In the artist's studio - Mary Edna Fraser

Mary Edna Fraser, Charleston, S.C.

I had an extraordinary evening last night, meeting up with my friend Susan to visit artist Mary Edna Fraser's studio on the marsh. We sat on the dock at dusk before exploring her studio and I came home feeling incredibly lucky. Mary Edna takes pictures from airplanes and makes the most amazing batik designs from them.

My life’s work is from an aerial perspective, a view of the earth I choose to transcribe onto silk using dyes in the ancient medium of batik. The art comprises a series of narrative landscapes inspired by the terraqueous reaches of the continent, where realms of earth, sea and sky converge. Each area is carefully researched, often by hiking the terrain, exploring the waterways by boat, and painting studies on location. Geology, topography, maps, charts, and satellite images are studied to identify features of visual interest.

I have a special fondness for Mary Edna's husband Dr. John Sperry as well since he was my children's Pediatrician. How many hundreds of lowcountry children has he shepherded through childhood? I try to jump the gun by asking "How are YOUR children?" but he is always a step ahead of me asking me about mine. It's a sweet thing seeing this couple so in love with each other. Medicine and science has been a perfect mix in this relationship. What a treat this evening was.