are there any particular skills one should practice or have before entering the industry? 

    05:34 Jael B Gadsen 

    Yeah, I would say, especially for what I do. Just take the lessons when you can. I know it costs money. Even if you have a friend or someone that sings, make sure you can be a professional singer, get some lessons if you can. Even dancing, if you’re not a strong dancer, take some dance classes. You can be a mover. You don’t have to be the best dancer but just know a few steps that are common amongst shows. Acting. Get in an acting class, just step out of your comfort zone for the things that you don’t feel as confident in. 

    Just make sure you are trained across all areas, singing, dancing, acting, and participating in things so you can get the experience, even if it’s not a lot of money. Just being able to do it in front of people. Any experience really is good for you, for your personal development and your resume, and it’s always gonna just help you grow. 

    06:40 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Yeah, that’s really good advice, especially regarding experience, because I think that’s so valuable to a creative’s work, especially for the work that you do, especially with the multifaceted, talents that you have. Let’s see if I have any other questions. 

    I’m curious to hear about how you move between each roles. How you move fluidly between being a performer, vocal director, and teacher. How do you navigate those spaces, and how do they kind of interact or converse with your work as a whole? 

    07:27 Jael B Gadsen 

    Oh, that’s a good question. I try to plan out my year. 

    For instance, I’m at Busch Gardens, but they’ll usually give me a contract and say, can you do this amount of time? Which would be, for example, their summer season, fall season, and Christmas. That’s about 6 months of work there. They will ask me in advance, like, “okay, can you music direct this, or vocal direct this?” I already know that I’m gonna do that. I commit to them for that amount of time, and then once that time is over, I’m kind of free to go to other places.  

    I kind of do it like that. I try to plan ahead what I’m gonna do, and then that way I can navigate and move to do different things. Right now, just another example, I just finished a show in Columbus, Georgia for a month. I was doing a play, but now I have this month more flexible, so I’m home in Charleston, and I am able to do more creative things, like my songwriting and some gigs. So, I just try to really plan it out and stick to it, and it works out. 

    08:40 Ryleigh Kelley  

    Yes, yeah, the importance of time management right there, especially, moving in between each role and season. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today.  

    08:54 Jael B Gadsen 

    Yeah, it was nice meeting you. It’s Riley? 

    08:57 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Yes, yes. 

    08:58 Jael B Gadsen 

    Okay, nice meeting you, Riley. 

    09:00 Ryleigh Kelley 

    Nice meeting you!  Okay. Have a good day! 

    09:03 Jael B Gadsen 

    Okay, you too. Bye! 

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  • C. Michelle Bryant Griffin

    C. Michelle Bryant Griffin

    “Be your unique self, and let the world catch up.” 

    Quick Facts

    Level of Education: A.C. Flora High School (Columbia); attended 27 schools across 12 years; some college 

    Years of Experience: 40+ Years

    About

    C. Michelle Bryant Griffin is an artist, author, and entrepreneur based in the Low Country of South Carolina who has spent more than four decades creating, building, and supporting others in doing the same. Her work today centers on helping dreamers, doers, and entrepreneurs bring their visions to life, transforming ideas into brands that shine and make their mark on the world.  

    Her path into photography began during a divorce in her late fifties, born out of vulnerability and a desire to rebuild. As she photographed other women navigating similar turning points, she found herself collecting their remarkable, under-sung stories which deserved a wider audience. That impulse became a magazine with a global readership for over a decade, dedicated to showcasing the overlooked and the underestimated. When the pandemic reduced print circulation, she pivoted to a fully online practice. She launched Fabulous Business Solutions, a practice that blends strategy, design, and hands-on support for writers, artists, and entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.  

    She expresses her love for her work, saying that “everything I do is done with 100% heart and passion, as if it were my own personal project.”  

    Michelle describes her abundance of talent as both a blessing and a challenge; the question of how much to use, and in which direction, is one she holds lightly. But the answer she keeps returning to is love. Everything she does, she does because she genuinely loves it. And for her, that has always been enough.  

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  • Winnifred Tataw

    Winnifred Tataw

    “Nurture your passion with persistence. Embrace the power of your unique voice, and remember that every story you tell is a bridge that unites us all. When we foster love and creativity, we create a world that thrives on connection and resilience. The world needs your art!” 

