| LYNN'S SCULPTURED BASKETS |
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| Working on a basket while my Guide Dog Daretta is by my side |
I became totally blind at Age 6 due
to an accident. In 1998 I learned
how to do coiled basketry.
I like to think of my basketry as a
kind of sculpture, where each
individual basket has its own
unique style and character. Color
is meaningful to those who can see,
but for me I like to concentrate on
the form, texture and style of the
basket.
I enjoy experimenting with new
materials for my basketry
creations. Thus far I've used pine
needles from various trees, round
reed, sea grass, corn husk, wild
meadow grass, gourds and emu
eggs.
to an accident. In 1998 I learned
how to do coiled basketry.
I like to think of my basketry as a
kind of sculpture, where each
individual basket has its own
unique style and character. Color
is meaningful to those who can see,
but for me I like to concentrate on
the form, texture and style of the
basket.
I enjoy experimenting with new
materials for my basketry
creations. Thus far I've used pine
needles from various trees, round
reed, sea grass, corn husk, wild
meadow grass, gourds and emu
eggs.
Though there are many different materials available for making
baskets, my favorite is the long pine needle. It lends itself well to
coiling, which is the type of basketry I enjoy doing most. I learned
that I had to make some adjustments in the standard coiling
techniques so that I could work entirely by touch. For example,
instead of using all wet needles, I used dry ones. Rather than
using raffia, I used waxed linen thread to sew my baskets
together.
Today, years later, I still get great pleasure from this creative
work. I enjoy sitting under the pine trees with my Guide Dog as she
watches over me while I gather and sort fallen pine needles.
Occasionally, I find a large clump of needles which looks like a
small broom. I marvel at the wonder of nature. It is fun for me to
be able to harvest fresh green young pine needles from branches
newly trimmed for fire prevention. Pine needles are an interesting
material because they vary in several ways. The young green
needles are supple, shiny, and fine, making them good material for
smaller baskets.
I have found the Torrey pine and black pine needles to be coarse,
thick, and strong. They can be used to form large sweeping angles
that need strength. The Ponderosa pine needle is a general, overall
good material for many coiled baskets. My favorite of all the pine
needles, however, is the Jeffrey pine. These long, strong, flexible
needles can be tied, or bent into all kinds of shapes and angles.
All the pine needles I gather can be dyed for color variation,
waxed for hardness and sheen, and baked in glycerin for
limberness and gloss.
Pine needles are such a versatile material that it is always
interesting to work with them and quite rewarding to be able to
create works of art from nature's waste. I do hope you enjoy my
website.
Click Here to View PDF Slide Show of Lynn's Baskets (2.94 Mg
file size) of my exhibition at the San Francisco Exploratorium in
June and July 2010. You must have Adobe reader on your
computer to view above slide show.
If you don't have it, click here to download Adobe reader free.
EMAIL LYNN ABOUT HER BASKETS
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| LAST SITE UPDATE January 2, 2012 |