I made my first basket while still in elementary school and have been fascinated with basketry ever since.
I have worked as both a Registered Nurse and an Elementary School
Teacher, but I have always felt most content with my life when there was
time to create. Growing up near the Illinois cornfields influenced my
love for cornhusk dolls. I took a workshop on Pine needle basketry in
1977 and ever since that has been my favorite medium. I have made, sold
and taught basketry and other nature crafts for 25 + years. For many of
those years I have been a member of the Pottery Place Plus and am now
happy to return after a few years absense.
Throughout history, or more correctly "herstory", people, mostly
women, have taken the plants that grow where they live, and used them to
create useful and decorative items. I feel a connection to these
creative and resourceful people as I glean needles from our majestic
Ponderosa Pine trees and harvest other materials from my backyard or the
local forests and find ways to create baskets, wall hangings, jewelry
and dolls for others to enjoy.
The following quote from Elizabeth Jenson speaks to why I relish making art from nature:
A basket made from natural materials is more than a basket: it is
gift from the Earth. Woven into it are the memories of sunny afternoons,
the smell of wood and meadow, the honest feel of bark and vine. A
basket from nature's bounty holds a history of human skill, ingenuity,
and care.
My hope, if you take one of my creations home, is that you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed the creating.
I can be reached at 509-535-3802