    Quick Facts

    Education: College of Charleston 

    Years of Experience: 15 Years of Experience

    About

    Winnifred Tataw is an author, artist, and book publisher based in the Low Country of South Carolina whose work is rooted in the belief that stories have the power to connect, inspire, and celebrate the full spectrum of human experience. As graduate of the College of Charleston with a background in Studio Art and Writing, she has spent fifteen years crafting work that blends personal narratives with universal truths, creating as she describes, “an inviting tapestry where every reader finds a piece of themselves.” 

    Her love for art and storytelling grew side by side from childhood, shaped by the joy of listening to her parents’ stories and the richness of her heritage. The two passions are so intertwined that she cannot say which came first, but both have always been essential. Remarkably, Winnifred began publishing her novels during her first year of college, setting an early tone for a creative life defined by courage and momentum. She notes that she aims to, “create stories and art that connect and inspire action while celebrating the beauty of the human journey.” 

    For emerging creatives, her message is both generous and clear: the world needs your art. Foster your love of craft with persistence, trust the distinctiveness of your voice, and understand that every story you tell is a bridge, one that unites people, builds resilience, and reminds us of our shared humanity. 

  • Deak J. Smalls

    Deak J. Smalls

    “Treat your craft like a calling, not a convenience because the moment you only create when it’s easy, you stop growing when it matters most.” 

    Quick Facts

    Level of Education: Undergraduate School

    Years of Experience: 14 Years

    About

    Deak J. Smalls’ love for acting stems from the imaginary characters he created throughout his childhood, cultivating a bubbling passion for theater. When he arrived at Spartanburg Methodist College, he decided to transform his love for the stage into the screen. His most recent appearances include the TV Series, Tax Season, and the 2025 film, Legends of the Highway.  

    “Acting is always unique and unusual. That’s what makes the craft so beautiful,” Smalls says. “Exploring and channeling different perspectives of life and giving the audience your best interpretation is so fun and exciting for me. It’s like playing on a playground in imaginary worlds.”  

    Smalls, who views himself as a ‘vessel of truth’ in his practice, fully immerses himself into each of his characters to allow the audience to “forget where performance ends and humanity begins.” He encourages aspiring performers to consistently devote to their craft, and that “what’s for you, won’t miss you.”

  • Yvette R. Murray

    Yvette R. Murray

    “Build your community and keep writing.”

    Quick Facts

    Level of Education: Undergraduate School

    Years of Experience: 40 Years

    About

    Yvette R. Murray is an award-winning writer whose poetry opens the doors of seminal Low Country history for anyone willing to turn the pages. Growing up within the Gullah Geechee community in Charleston, she disagreed with how her neighborhoods were being portrayed. It was then Murray decided to pick up the pen and paint the rest of the untold story.  

    When asked about her process, Murray simply stated, “we all have our quirks.” She emphasized building communities for young writers and aspiring poets, highlighting the importance of practicing the craft. “Writers write,” she says.

  • Rebecca Waechter

    Rebecca Waechter

    “Whether it’s a group of creatives, a book, a program, online community…find the support and encouragement you need to keep moving forward.”  

    Quick Facts

    Level of Education: Graduate School

    Years of Experience: 10+ Years

    About

    A contemporary artist, Rebecca Waechter specializes in three various fields: Anxiety Renaissance, Aviation, and Charleston Coastal. Growing up, drawing was always an art form that piqued Waechter’s interest. Pursuing an art major at Anderson University felt like the most natural next step.  

    For Waechter, there isn’t one subject of art that she solely focuses on, but rather, there are multiple that represent all parts of herself. “I wouldn’t necessarily say there is anything unique or unusual,” she says, “although I have been collecting dental parts for an interesting project that may or not may not ever happen.” Her Anxiety Renaissance work is her primary focus at the moment, and she hopes to showcase her work in the Charleston area more frequently over the next few years.  

    Waetcher credits the support from her artists’ community as the key motivator throughout her journey. She emphasizes that “there is a large mental component to all of this that a lot of people don’t talk about” and stresses that artists will experience “serious moments where you’ll have to grow and pivot, you’ll doubt yourself…all kind of things.”  

  • Cookie Washington

    Cookie Washington

    “Stay consistent, and keep quiet about your ideas in development, lest negativity causes you to stumble or pause.” 

