Fiber Arts
Preparing Cedar Bark for Basket Weaving
Learn how to transform unprocessed cedar bark into pliable, precise strips for weaving beautiful baskets.
Tuition Assistance and Other Policies
Meeting Times
- Fri, 1/31/2025 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Fri, 1/31/2025
Waitlist
About
Western red cedar is an iconic tree of the Pacific Northwest. The pliable and sturdy inner bark has been used for centuries for weaving baskets. A basket’s functionality and beauty depend on how the bark is prepared. In this class, you'll learn the basics of cedar preparation or hone your current skills. The multi-step process highlights the techniques of cutting, splitting, and sizing.
Materials
- You can choose to purchase materials for this class during registration.
- If you select that option, a $45 materials fee, included in the price of the class, will cover everything you need.
- If you choose to bring your own cedar, please be sure to bring it pre-soaked.
Class Policies
Students 14 and up are welcome.
BARN Policies
- View BARN's Cancellation and Refund Policy.
- Tuition Assistance is available. Fill out the application before registering.
- BARN is committed to accessibility. We try to make accommodations when requested; the earlier you contact us, the more likely we can help. Please email accessibility@bainbridgebarn.org to find out more or request an accommodation.
- Sensory Statement: Makerspaces like BARN can be noisy and cluttered, smell strongly, and have bright or flickering lights. BARN is not an allergen-free facility. If you have concerns, please email info@bainbridgebarn.org.
Instructors or Guides
Polly Sutton
This Seattle artist's educational background is in fine art with an emphasis on painting and printmaking. Once she settled in the Pacific Northwest 40 years ago, she was introduced to basketry through the Seattle Weaver’s Guild and basketry has been her art practice ever since. She harvests cedar bark each spring in logging areas throughout Washington. Her sculptural work is primarily twined, although she experiments with wire as a woven element in her asymmetrical shapes. Polly’s work has won numerous awards and is exhibited in galleries nationwide. She was awarded an artist project grant in 2012 through the City of Seattle, to experiment with invasive vines in her work. She also received an Artist Trusts GAP Grant, which she used in conjunction with a Seattle Weavers Guild Grant for investigating the basketry of Sardinia. Her piece is also on the cover of the book “500 Baskets.”
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