A world-traveling couple I sold a home to several years ago once called Hilton Head Island "a Garden of Eden - an oasis of peace." They still travel the world but Hilton Head is home.
Our barrier island has truly been a Garden of Eden this spring. The whole area has erupted in masses of color from blooming azaleas, yellow Carolina Jasmine (the white Confederate Jasmine will come later), wisteria, dogwood - every imaginable variety of blooming plants, shrubs, trees and vines.
As varied, colorful and interesting as the plants are the people who live here, have lived here, visit here, and are drawn to the natural beauty of the island. One of my favorites is Mary Edna Fraser, a creative artist whom I've known since she began to take off in her career, a spirited girl who flew in her family's vintage 1947 propeller plane gathering inspiration from an aerial perspective for what would become her internationally recognized, stunning silk batiks. That was before she had the first-ever one-woman exhibit at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. She has exhibited all over the world. She has been called an environmental artist and has a deep spiritual connection with nature and environmental concerns which are the focus of many of her large batiks.
The process used on silk batik is precise and complicated. It is not for the faint of heart, nor is there room for error. One mistake and the piece is ruined. Currently Mary Edna is working on silk sails that are 21-feet tall! This is a commissioned piece for a museum.
Batik is a dye-resistant process in which removable wax is applied to fabric, creating areas that will repel dye, while any unwaxed areas will absorb dye. This technique of dying textiles is a traditional craft in Malaysia, India, China, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Japan, Azerbaijan, Nigeria, Singapore, Senegal and Indonesia. The word "batik" originated in Java, Indonesia where the process predates written records.
She has collaborated on books with the highly regarded Orrin H. Pilkey, the James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of Geology at the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University in North Carolina. He is an internationally recognized expert on the geology of barrier islands. He and his son Keith's book, "Global Climate Change," accompanied by Mary Edna's stunning batiks, describes global change and its effects. Another collaboration with Pilkey is "A Celebration of the World's Barrier Islands." If you would enjoy seeing some beautiful, intricate work, go to : http://www.maryedna.com/.
Our local real estate environment is incredibly attractive right now. With stronger sales and a more limited inventory, interest rates are still low and we're seeing multiple offers being presented on various properties. Sales are generally within 5-7% of the asking price. The market is turning and when that happens inventory can go down very quickly and prices begin to edge up. Closed sales are already up around 12% over this time last year. There isn't as much product on the market as there was. Have you missed the buyer's market?
Diann Wilkinson
