Forget pandemic sourdough bread: Beaufort man makes models of Lowcountry churches
The pandemic has given those stuck at home more time to indulge in hobbies.
That’s true for 79-year-old Darrell Schuman, of Beaufort.
But instead of baking sourdough bread or watching “The Mandalorian,” Schuman keeps himself busy by modeling Beaufort and St. Helena’s historic churches.
“This virus is really (serious),” he said. “I’m 79 years old — one of the vulnerable ones.”
He said that he and his wife, Lynne, only leave the house to go to the grocery store, so he’s had all the time in the world to work on the churches.
The retiree, originally from Yardley, Pennsylvania, uses basswood to construct the church facades. Each one takes two to three weeks, he estimates.
The hardest part is making the windows.
“Each window pane, the wood that goes in each pane is maybe four or five tenths of an inch,” said Schuman. “You got to use tweezers to get them in.”
It’s a distraction he started casually in 2017. His churches got their first big spotlight when they were featured in Beaufort’s annual Home for the Holidays fundraiser last year. But they haven’t been able to showcase any models since COVID-19 struck.
Quarantine has inspired the couple to make a portfolio that they will bring around to local shops “if we ever get over this virus,” said Lynne Schuman.
So far, he’s modeled seven local churches: Historic St. Peter’s Church on Carteret Street, the Baptist Church of Beaufort, Carteret Street Methodist, Tabernacle Baptist Church, St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Lady’s Island Drive, First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort, and St. Helena’s Church in Beaufort.
“He just loves doing it,” said Lynne Schuman. “I’m so happy he does because there’s only so much yard work he can do.”
This story was originally published November 26, 2020 at 3:14 PM.
