Have you ever walked into a home and immediately felt cozy and welcome, as if you’d entered your grandmother’s house and she’d offered you just-out-of-the-oven cookies she’s made just because she knew you loved them? If so, chances are that home was filled with country furniture.There’s just something comforting and cozy about country furniture. Not that country furniture is ugly or old-fashioned looking. Just the opposite. The gentle curves and soft lines that often define this style of furniture is very “put up your feet and stay awhile.” You often may have a sudden urge to nap because a country-style couch often is well-padded with well-stuffed pillows along its back. A severely modern furniture style, on the other hand, can sometimes give off a “do not touch!” vibe, let alone a “make at home” feeling.So if you want to turn your house into “home,” consider purchasing this style furniture. When you’ve had a tough day at the office, or your child has had a rough day at school or on the playground, your country furniture can help whisk the stress and bad happenings of day away.Furniture: Sturdy, Finely Crafted and Beautiful!The furniture is also well-made; no particle board and faux wood finishes here. You can choose from hardwoods such as maple, cherry and oak, and all of them are available in the color stain that’s perfect for the vision you have of your home’s decor. In addition, country furniture often is made by fine wood crafters and is made to last for generations. These well-made pieces often are hand finished, with each part of the piece hand sanded to an incredible smoothness. Country furniture craftsmen then often apply a satin or high-gloss coat stain to “finish” the piece.Not to be outdone by the hardwoods, country furniture makers often use the “soft” wood Pine for their pieces. Pine’s “knotty” look exudes comfort and a slower pace of life. Don’t be surprised if visitors start letting out sighs of complete relaxation when they come to your home.You’ll often see this country style furniture painted bright colors. If so, you’ll notice that these pieces – sideboards, low cabinets, bookshelves, cabinets – make great accent items and really liven up a room. They also become great conversation pieces because of the focal point they often become within your decor.Not that all homes filled with country furniture are brimming with color. Some of the most peaceful and “calming” of country decors will see you decorating as simply as possible, using natural colors and textures to give your home a feeling of simplicity, friendliness and family – all ideals associated with country furniture.

In the heart of the American Southeast, South Carolina boasts expansive beaches, charming towns and the historic city of Charleston, home to the large Gibbs Museum of Art. Charleston hosts the annual MOJA Festival celebrating African American and Caribbean arts, music and culture, an event representative of the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the arts in South Carolina.Just outside of Charleston is Middleton Place, the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States. Columbia, SC’s largest city is home to the Columbia Museum of Art and boasts an expanding art and theater scene in its revitalizing downtown. Other South Carolina landmarks include the Spartanburg Art Museum, and Brookgreen Gardens, in Murrells Inlet South Carolina, a national historical landmark with the world’s most significant collection of figurative sculpture by American artists in an outdoor setting.SC is home to noted art & design schools such as Winthrop University (est. 1886) accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Council for Interior Design, and the University of South Carolina-College of Visual and Performing Arts (est. 1801), accredited by the National Association for Schools of Art And Design (NASD).A number of liberal arts colleges and universities in South Carolina offer programs for students interested in pursuing studies in the fine arts, graphic design and related fields. The College of Charleston, for example, was founded in 1770 and is the 13th oldest college in the U.S. The school is located near the Gibbes Museum of Art and offers majors in Arts Management, Art History, Music and Studio Art.The Visual Arts Program at South Carolina State University offers a Bachelor of Art in Studio Art with concentrations in Ceramics/Sculpture, Digital Media, and Printmaking as well as a Bachelor of Science degree program in Art Education for individuals wishing to teach art.The largest SC Universities include the University of South Carolina-Columbia with a total enrollment of over 27,000 and Clemson University, located in Clemson South Carolina and enrolling over 17,000 students. Both schools offer degree programs for students interested in a career in fine art or commercial art and design.Winthrop University, in Rock Hill South Carolina, offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Ceramics, Jewelry/Metals, Painting, Photography (both commercial and fine art), Printmaking, Sculpture and Visual Communication Design (in illustration or graphics). The emphasis is on combining creativity and community and preparing students for the technical, aesthetic and intellectual challenges of understanding the changing global environment, and preparing for careers working creatively in the arts in their communities.Coastal Carolina University is a small school located in Conway South Carolina, near the lovely oceanfront community of Myrtle Beach and owns it’s own 1,000 acre barrier island on the Atlantic coast. The school offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Studio Art and Graphic Design with coursework in ceramics, painting, photography, printmaking, art education and art history. The program allows students to explore many media before choosing a focus and producing a body of original work exhibited in the university’s Rebecca Randall Bryan Art Gallery.Most liberal arts schools teaching art and design provide a grounding in art history, design theory, media and technique, as well as computer technology. Students develop portfolios with samples of their completed projects to present to potential employers, graduate schools or galleries if they decide to pursue careers as independent artists or artisans.There is a significant demand for creative people in all industries in SC. Artists and designers can find employment in corporations creating advertisements, brochures, logos and packaging and product designs. They can work in agencies, design firms, film and media companies and publishers, as well as museums, and galleries.

