Creative Classes

*Price includes a $30 Studio Fee for all materials provided.

Class Description:

Students will learn the history of Cherokee basket making materials from pre-european contact through to contemporary Oklahoma Cherokee weaving. Following Sarah H. Hill in her book, Weaving New Worlds: Southeastern Cherokee Women and Their Basketry, we will meet some notable weavers and touch on different material traditions. The DAM Indigenous Arts of North America has a small selection of basketry from the Original Peoples of the Southeastern US and their descendants, and this class will both expose students to more examples of these traditions, and give them an opportunity to weave their own round reed Oklahoma style Cherokee basket.

What to Expect:

The first 60-90min will be a presentation providing a close look at Cherokee basket weaving traditions and weavers, students are welcome to move around as needed during lecture and discussion. Instructor will spend 20-30min providing a demo of starting, shaping/forming, and finishing a basket, and the remainder of the class, provide step-by-step instruction to the group, followed up with one-on-one support. After the demos, students are expected to take breaks, including lunch, as needed. Every student will be able to finish at least one basket, possibly more than one.

Class Cancellation Policy:

If a class or workshop needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather or teacher illness, a “make-up” day will be scheduled on a FRIDAY or SATURDAY as the educator’s schedule allows.

Materials:

All materials will be provided for this workshop and are included in the Studio Fee of $30.

Educator:

Salix is a 35-year-old two-spirit, multiracial creator and educator of Muscogee/Cherokee descent. Salix recently relocated from Indian Country, Norman, Oklahoma, to Cheyenne/Arapaho/Ute territory, so-called Denver, to help Indigenize Iliff School of Theology. They hold a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Oklahoma and a Master's in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh. Their fine art journey began with serigraphy and studio photography during their BFA studies, and since then, Salix has continued to express their creativity through photography, collage, writing, and weaving. In 2017, they learned Oklahoma-style Cherokee basket weaving from mentor Kathy Haney, a prominent Oklahoma American Indian artist.