Small Expressions 2010

Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. has opened a Call to Entry for their annual international, juried Small Expressions exhibit. HGA's Annual Exhibit of Small Scale Works is being planned in conjunction with Convergence 2010 Albuquerque. The exhibit featuring high quality, contemporary small-scale (not to exceed 15 inches (38 cm) in any direction) works will be on display July 22 - 25, 2010, at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The juror whose name has not yet been announced will independently screen all images and make the preliminary selection of all work in the exhibition. Three pieces may be entered per artist. Pieces exhibited in previous Small Expressions exhibits are not eligible. Submitted work is limited to fiber techniques (interlaced, felted, paper, etc.). All work must be of exhibition quality, completed within the last two years (since January 2008) and not previously published. Additional entry details can be viewed on HGA or download the prospectus.

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Fibers Through Time 2010

Fibers Through Time 2010, A Fiber Odyssey sponsored by Arizona Federation of Weavers and Spinners Guilds, Inc.

For 2010, Arizona Federation of Weavers and Spinners Guilds are offering twenty-six exciting and varied workshops. Offerings include 2½-day workshops as in the past, but this year you will also find several 1-day workshops and a special presentation on marketing.

The Conference includes a Vendor Marketplace, great raffle items, a Juror's Choice exhibit, handspun yarn judging, a banquet and a keynote speaker.



Workshops of particular interest to basketmakers include:
Creative Sculptural Basketweaving, Shirley Eichten Albrecht
Gourd Weaving - Fiber Coiling and Teneriffe Designs, Shelley Rogers Fletcher and Judy Moody
Papago-Style Basketry, Sharie Monsam
Pine Needle Workshops, Vicky Nickelson
Wild Color - Natural Dyeing, Satya Riversong
Oriental Glow - Painting on a Gourd, Ceil Goslin

This is an example of periodic educational events and conferences held by local guilds and associations. For basketry guilds and organizations in your local area visit BasketMakers.com or more about basketmaking events.

Anatomy of A Packbasket

Anatomy of a Packbasket, TAUNY’s (Traditional Arts in Upstate New York) fall exhibit, will open at the TAUNY Gallery 53 Main St., Canton, New York on Saturday, September 26, 2009. An Opening Reception will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. The exhibit will look at the history of the packbasket and illustrate the step-by-step process of making one, from cutting the perfect black ash log to weaving in the final splints.

This style of basket was developed for use as a means of carrying the heavy loads needed for hunting, fishing, trapping and other pursuits in the mountain wilderness of the Adirondacks in New York State. Most early Adirondack pack baskets were made using hand pounded Black ash woodsplints split to satin. They have a flat or slightly curved back and a "belly" that bows out somewhat to increase the volume of the contents the pack could hold. A leather or woven webbing harness with adjustable shoulder straps allows the basket to be worn comfortably on the guide or hunter's back. Packbaskets are still made in this region, mostly as items for household use but a few traditionalists still wear them in the woods. The exhibit will include a display of antique and contemporary packbaskets along with photographs by Martha Cooper, who spent several days with Adirondack basketmaker Bill Smith. The exhibit will remain on display through late November.



TAUNY is dedicated to showcasing the folk culture and living traditions of the North Country. The TAUNY Gallery and Folkstore are at 53 Main St. in Canton. Hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit TAUNY.org.

For more about Black Ash Baskets, including Adirondack Packbaskets, visit BasketMakers.com

Bangs Hallet Features Nantucket Baskets

The Historical Society of Old Yarmouth will present a unique exhibit of historical nautical creations daily at the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum, 11 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts. Items from private collections (some never exhibited before) such as sailors’ valentines, scrimshaw and Nantucket lightship baskets will be on display. Local crafters will also display contemporary examples of their crafts. Historical Society members will guide tours through the Museum. There will also be daily lectures detailing elements of this impressive work. Co-chairs of the exhibition are Suzanne Courcier and Barbara Adams. Admission is $10. For additional information phone 508-362-3021.

Antique Maritime Handicrafts exhibit
Where: Captain Bangs Hallet House, Yarmouth Port, MA
When: Sept. 16-23; Tours and contemporary demonstrations, 1-4 p.m.; daily discussions (except the 19th) at 2 p.m.
Discussion schedule includes:
Sept. 23 – The Nantucket Basket, Elaine Carter

For more info: http://www.hsoy.org or 508-362-3021

Ash and Sweetgrass Basketry at Festival

Three accomplished Black ash and sweetgrass basketmakers will present their basketry at the Native American Arts Festival being hosted by the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, September 26, 2009. The Nature Center is located in Stamford, CT. In addition to the basketmakers, many prominent Native American artists will show their artwork, which will be available for purchase. Young visitors will be able to take part in traditional Native American games.

Fiber artist Ronnie-Leigh Goeman uses traditional Iroquois methods in creating baskets. She collaborates with Stonehorse Goeman, who sculpts bases for the baskets out of bone and other natural materials.

Using the plaiting technique of basket weaving, Robin Lazore uses split ash and sweet grass as materials. She is known for her strawberry and pineapple twist baskets.

Carrie Hill comes from a long line of basket weavers, and uses techniques passed down to her through family members. She uses black ash splint and sweet grass to create traditional baskets.

For more upcoming basketry events around the USA visit BasketMakers.com.

Patrick Dougherty at Bosque School

October 5 - 25, 2009, guest artist Patrick Dougherty from North Carolina is creating a site-specific work on the grounds of the Bosque School adjoining the Rio Grande Valley State Park in Albuquerque, NM. His woven works have evolved to monumental scale environments which require saplings by the truckloads. He will be using willow saplings harvested from the site and involving the students and teachers in the process.

The public may observe Dougherty's work in progress weekends, October 10-11 & 24-25, 8am-5pm.



An artist talk with Patrick Dougherty is scheduled Thursday, October 22, 4pm in Budhager Hall at Bosque School.

For more information about Patrick Dougherty visit www.stickwork.net

For more information about Bosque School visit www.bosqueschool.org

For additional basketry events visit www.BasketMakers.com

Important California baskets lead American Indian art auction in Dallas

The Sept. 19, 2009 American Indian Art Auction at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas, will include baskets by Scees Bryant, Dat-so-la-lee and Elizabeth Hickox that are expected to command prices in the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Live and online bidding will be available. You can download a full catalog in .pdf format. The catalog includes biographies and other background information that would be helpful to any serious collector of historic American baskets.

For more about basket collecting visit BasketMakers.com

2009 Basket Calendar ~ September

2009 Basket Calendar ~ September
Originally uploaded by BasketMakers

I have created a set of 2009 Basketry Calendar pages that are sized to print out on 8.5" x 11' paper. Here is the page for the month of September. You can view the rest of them on http://www.flickr.com/photos/basketmakers/ and see more basketry graphics on http://basketmakers.com/topics/graphics/graphicsmenu.htm