Aaron
Yakim and Cynthia Taylor create refined rib baskets and
split baskets directly from the white oak tree using
hand tools, continuing a heritage craft of the central
and southern Appalachian mountain region. The skill lies
in finding suitable basket timber, creating the basket
materials, as well as designing and weaving the baskets.
Aaron and Cynthia have each developed individual interpretations
of traditional basket styles of the region. Each basket
is one-of-a-kind, signed, numbered and dated.
In their words, "Through our
basketmaking we express our love of the natural beauty,
rich culture, and deep traditions of the mountains. We
are drawn to the simplicity and functionality of the old
baskets and find an inner peace in our daily lives as we
split, whittle and weave the wood into its finished form."
Like
many other creative people in the early 1970’s,
Robin and Mary Reed sought an alternative life style
away from the hustle and bustle of the city. In their
case, it was away from their hometown of Lexington when
they purchased a homestead in the Daniel Boon National
Forest, among the Appalachian Mountains of Estill and
Lee counties.
Being college educated and unfamiliar
with rural life, the Reeds turned to their new adoptive
community in Irvine for its storehouse of knowledge in
the survival skills. Learning the heritage of farming
with horses, cooking and heating with wood, preserving
food, birthing and raising children, discovering herbal
medicine lore, building a house, and practicing the art
of making natural crafts...all have allowed them to survive
and gain independence of thought and action through co-operation
with those around them.
Robin and Mary’s first venture into crafts was
candle-making. A cousin, who happened to be a candle
maker in California, moved back to Kentucky just in time
to give them a few great ideas for products they could
make from wax. What was once an Ashland Oil pump house
left on their property when that area was a drilling
site in the 1920’s, became their candle-making
workshop. When the Reeds’ candle-making activities
out grew the market in the early 1980’s, they stopped
making candles and focused on creating baskets and cornshuck
creations.
Robin is the primary basket maker
in this husband and wife team, choosing to work mostly
outside on the banks of Ross Creek which runs by the
couple’s
studio. Bark is stripped and collected from tulip poplar
and willow trees in the spring and summer. Hatchets and
drawknives are used to remove the bark from lumbered
or fallen trees in the area rather than from living trees
in order to preserve the health of the living trees.
Then the bark is cut to predetermined sizes and shapes,
dipped in the creek until it has been softened, and folded
into many designs that can be used for picking blackberries,
gathering vegetables, or just for a conversation piece.
Sewn together with the willow bark, some baskets have
handles and lids. The baskets are made for functional
and decorative uses and are especially beautiful when
filled with cornshuck flowers. With proper care, they
can last a lifetime.
While
Robin produces baskets, Mary is busy creating a variety
of cornshuck flowers, creatures, and dolls. These items
are made from cut, dried, and bleached corn shucks that
are left in the fields after the corn has been harvested.
They are dyed with commercial dyes later. Both Reeds
have always taken a very conscientious and earth-friendly
approach to harvesting the natural materials they use
in their handmade items.
Robin, who studied architecture at the University of
Kentucky, and Mary, who studied fine arts there, agree
that there is very little personal competition between
them. “He looks at it structurally, “Mary
says. “ I look at the value of the finished product.” “I
have to go pretty much by her quality-control,” Robin
admits. Over a career of almost 35 years of producing
beautiful handmade crafts, Robin and Mary have been actively
involved in organizing food cooperative, both in Lexington
and Irvine, and conducting craft workshops at public
schools and libraries. They have also documented their
stewardship of the land by being involved with local
television stations in presenting programs on alternative
lifestyles and preserving our natural resources. The
have held leadership rolls in the Kentucky Guild of Artists
and Craftsmen, in addition to serving as mentors in the
Kentucky Peer Advisory Network.
People have often asked
the Reeds how and why they live like they do. Their answer
is always the same. “How
can we keep from it? We can’t turn away from the
reasons why we moved here. Our creative spirit comes
from living in the hills, and that spirit stays with
us.”
COOPERING DEMONSTRATIONS
CONNIE CARLTON
1049 RICE ROAD
LAWRENCEBURG, KY 40342
502-839-6478
“I
have been interested in traditional crafts for more than
twenty-five years. Tools
I use are shaving horse, spoke shave, froe and mallet
and other antique tools. I
demonstrate coopering, which consists of making buckets,
piggins, noggins, churns, etc. This crafts is not very widespread, but
many people are very interested in how such things are made. I have always
cut my own trees and collected the necessary woods that are consistent with
the old vessels that were made many years ago. It
is a slow process, but very satisfying to complete an
object from the tree to the finished product.”
Traditional
seat weaving methods and materials are used to restore
the charm and comfort of vintage chairs and rockers.
From a prized antique to Grandma’s old
rocker or a recently found yard sale bargain, Ted Chism's
cratfsmanship will enhance the appeal and value of these
special items. Although legally blind, Ted has
been weaving chair seats professionally for over twenty
years.
