Craft Show Artists 2009

Christine L. Adcock — Santa Barbara, CA   |   adcockstudios.com

Christine works with a variety of natural forms and fibers. Most of her materials are indigenous to the area in which she lives, and are hand gathered. Coiled & twined baskets, and hand-built plant fiber vessels fabricated from a variety of natural and dyed plant fibers, including date palm inflorescence, Torrey Pine needles, Colter Pine Cone scales, Jacaranda seed pods, Reed, Raffia, Dracaena Draco leaf (The Dragon Tree), Lecheguilla fiber (Spanish Dagger Agave). She prepares these materials in a variety of ways and adds color through dying with natural and commercial dyes. Her forms are contemporary and traditional, and her inspiration, first and last is the natural world.

Mary A. Jackson — Charleston, SC

Baskets of handcoiled seagrasses collected along the South Carolina coast.

Ed B. Lee — Philadelphia, PA   |  edbinglee.com

In this series, titled MEDITATION ON THE CHAWAN, I am exploring various knotting techniques that have its origin in the double half hitch and different materials not traditionally associated with the art of macramé, such as synthetic commercial ribbons, shoe lace and paper. I have kept the size and shapes of the Chawan, 30 in all, somewhat uniform as a means of emphasizing the materials, the technical aspects and the design.

Kari G. Lonning — Ridgefield, CT      karilonning.com

Baskets woven of artist-dyed rattan reed using commercial, water fast dyes. The techniques used are multi-element twining to achieve spiral and vertical patterns, and the artist's own "hairy" technique, where hundreds of short pieces of reed are woven into the walls of the baskets. Double-wall constructions are woven as two separate baskets then they are joined together at the outer rim. All designs are original and all work is by the artist.

Debora Muhl — Greensboro, NC   |   deboramuhl.com

I create sculptural basketry using the traditional technique of coiling with sweet grass (hierochloe odorata) as the core material. The stitches are waxed Irish linen or artificial sinew. Some of the work begins on a segment of prepared gourd and most recently the work is purely sweet grass and various ribbons. I design in the process of the work and each piece is a surprise in the end. It has been my intent to create a unique style in basketry, using this unique and fragrant sweet grass.

Joh Ricci — New Oxford, PA

Its knot what you think! To create my one-of-a-kind 'contemporary, sculptural baskets,' my primary method is knotting, while netting, crochet and hand-bead weaving techniques may also be applied in combination with one another. Materials consist mainly of nylon thread that I hand dye in order to achieve a broad range of colors that are unique to my work. 'I have found this form of expression both tedious and time intensive, yet there is a hypnotic rhythm to the process of manipulating colored threads into knots to cover a three-dimensional form. I feel that the combination of positive energy and spiritual thought support my goals to bring creative life to an idea and to create fiber forms that transcend the boundaries of the concept of a traditional basket.'

JoAnne Russo — Saxtons River, VT     joannerusso.com

My new work has evolved to combine skills I've learned throughout my life. In addition to basketry techniques, I'm stitching and adding sewing notions. As an avid observer of nature and incessant collector, I continue to use diverse materials and shape interesting forms. Using traditional basketry tools and materials to weave the basket, I then sew items onto the surface. I dye beads and ash splint, coil waxed linen over cord and sew hooks & eyes to create sculptural work, elevating a craft to an art.

Biba Schutz — New York, NY   |   bibaschutz.com

I create forms that bring mystery to the visual and tactile sense. Front, interior and back surfaces interact, drawing the eye into a drama of shifting curves and textures. I've created language with the armature and the use of wire. I build volume, space, texture and color with these threads of wire. Though the work may look spontaneous it is carefully calculated to create its form, movement and rhythm. My fantasy is to be inside the work...encouraging visual and emotional exporation.

Aaron Yakim & Cynthia W. Taylor
Parkersburg, WV   |   southernhighlandguild.org/yakimtaylor

We make hand-split white oak baskets. The wood is split, carved, bent, pegged, whittled, and woven into the finished form. Each is one-of-a-kind, woven free-hand without the use of molds. The basket's design depends on the working properties of each individual tree. The strength and flexibility of this natural material, lends itself to crafting a wide variety of dynamic shapes with flowing lines created by the wrapping, weaving, and technical ribbing methods. The natural colors of the wood are used to accent design features - darker elements are made from heartwood of the tree while the lighter elements are split from the sapwood. All elements of our baskets are created directly from the tree with hand tools, in the tradition of the central and southern Appalachian Mountain region.

Samuel Yao — Ann Arbor, MI

All my sculptural baskets are uniquely designed and hand woven with materials from palm trees. I collect most of the palm materials from the State of Florida. The palm tree fibers and the inflorescences are gathered from fallen fronds that have been blown down by the wind. There are many different varieties of palms used in my baskets. Each has a different texture, shape, color, and size that provide a unique combination and design for each piece. The palm seed fronds and the flower stalks of palm trees have wonderful form and texture, making them beautifully suited for baskets, as well as creating the exquisite basket art that you see

Jennifer Heller Zurick — Berea, KY     jenniferhellerzurick.com

I aspire to create simple, elegant woven vessels that possess a richness of spirit and a presence embodying the soul of the tree from which they came. My creativity flows from a deep connection to the natural world and a fascination with old tribal textiles, finely woven functional containers and ancient processes. Working exclusively with hand processed, natural fibers collected from my environment lend my basketry an organic soulfulness that might otherwise be absent. As my work evolves, I am compelled to create more refined, intricate and expressive woven forms, finding great satisfaction in emulating the art and integrity of fine basketry.