    Quick Facts

    Level of Education: Graduate School

    Years of Experience: 50 Years

    About

    Cookie Washington is a fiber artist whose work centers on art quilting, doll making, and upcycled home décor rooted in cultural tradition and sustainability. She creates and teaches handcrafted rugs, baskets, and home goods using Gullah rag quilting, upcycled fabric coiling, and rag crochet ancestral, no-sew techniques that transform fabric into textured, functional art. 

    Her journey into the field began within a family tradition of making. Born into a family of multi-generation needleworkers, Cookie started sewing by the age of six. She shares, “By sixteen I was working with my mother, creating costumes for entertainers and making wedding gowns.” This early immersion developed into a lifelong commitment to craft, culture, and teaching. 

    The foundation of her work lies in cultural preservation and heritage practice. She explains, “Yes, I am teaching and crafting Gullah Rag quilts. This craft centered in the Low Country, has almost died out. The last person known to teach this has retired due to illness. I was taught raggin by her, and though I am not Gullah, I am a heritage crafts keeper.” Her work continues traditions that are at risk of disappearing while adapting them for contemporary audiences. 

    Her contributions to the field have gained significant recognition as she was recently named the 2026 Sam Doyle Artist-in-Residence. The residency is affiliated with the Penn Center National Historic Landmark District on St. Helena Island and recognizes artists working within Gullah Geechee tradition and is committed to cultural preservation and environmental stewardship. Her work has also been featured in major publications, highlighting the growing recognition of fiber arts within national conversations. 

    Cookie emphasizes the broader cultural and environmental significance of her practice. She explains, “In recent months, my work has also been featured in the Post and Courier here in Charleston, and I have been featured in the Saturday Evening Post. Together, these moments feel like part of a larger shift toward recognizing fiber art, particularly African American fiber traditions, as a vital part of American art and environmental dialogue.” 

    Through her ongoing work and the development of “Beautility,” she explores the intersection of sustainability, heritage, and design. She examines how sustainability, heritage, and design intersect, turning what has been discarded into objects of beauty, use, and cultural meaning. She believes there is a larger national story about craft as legacy, about Black women’s work becoming more fully visible, and about the role of traditional practices in addressing contemporary environmental concerns. 

  • Nina J Ita

    Nina J Ita

    “Don’t wait for someone to give you a manual. Be the person who solves the problem.”

    Quick Facts

    Education: College of Charleston and Trident Technical College

    Years of Experience: 13+ Years

    About

    Nina J. Ita is a Senior Graphic Designer at A+E Printing in Charleston as well as a freelancer based in the Low Country of South Carolina, specializing in print design with over thirteen years of professional experience. By her own admission, she was never the kid who was constantly sketching in a notebook. Design found her through direct purpose and a willingness to raise her hand when no one else would. That combination became the foundation for a career built on solving problems. She describes her discovery as “the thrill of creating something from nothing was addictive.” 

    Her first real taste of design came in at the College of Charleston, where she and a group of friends founded the Asian American Student Union. With only MS Paint and Word at their disposal, they created poster campaigns and event programs for fashion shows featuring local Asian businesses and student work. With a formal background in Business and Marketing, Nina’s path into design is a classic case of the right place, at the right time, and a willingness to say yes. After college, she landed an internship that grew into an entry-level marketing role with a local restaurant group.

    Despite having a comfortable but routine corporate job where “the most fun I had all day was making my Excel spreadsheets look pretty. That’s when I knew I had to commit.” she took a leap of faith. She began taking night classes at Trident Technical College, saved every penny, quit her job, and completed a degree in Graphic Design. Two months after graduating, she landed a position at her present company, the printing press she had been a client of during her restaurant days.  

    As the sole graphic designer at A+E Printing, Nina’s days are defined by variety and velocity. She might open the morning with a menu update for a long-standing restaurant client, shift to a corporate business card order, then pivot entirely to a brand-new client with a detailed, multi-part design project and a tight deadline. She has developed what she calls “rapid context switching”, which is the ability to move fluidly between different brand voices and industries without losing the creative thread.  

    Most recently, she led a full brand refresh just in time for A+E’s 30th anniversary in 2026. She balances her own client relationships with her day-to-day internal marketing and design responsibilities, a skill which has kept her versatile and sharp. For emerging creatives, her advice is direct: lose the fear of doing it wrong. You just need the drive to solve problems and the courage to say, “I can help with that.”