Threads 64: Celebrating Basketry

This is the poster of the recent MERA exhibition of baskets in March 2023.

The idea for this exhibition was to show people the versatility of the craft of basketry, both in technique and in materials.

When I first became interested in basketry, while a student, I visited the Saugeen First Nation in

Southampton, near Owen Sound Canada. While I was there, I realized that basketry was part of their cultural heritage.  For that reason, I have never made that style of basket, although I have used natural materials local to my area.

During the 70s there were no European-style basket makers in Canada, except for a few, retired elderly men from Europe. They were trained in willow and collected their own. The only people I could find using round reed were occupational therapists. They were taught to make a basket during their training. I was shocked to learn that they made a basket, then pulled it apart and handed the material on to the next student. How discouraging! 

I also discovered a few  people had made baskets at the CNIB (Institute for the Blind). Unable to find anybody to teach me I went to England and visited various teachers, where basketry is still alive and well.

It was in England that I  learnt about using round reed, aka centre cane in England. Unable to obtain willow in this country I concentrated on using round reed. I must have taught hundreds of workshops to both grown-ups to children.

After moving up to McDonalds Corners, I became much more interested in natural materials. I grew my own willow and worked with a wide range of found materials.

This exhibition is a combination of both my round reed days and my natural material days. The 15 wastepaper baskets were rather like a déjà vu. I hadn’t woven with a wooden base for years. I rediscovered the fun of colour, pattern and design. The 8 flying wing creatures are all made with natural materials from this area. They fly around the room in between three trees made of grapevine. I hope they do not fly out of the windows! 

If you are local to McDonald’s Corners, you can join the exhibit opening at MERA on Saturday, March 18 (postponed from earlier due to snow). You can also visit the exhibition virtually at: https://meraschoolhouse.org/exploring-basketry-with-anakret-dean/