The Stick

When a young boy finds a stick on the ground and reads the inspiring words carved into it, his life begins to change until he fulfills lifelong dreams and discovers the truth about giving.

Clay Rice is described by author Pat Conroy as a “great talent who combines soul and passion.” Silhouette artistry and storytelling have been in his family for more than eighty years. His grandfather, Carew Rice, was described by poet Carl Sandburg as “America’s Greatest Silhouettist” and traveled worldwide, sharing his mesmerizing cutouts with delighted customers. Each profile silhouette takes Clay about one minute, and he estimates that in his thirty-two-year career, he has cut over one million silhouettes. Clay’s nationwide following has families flocking to have this talented artist create keepsake silhouettes and sign copies of his award-winning children’s book, The Lonely Shadow. His work has been featured in Country Living, the Washington Times, the Atlanta Constitution, Cookie Magazine, and has appeared in the CBS series Army Wives. Clay is the recipient of the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award and the IPPY Award for Children’s Book of the Year. Clay’s landscape scenes and children’s illustrations are sought after by collectors worldwide, and his work is on permanent display at the South Carolina State Museum. -