I began my study of basketry in 1987 and I have been exploring the woven form and its relation to vessels since that time. Traditional American and Native American styles have influenced my work and my choice of materials.

This in turn dictated the styles of baskets I began weaving. Using many traditional and native materials such as cedar and cherry bark, sweetgrass and spruce roots, I studied basket weaving techniques that have been handed down through the centuries. After studying extensively with Jiro Yonezawa, I became proficient in making Japanese-style baskets using their established weaving methods.

Seven years ago I took a seminar from Jackie Abrams on weaving with watercolor paper. This medium quickly became my medium of choice. I have since combined my knowledge of traditional bamboo techniques with the paper techniques I learned. Starting with the traditional basket starts and weaves, I bring my own innovations to the process, using papers that I hand-paint to create baskets with more flexible properties.

Email Dorothy McGuinness at:
dmcguinn@u.washington.edu

Visit her website at:
http://dmcguinn.artfaceoff.com/



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