“I began this craft later in life as my vision declined. I’ve been
fascinated with chairs and seat weaving since I was a child. I watched
my grandfather weave hickory bark seats in the hills of Kentucky. With
my guide dog, Sparky, underfoot I thoroughly enjoy the feel and aroma of the
natural materials, the challenge of replicating the work of earlier craftsmen,
and the hands–on experience with so many wonderful pieces of history.”
"In case his name rings a bell, Sparky received
a lot of media attention in 2003 after he was viciously
attacked by a bull dog while guiding me in Clifton. I’m
very happy to report he is fully recovered and continues
his superb guide work. Over the years I’ve
had the pleasure of replacing many hand caned seats in
1800s era Victorian chairs, natural cattail rush seats
in 1700-1800s country Chippendale and Shaker chairs,
Danish cord and fiber rush seats in post WWII chairs,
as well as splint and wide cane seats in chairs and rockers
from all eras.”
Ted’s natural cattail rush
seat weaving has been featured at numerous craft fairs
and heritage festivals in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky,
including repeated appearances at Cincinnati’s
popular Appalachian Festival at
Old Coney Island. Articles about his work have appeared
in Cincinnati Enquirer and local community papers.
Sheila
Boniface learned to tat 3 years ago from her mother-in-law
K. Boniface. Tatting is a knotted lace made with
a shuttle or a needle. It requires little equipment
so is very portable and inexpensive. It is not certain
when it originated but its main techniques had been developed
by the late 19th century. It was extremely popular
from then until about 1920. Like many other crafts,
its popularity has waxed and waned. Today it is undergoing
a renaissance as the internet has developed a community
of tatters from individuals who used to think of themselves
as “the last tatter.” Tatting can be
used to make a wide variety of things ranging from traditional
doilies and edgings to jewelry, scarves, and even three-dimensional
figures.
WOODTURNING DEMONSTRATIONS
OHIO VALLETY WOODTURNERS GUILD
JOHN LANNOM
LOVELAND, OH
513-683-3129 jlannom@fuse.net
The Ohio Valley Woodturners Guild (OVWG) is organized
as a forum for individuals interested in woodturning
and was originally chartered (as the Tri-State Chapter
of the AAW) on October 22, 1988. The primary purposes
of OVWG are consistent with the fundamental purposes
of the American Association of Woodturners (our parent
organization), "to provide Information, Education,
and Organization to those interested in turning wood." The
membership’s expected to be drawn from, but is
not limited to, the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio geographic
area of Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast
Indiana.
We are currently a club with 200+ members, men and women,
which meets on the third Saturday of the month
throughout the year. We have woodturning demonstrations
put on by our members or by outside professionals to
further our knowledge and skills. Our meetings are
open to the public and announcement of time and place
of the meeting can be found on our website www.ovwg.org
LOG
HOME BUILDING DEMONSTRATIONS
RALPH BURNES
231 Robinette Road
West Union, OH 45693
937-544-1711
Ralph, an 82 year-old Adams County
resident says “somebody needs to do this, for the
kids’ sake.” He creates old wood crafts
and log homes, using tools such as a broad axe, foot, adz,
draw knife, shaving horse, froe and beam juger. He’ll
hew, notch, peel, make pins and will describe methods used. He
lectures as local schools, libraries, scout groups and
wood working organizations.
FLAX
BREAKING (LINEN) & SPINNING
DEMONSTRATIONS
PAT MALEY
5450 Foley Road
Cincinnati, OH 45238
513-922-7954 search1@fuse.net
Pat has been a spinner and weaver for 35 years. She
was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Handspinning,
Master Spinner by Handweavers Guild of America for her
work in spinning bison fiber. Originally self-taught
as a spinner, she has taken workshops throughout the
country. Her yarns have won awards including Best of
Show at Convergence, Midwest Weavers Conference and at
Fiberfest several times. Pat is a former instructor of
textiles at Edgecliff College and the College of Mount
Saint Joseph in Cincinnati. She’s taught at Convergence,
Midwest Weavers Conference, Michigan Fiber Festival,
and Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. She’s written
articles for Spin-Off and Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot.
Pat has judged fiber competitions at Fiberfest, Michigan
Fiber Festival, Ohio State Fair, Kentucky State Fair
and has judged the Certificate of Excellence in Handspinning.
Don Weber is a woodworker
and furniture restorer with over twenty-five years experience
in furniture making, repair and restoration. He has been
building English regional-style (Windsor) furniture for
the last fifteen years. As a member of the Society of
Workers in Early Arts & Trades and the Association
of Pole Lathe Turners, he has endeavored to keep the
Early Woodland Crafts alive through teaching and demonstrating.
Weber's interest in early technology has brought him
into the realm of blacksmithing and toolmaking, to reproduce
the tools and machinery used by the early craftsmen.
He has written articles for blacksmithing and woodworking
magazines here in America and in Great Britain; and he
has attended and taught at conferences in California,
New Zealand, British Columbia and the United Kingdom.
