As a child growing up in New York State, I was captivated with the Native American culture as represented by the Seneca Nation that lived in my region. I wanted to learn their craft skills, especially pottery and basket making. I married, raised a family, taught high school science, retired, and then moved to North Carolina, where an opportunity to pursue one of these skills presented itself.
In my community I found an elder woman with whom I bartered lessons in pine needle coiling for weeding and pruning her yard. She taught me to love the work and beauty in the traditional materials, stitches and teneriffe (lace -like) weaving. Since then I have continued to add other raw materials, such as gourds, honeysuckle and grasses to the pine needle work . This is a lifelong learning experience for me.
As new materials or skills present themselves, I look at them with the thought: how can this be adapted to my medium?This craft is as old as humanity, and each of us who work with in it, adds to this body of work. I appreciate and give thanks to all those who have gone before me and I hope my work inspires others to try their hand at it.
|
|
|
