Folded Bark Basket Workshops
Much like today, traditional cultures needed containers, a place to store their stuff. Tree bark is one material that people have used to create these storage vessels. The Primitive Arts is proud to offer a folded bark basket workshop in which students will learn how bark is crafted into usable containers. This skill is taught in two distinct workshop options.
Option 1: Build-A-Basket Workshop is available for all months except May, June and July, and consists of four hours of instruction total. In this class, a pre-removed, folded and dried poplar bark preform that is normally 10-18” tall will be provided. Students will use this preform to construct a basket (attach handle, rim supports, etc.), and have the opportunity to add various embellishments. Each student will take home their completed basket. The number of students per class is usually capped at eight. The minimum age is 13, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. No prior knowledge of or experience with basketry is necessary. $50 plus $20 materials fee/student.
Miniature Basket Version, also available for all months except May, June and July, is another style of this Workshop which offers students a small bark preform that is normally 4-6” tall. They will similarly complete the basket, and each student will take one completed basket home. No prior knowledge of or experience with basketry is necessary, and the fee for materials and two hours of instruction is $40/student.
Option 2: Bark-To-Basket Workshop is exclusive to May, June and July, when bark can be easily removed while sap is moving nutrients from the roots to the upper parts of trees like poplar, sweet gum and cedar. It is broken into a morning and afternoon session, six hours of instruction total. For basket classes in these two months, actual poplar logs will be brought in and students will be instructed in how to remove, fold and begin to dry a piece of bark. They will take this unfinished basket and other supplies home to complete on their own. Next, students will be provided a pre-removed, folded and dried poplar bark basket. They will use the preform to construct a basket (attach handle, rim supports, etc.), and have the opportunity to add various embellishments. Each student will take home their completed basket, as well as all materials necessary to complete the 'green' bark removed during the workshop. The number of students per class is usually capped at eight, and, because of the use of sharp tools, this Workshop is restricted to ages 18+. No prior knowledge of or experience with basketry is necessary. $90/student includes all fees.
Workshops are held at The Primitive Arts’ workshop in beautiful Otto, North Carolina, which is conveniently situated between Franklin, North Carolina and Dillard, Georgia. Contact The Primitive Arts to schedule a Workshop from 1-10 people.
If you can’t come to Western North Carolina, you can still enjoy our instruction because one unique advantage of these workshops is what can be informally described as, "Have bark, will travel." Like all of The Primitive Arts workshops, it is completely mobile, and all of the materials necessary for it can be brought to your location; you need merely to provide the space and 6-7 tables.
The Primitive Arts is committed to customizing this workshop to your own goals. Its length, number of students, ages of students and virtually every other aspect of instruction can be modified.
Much like today, traditional cultures needed containers, a place to store their stuff. Tree bark is one material that people have used to create these storage vessels. The Primitive Arts is proud to offer a folded bark basket workshop in which students will learn how bark is crafted into usable containers. This skill is taught in two distinct workshop options.
Option 1: Build-A-Basket Workshop is available for all months except May, June and July, and consists of four hours of instruction total. In this class, a pre-removed, folded and dried poplar bark preform that is normally 10-18” tall will be provided. Students will use this preform to construct a basket (attach handle, rim supports, etc.), and have the opportunity to add various embellishments. Each student will take home their completed basket. The number of students per class is usually capped at eight. The minimum age is 13, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent. No prior knowledge of or experience with basketry is necessary. $50 plus $20 materials fee/student.
Miniature Basket Version, also available for all months except May, June and July, is another style of this Workshop which offers students a small bark preform that is normally 4-6” tall. They will similarly complete the basket, and each student will take one completed basket home. No prior knowledge of or experience with basketry is necessary, and the fee for materials and two hours of instruction is $40/student.
Option 2: Bark-To-Basket Workshop is exclusive to May, June and July, when bark can be easily removed while sap is moving nutrients from the roots to the upper parts of trees like poplar, sweet gum and cedar. It is broken into a morning and afternoon session, six hours of instruction total. For basket classes in these two months, actual poplar logs will be brought in and students will be instructed in how to remove, fold and begin to dry a piece of bark. They will take this unfinished basket and other supplies home to complete on their own. Next, students will be provided a pre-removed, folded and dried poplar bark basket. They will use the preform to construct a basket (attach handle, rim supports, etc.), and have the opportunity to add various embellishments. Each student will take home their completed basket, as well as all materials necessary to complete the 'green' bark removed during the workshop. The number of students per class is usually capped at eight, and, because of the use of sharp tools, this Workshop is restricted to ages 18+. No prior knowledge of or experience with basketry is necessary. $90/student includes all fees.
Workshops are held at The Primitive Arts’ workshop in beautiful Otto, North Carolina, which is conveniently situated between Franklin, North Carolina and Dillard, Georgia. Contact The Primitive Arts to schedule a Workshop from 1-10 people.
If you can’t come to Western North Carolina, you can still enjoy our instruction because one unique advantage of these workshops is what can be informally described as, "Have bark, will travel." Like all of The Primitive Arts workshops, it is completely mobile, and all of the materials necessary for it can be brought to your location; you need merely to provide the space and 6-7 tables.
The Primitive Arts is committed to customizing this workshop to your own goals. Its length, number of students, ages of students and virtually every other aspect of instruction can be modified.
| folded_baskets.pdf |
Andrew Lee - 706.978.1203 - andrew@theprimitivearts.com