The instructor’s fingers moved in and out, up and down, around and around. Strands of longleaf pine needles, so common to the Red Hills region that we rake them into giant piles and push them aside, danced from fingertip to fingertip, slowly creating a discernable pattern. Within minutes, the once flimsy, understated needles began to take structural shape. With delicate precision, an indelible form, and a tangible sense of peace, the artist skillfully wove a pine needle basket as I, and several other students, tried to keep up.
Basketry, or basket weaving, is an ancient craft pre-dating pottery and even stone carving. The preservation of basket weaving techniques is celebrated through folk schools, indigenous artisans, skilled makers, and at historic sites such as the place I attempted my weaving – Mission San Luis.
Located in the heart of Tallahassee, Mission San Luis is the only Spanish colonial mission in the state of Florida that has been reconstructed and is open to the public. Visitors enjoy learning about the historic site through living history interpreters in period costume, hands-on exhibits, workshops, and educational programs throughout the year.
Mission San Luis is also the only Florida mission with living Native American descendants — the Apalachees. Spanish friars, soldiers and civilians established the Mission in 1656 at the request of the Apalachee Indians. These Spaniards were the first European immigrants to settle in the present-day Tallahassee area. The residents of San Luis evacuated the Mission two days before English forces reached it on July 31, 1704, and today’s reconstructed historical site pays tribute to the Franciscan church and the Apalachee way of life.
Weaving as Therapy
Over thousands of years, Native Americans perfected the art of basket weaving. Weavers manipulated grasses, bark, roots, and other plant materials into baskets that served a variety of functions. People relied on baskets for gathering, storing, and preparing and cooking food; and mothers used basketry cradles to hold babies.
Over time, however, basket weaving has become more of an art than a necessity, and weaving has made its way into the world of therapy. The late Joan Erikson, renowned art therapist who died in 1997 at the age of 95, observed:
“A good life is like a weaving. Energy is created in the tension. The struggle, the pull and tug are everything.”
Weaving develops mindfulness. Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, sensations, and the surrounding environment. Research shows that mindfulness practices may reduce anxiety and hostility and lead to reduced stress and better relationships. A major benefit of mindfulness is that it encourages you to pay attention to your thoughts, your actions, and your body.
In addition, weaving repurposes discarded and often “meaningless” substrate, such as broken vines, cut grasses, and in the case of my class, piles of raked up pine straw, and gives those elements a greater purpose. It’s a beautiful testament to the lifecycle and blessings of God’s creation.
Baskets on Show
Arts centers across the south often showcase the work of weavers, and a host of festivals allow onlookers to watch basket weaving in action. The Arts Center of Moultrie is home to a small permanent collection by regional artist Virginia Lowman.
Born and raised in Colquitt County, Georgia, Lowman also lived in Pennsylvania for many years and took her first basket weaving class at Pittsburg Center for the Arts. Lowman later concentrated in coiled pine needle baskets at John C. Campbell Folk School in the mountains of western North Carolina. She believes in working with sustainable materials such as sweetgrass and lemongrass and enjoys seeing ordinary pine straw turned into something of beauty. Lowman has won awards at the Georgia National Fair and at Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta. Her collection is on view at The Arts Center of Moultrie, located at 401 7th Avenue, SW in Moultrie, Georgia. Free and open to the public Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 5:30 pm.
The annual Wildlife Arts Festival in Thomasville, Georgia, which takes place each November, often showcases basket weaving, as well.
Where to Weave
Mission San Luis offers the pine needle basket weaving class on a regular basis, most 2nd Saturdays year-round. The two-hour class is $30 per person (ages 13 and up) and materials are included. Participants learn the basic techniques of making coils from pine needles and stitching them together with natural fibers to make a simple basket. The Mission also offers classes in painting, pottery, blacksmithing, rope-making, candle-making, gardening, and cooking.
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