Basket Weaving 101

Numerous types of violence occur/red along with the destructions of the commons. One of which is the disruption and denigration of knowledge and skills that support autonomy from capitalism. Out of the many skills that sustain subsistence life, it is interesting that basket-weaving has come to be the most belittled. In this regard, I saw my recently acquired basket making skills to be an opportunity.

I offered myself up for workshops to whoever would accept my invitation. The first was a group called [Ladies Tea Party]. I was initially scared by the name but it turned out to be a group of retired and/or un/under-employed women who meet every Friday at Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver. I did second my workshop for Mary Babcock's class. Funny since Mary is the head of the Fibers Area at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and an expert weaver. The image above is a still from a (dizzying) YouTube video made by one of Mary's students Michael Hippolito. 

The third was for Kickstand, a community cycling resource centre where we attempted to make bike baskets - not completely satisfactory on the handle bar since the basket would tilt forward if the load (i.e. 6-pack) was too heavy. I did solve this problem a few months later by modeled the basket after a pannier instead.

The fourth, the most successful, was held with Field House Ensemble, organized by artists Cindy Mochizaki. 

Last but not least, I made an exchange with Vivi - a personal tutorial for the most delicious apple pie. This whole thing is a bit ironic since a part of what I love about being department chair is not having to do as many photo demos. And 'demos' end up as a central force of my creative practice!!!