The field and practice of worksite wellness today basically revolves around three terms – health, wellness and wellbeing. Other terms also seen used include: thriving, flourishing, health promotion, optimal living and quality of life. But the big three are health, wellness and wellbeing.Since these terms are used interchangeably or as synonyms, I have wondered just how different or the same these terms are? When I framed out this question in my mind, I thought it would be simple enough to just look-up their definitions and I would have my answer.But, boy was I wrong. Definitions only got me so far and not very far at that. It appears that a clearer picture requires understanding the term’s concept and context, as well as its definition.What Is Health?Probably, the most commonly cited definition of health is the 1948 definition by the World Health Organization (WHO). “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”The 1994 Mosby, 4th Edition, Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary defines health as: “A condition of physical, mental and social wellbeing and the absence of disease or other abnormal condition. It is not a static condition.”Rice University defines health as being “a multi-dimensional concept that is usually and measured in terms of: l) absence of physical pain, physical disability, or a condition that is likely to cause death, 2) emotional well-being, and 3) satisfactory social functioning.”Wikipedia sees health as being “the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living organism. In humans it is the ability of individuals or communities to adapt and self-manage when facing physical, mental or social challenges.”Fritjof Capra and Pier Luisi in their 2014 book, The Systems View of Life, define health as “a state of well-being, resulting from a dynamic balance that involves the physical and psychological aspects of the organism, as well as its interactions with its natural and social environment.”The 2013 Edition 22 of Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary defines health as “a condition in which all functions of the body and mind are normally active.”In Merriam – Webster’s 2006 Medical Dictionary, health is “(1) the condition of an organism or one of its parts in which it performs its vital functions normally or properly; the state of being sound in body or mind; freedom from physical disease and pain. (2) the condition of an organism with respect to the performance of its vital functions, especially as evaluated subjectively (How’s your health today?).”Stedman’s 7th Edition Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing, 2012, has defined health as “(1) the state of an organism when it functions optimally without evidence of disease or abnormality; (2) a state characterized by anatomic, physiologic and psychological integrity; ability to perform personally valued family, work and community roles; ability to deal with physical, biologic psychological and social stress; a feeling of wellbeing; freedom from the risk of disease and untimely death.Unlike health status which is a fixed state at any one specific point in time, health is a much larger concept. “Health is largely a subjective experience whose quality can be known intuitively but can never be exhaustively defined or quantified.” (Capra and Luisi, 2014) Health is therefore relative, subjective and multi-dimensional. How we define life will determine how we define health. Since life depends on the natural and social environments, so does our health.When examining and considering definitions, it is important from a conceptual perspective to remember that definitions are only part of the perspective. For conceptual clarity, one also needs to consider context and relevancy as being equally important as areas to focus on as well.Understanding health in relationship to worksite wellness is not as simple as defining the term.