Baskets

Basket, 1983 – 1993
Ruth Castle (New Zealander, b. 1931)
Fiber
Gift of Carmon Slater and Donald Randall. In the permanent collection, Brunnier Art Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. UM2016.373 

Basket
Janet B. Reed
Pine needles and reeds
Gift of Carmon Slater and Donald Randall. In the permanent collection, Brunnier Art Museum, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. UM2016.365

Basket weaving is one of the oldest crafts in the world, impossible to date because natural materials such as straw, wood, and grass have always been available as materials for weaving. Some of the oldest recorded remnants date as far back as 40,000 years and the craft of weaving plays a role in the preserving of traditions and aesthetics in many cultures. It takes great dexterity and patience to weave a basket, often requiring the weaver to spend days or weeks on a single creation. But because basket weaving is often done by women and because it does not require the handling of machinery or tools (such as a pottery wheel or a wood tithe), basket weaving is often erroneously believed to be simple, easy, and unrefined. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Ruth Castle, New Zealand basket maker, describes her process: “I have my morning baskets and my afternoon ones and ones that can be finished in front of the TV. These big ones are awkward to reach around, and though my hands are strong my arms and shoulders couldn’t work all day on these. So they are morning baskets when I’m fresh. The coiled rustic baskets use different muscles – a constant twisting of the material. Often the material is itself rather unruly, needing a lot of untangling and plenty of space. The smaller cane dishes can be worked in the evenings on my lap.”

Castle and Reed use geometric designs to create baskets that are both beautiful and unexpected. Their playful use of pattern, shape, and form results in baskets that depart from a traditional aim of function – baskets have historically been used to carry goods during wars, to store household supplies, or even to transport livestock. Castle and Reed encourage us to appreciate baskets and weaving for their beauty, complexity of design, and aesthetic appeal.

-Dr. Ruxandra Looft