Threads 33: A Commemorative Cradle

In recent months we have been shocked to hear of the initial discovery of 215 unmarked graves of children who were attending the residential schools in Canada.

As a way of showing our respect to the indigenous people of Canada, the Art Circle at MERA, our community arts schoolhouse, planned to paint 215 stones orange, one for each child. These stones filled four pails, and now we had to decide how and where to display them.

We needed a large container, and what better than a cradle, in fact a basket cradle...and who would make it?

During our outdoor art exhibition at the MERA Schoolhouse on September 18th, visitors took the 215 orange painted stones and placed them in the cradle.

This commemorative cradle will remain on display until the end of the year.

First day: Me and my young helper Leyland

It was pretty well finished on the second day. The next day we pulled to out of the ground and then filled in the hood of the cradle.

Remembering the wonderful coracle workshop 20 years ago. I used the same method of planting the upright stakes in the lawn and weaving up the sides.

We decided to use fresh willow, and were offered a good patch of willow that had not been coppiced for two years.

Two days later, we had cut, sorted and prepared the weavers and stakes, and set up the cradle on the lawn. Luckily it did not need a base as it was going to sit on a bench outside the school