About

This class has been canceled.

This is a fun and functional cedar bark basket for all levels of experience. The native plant materials for use by students have all been respectfully gathered and prepared by Jo and George Hart, of Wilderness Basketry in Seabeck, Washington. 

Jo Hart is a generous teacher who will guide students through learning how to do 2-strand twining, a design technique called overlaying, and weaving and shaping without using a mold. This beautiful basket will be finished with a common traditional Pacific Northwest rim. Gathering and preparation of materials will be discussed. 

Materials Fee: $80.  Please bring a check made out to BARN or cash to the first day of class.

Skill Level: Universal -- All skill levels welcome. 

Age Level: The workshop is open to ages 14+

Please bring a bag lunch. BARN has a refrigerator to store your lunch in.

Instructor Bio:  Jo Ann Hart grew up in the Appalachian Mountains near Berea, Kentucky.  When school was out, she would go out to play after breakfast and would be gone for the day exploring the flora and fauna.  There were no neighbor children to play with, so she usually entertained herself by studying nature and playing with native plants.  Her first basket was made from cockleburs and dyed with poke berries, and she often wove homes and bridges for insects from weed stems. 

With the help of her Cherokee Appalachian grandmother, from an early age she learned to identify native plants and trees, and edible and medicinal plants.  Her family life brought her to the Pacific NW, where her love making baskets with native plants was rekindled. 

Her first structured class was with instructor Melinda West in the mid 1980’s.  Once she started weaving, she couldn’t stop!  She has since studied with many contemporary fiber artists and pacific NW Native American Basket Weavers, apprenticing with Suquamish elder, Ed Carriere.  Jo teaches and shows her work locally and throughout the US.  Weaving gives her great pleasure, and she is happy to share her knowledge of plants and basketry, hoping others may also experience the spiritual and physical connection that working with natural materials offers.