Mary Irene Foreman brought a unique artistic talent to the Mandarin community – sweetgrass basketry. Born in Mt. Pleasant, SC, she was surrounded by those who carried on the Gullah Geechee tradition of weaving baskets and other objects from sweetgrass, pine needles, and bulrush. The practice was first brought to the area by enslaved people from West Africa, and was used to produce winnowing fans, a device employed in rice production. Over time, sweetgrass basket weaving evolved into an art form, typically passed from mother to daughter.
After moving to the Edisto area of Mandarin, Mary Foreman became well known and respected for her weaving talent. She was a regular exhibitor at art shows, including the Mandarin Art Festival, and won numerous awards for her work.
She passed on the love and skill of her craft to her daughters, Mary Lee Foreman Passmore and Regenia Foreman Woodie (pictured in modern photograph).
