One of the remarkable aspects of basketry is the material that is used. By the time an artist is actually weaving sumac, black ash or sweetgrass into a basket form, that material is nearing the very end of its journey. Before that point, the artist had to go harvest the natural material—cut it, clip it, strip it…each basket is different—and then bring it back to their studio to prep it further, including splitting, soaking, hammering, cutting, dying and other methods of manipulation. The actual art part accounts for so little compared to the prep work. But that’s what makes this art form so fascinating: the patience, resilience and fortitude of the artists themselves as they meticulously gather their raw material. They do it to produce timeless works of art, to preserve their culture, to pass along their family’s great traditions and so many other reasons. We hope you enjoy our basketry section, and the next time you meet a basket maker, strike up a conversation and learn about how and why they make their baskets. Their reasons might surprise you.
Havasupai Katsina Maiden (Kòoninkatsinmana), embroidered plaque with yarn, 13½ x 14"
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