03/12/2008

Mitzi Perdue: Artist Eggstra 0rdinary
By Carol Ann Ellis

Mary H. "Mitzi" Perdue is a multitalented lady.  She is perhaps best known as the founder of Healthy U of Delmarva, an organization dedicated to encouraging healthy lifestyles on the Eastern Shore.  Through programs which promote wise choices, this 6,000 member group helps individuals reduce their risk for cancer, heart and lung diseases, arthritis and other lifestyle related illnesses.

As philanthropist, businesswoman, nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, author and television producer, Ms. Perdue has successfully worn many hats.  Her hobby though, is particularly appropriate to this season of Easter.  She creates decorated eggs, not the bunny and flower decorated ones most of people make with their children, but works of art that begin with large ostrich or emu eggs. 

Using the large, hollowed out, halved egg shells she creates what she calls "eggscapes," an appropriate term because they often depict "reality free" worlds complete with flowers, nearly magical birds such as swans and miniature fairies. However, they can also be more down to earth, featuring for example, historical themes.

In 1996 Ms. Perdue was asked to make the egg representing Maryland for the White House Easter Egg Collection.  She designed a diorama including a miniature Cal Ripken in the Orioles' Camden Yard; a copy of it is in the Maryland Historical Society which displays 61 of her eggscapes.  Other scenes include Christmas mornings, fantasy snow scenes, forest animals and creatures from Greek mythology.  The exteriors of the eggs are often decorated with jewels giving them a Faberge like quality.

Ms. Perdue's penchant for making these beautiful creations began in an unusual way.  In 1992 after suffering a debilitating back injury in a car accident, she was housebound for nearly a year.  In order to occupy herself and find an escape from pain, she taught herself to carve and decorate eggs by watching how-to painting programs on television and practicing with a dentist's drill until she could carve an eggshell without breaking it.  When she recovered she began to give workshops on "hatching your own eggscape" and appeared in several venues with her creations. 

Although she does not do many eggscapes today, Ms. Perdue's eggs have been exhibited in national galleries and museums as well as the White House. They can also be found in the homes of the well to do and royalty, including the residences of  Empress Michiko of Japan, former Premier Deng Chou Peng of China and President and Mrs. Clinton.

Some of the eggscapes have been sold for prices ranging from $60.00 to $1,000, with most of the proceeds being donated to charity.

Ms. Perdue holds a Bachelor's degree in Government from Harvard University and a Master's in Public Administration from George Washington University. She is past president of the 35,000 member American Agri-Women and has served on the Board of Visitors of the Davis Medical School at the University of California. She has also been a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services and was a U.S. Delegate to the United Nations Conference on Women.  She received the Woman of the Year Award from the Maryland Federation of Business and Professional Women and the Governor's Citation for Outstanding Service.  She was twice named the Volunteer of the Year by the Lower Shore Chapter of the United Way.

The widow of chicken magnate Frank Perdue she now lives in New York City, but maintains her interest in the welfare of the Eastern Shore.

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