Basketry and Gourd Artist Directory
Basketry and Gourd artist if you live in the North Carolina mountains, Georgia mountains or eastern Tennessee mountains and want to advertise on this web site you can Have your own page with link to your existing web site free of charge until January 2007 ! Contact info@Blueridgemountainarts.com for more information.
Basketry, which is also known as basket making or basket weaving, is an ancient art form that has continued to evolve and one that remains popular in modern times. As an ancient form of craftsmanship, basketry was a necessity. Today it is more of an aristic expression. While some of the ancient or more traditional techniques are still used, new methods, tools, materials, and designs continue to be developed.
The art of basketry involves hand-weaving pieces of material such as fabric or ribbon, straw, grasses, sticks and twigs, bark, willow, bamboo, and other wood strips, together to form the shape of the basket. There are many different materials that can be used and sometimes more than one type is used to create a single basket. Today, some baskets are also made from synthetic materials including plastic.
A custom hand-woven basket makes a beautiful addition to any home. While many people think of basketry as a country look, there are many different styles that coordinate well with any design plan, from the very rustic, to uniquely modern and contemporary.
The origin of basketry was in answer to a need. Baskets were created as a tool for storing and carrying items such as food, and they were made from natural materials. Baskets began as open containers, and later covers, handles, and liners were incorporated into different designs.
While many baskets are functional and are often used as containers, just as many are purely decorative. Most of today's baskets are highly stylized, custom-made pieces used for decor.