Each Basket I make is a "Learning Experience (101)" no matter how many years I have been doing it (since 2002) or will continue to do it.  I believe this will be the last new Craft I will use to express myself, my feelings and my talent. In my life time I have learned the many forms my talents have taken; from Crocheting doilies with my Grandmother to crocheting Sesame Street Characters for my sons, to developing my own crochet patterns from scratch for many other characters and animals. Sewing, punch-work, embroidery, crewel tapestries, hooking rugs from patterns or my own designs, decorating with paints, flower arrangement, and string art. I have done body work & prepped cars for painting (1960's), written and produced a play while we were stationed in Spain (early 1970's), learned & worked as a car mechanic with my husband (late 1970's Italy), Hickam AFB Inventory Control in Hawaii (1980's) and finished the last 10 years before "retiring to Florida" as Computer Operations for a company in Louisiana (1991-2001).
The Baskets and Wall Art that I create now are influenced to some degree, from all the things I have learned and done in my life up to this point. I am always trying something new, something different, the colors, stitching combinations, shapes, styles, medias and ideas.
I start each Basket with some inkling of an idea in my mind, but the Baskets seem to finish themselves.  I never know how they will turn out and that is a nice surprise!  I start one Basket, but it always comes to a point where, I wonder what would happen if I had used a different stitch or color?  So I start another Basket with that thought in mind, which invariably leads to another new idea and another Basket is started.  By working three (3) or more Baskets at the same time, this keeps new ideas flowing for me and keeps me from getting bored with just one Basket. 

     Pine Needle Coiling is a "Portable" Art form.  I can take my supplies with me while camping or visiting out of state.  A walk through the woods or yards collecting fallen pine needles always lets me collect new ideas at the same time.  I can begin right away on a new Basket while the ideas are still fresh.  I want my Baskets to be a "Workable/Useable" art as well as a pleasing visual art form.  I'd rather my Baskets "pass the biscuits", "hold the money", and/or  "keep it smelling sweet",  than just be "dust collectors".

 

    "Baskets are the Indian Woman's poems;  the shaping of them her sculpture.  They wove into them, the story of their life and love."  "The weaving of Baskets today, is as much of an Art as ever."  Navajo School of Basketry- 1903 - authors unknown. 

    

      I like to think, my Baskets are some small form of Poetry today.

  I often wonder, what form that Poetry takes and shows to each person who sees them? 

 

 

My first venture into a Juried art competition was the 2006 Marianna Arts Festival. I entered two (2) Baskets: the one in the "Texture" category was
"Wide Brim w/ 4 Beads" and the one in the "Miscellaneous" category was "Rainbow Effect". Each Basket earned a Second Place award in their respective categories.

The 2007 Marianna Arts Festival, I entered the "Sculpture" category for the first time.
I submitted three (3) miniature Baskets, all mounted on a piece of rawhide, telling a story about children at play.

I received a Merit Award for my "Child's Play" Sculpture piece.

The 2008 Marianna Arts Festival, I entered the "Mixed Media" category for the first time.
The "Kokopelli Dancer" Wall Art was awarded First Place. The "Blue and White Swirl" Basket was awarded Third Place
in the "Texture" category and the "Turtle Warrior" Wall Art was awarded an Honorable Mention in the "Sculpture" category.


In the 2009 Marianna Arts Festival the "Spider (Iktomi) Shield"
was awarded Third Place in the Miscellaneous Category.