The How To Build A Boat (HTBAB) project, presented by the CEW Collaborative, explores the historical significance of boat building. Five middle and high school students participated in an in-depth investigation examining how the traditional boat-building trade has shaped our local communities.

At Cape Fear Community College’s (CFCC) Boat Building program, students are not mere spectators of history; they become its architects. Delving into the vast history of boat building and critically reviewing steps in functional design, Collaborative Fellows document their journey through 19th-century Renaissance classical drawing techniques.

With close observation and an artistic lens, HTBAB uncovers the art and spirit of building, literally and metaphorically. Each piece on display showcases a visual experience of deep comprehension of critical thinking and exploration that reflects our culture and encompasses Coastal Carolina’s historical landscape.

Charles Edward Williams, the founder of the CEW Collaborative Art School, and Walter Atkins, the CFCC Wooden Boat Building program director, guided fellows on two traditional boat-building and observational methods inspired by the vital lens that has shaped the landscape of our rich Lowcountry.