Madeline Carol Gallery

To stand in the presence of this stately old oak tree is to feel its magnificence.  Spirituality permeates one's soul as one can feel the very presence of God while marveling at His handiwork.  The Angel Oak has survived centuries of shipbuilding and has been witness to weddings, tourists, plantation living, picnics by day, and by night a lovers lane.The Angel Oak is a live oak, a native tree species found throughout the lowcountry.  The live oak has a wide spreading canopy and has large limbs resting on the ground.  This mighty oak was about 1000 years old when Columbus discovered America!  The old tree was on the land of the Angel family, purchased in the 1800's; thus the name "The Angel Oak".  Although it was named for Martha and Justis Angel, stories have endured and become legends about angels who appear in and around the sweeping branches.  Many believe that spirits and angels live in the tree, causing the branches to wave.  Stories have been told that angels appear and that ghosts have been sighted around the trees.In this painting Madeline Carol has captured a moment frozen in time.  The reflecting rays of the sun illuminate memories of what once happened on this spot.  The grand oak is a witness to the living spirits of the past.

This great oak is a celebration of life, strength and endurance!  One can feel the spiritual presence moving in and around the leaves and branches.  This feeling ignites one's imagination to manifest spirits that reveal themselves in the shadows of this legend.Can you see and feel these manifestations?  

Charleston is a beautiful place at night, with the warm glow of the lamps and with the quiet but somewhat sentimental atmosphere of a time gone by. 
The city by the sea abounds in tales of adventure, loves, and ghosts. Charleston's sites are more than the mere visual, for in many instances you can not only see the beauty but also feel it and the spirits of past times.
Lovely memories that linger like the Indian summers and lamplights that warm and illuminate the dark, giving the colorful glow of a romantic evening. 
 On Legare Street are the Sword Gates that according to the best information, were built about 1830. Prior to this date, the gates had been constructed of wood and the adjoining wall was a mere wooden wall. It seems that in 1829 this location was school. A young girl, daughter of a local planter, was enrolled there because she had fallen in love with suitor who happened to be from New York. His "Yankee" background caused her father to take issue with this romantic relationship. As the story goes, the young student climbed over the fence one day and went to St. Michael's church to marry her husband-to-be. After the marriage, she returned to the boarding school and remained there until her new husband pulled up in a carriage and presented his card calling on his new wife. It was through this portal that the couple left together, got into their waiting carriage, and rode off into the new life.