Woven Fire Designs by Deb Curtis
I create baskets using traditional basketry materials combined with abalone shells. I link traditional basket materials with tapestry weaving, beading, stitching and surface design. By combining a variety of fiber techniques in one vessel that uses basketry materials I create “new” baskets. By blending colors and textures I change the character of the basket from only a functional vessel to a container that expresses a concept. Some of my latest work explores shape and uses beading and stitching with birch bark and creating wall pieces using a variety of fiber techniques. Currently I’m focusing on knitting basketry using materials that represent Northwest native tribes. I’ve been taught by Ed Carriere (Suquamish), Bruce Miller (Skokomish), Anna Jefferson (Lummi) and Dawn Walden (Ojibway). –Deb Curtis
Fun facts:
Abalone shell is sacred to the Native Americans and is used in smudging ceremonies. These shells are up to 6″ long, just right for holding sage and other herbal leaves.
Lore: Abalone helps one shift to comprehend and really hear other viewpoints. In addition, it is used as a shamanic tool for cleansing & stabilizing energy.
To read the latest news about the traveling beaver exhibition, go to The Daily Astorian:
A celebration of beavers
The Mighty Beaver
Beavers are back in Los Gatos Creek in Santa Clara County, California, for the first time since the mid-1800s. This spontaneous return is a fantastic affirmation for members of the South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition, who prepared the ground for this historic event.
http://abc7news.com/…/family-of-beavers-moves-to-l…/2264864/
And, too, a grace note received:
Thank you for your generous gift of $747.30. Your donation will result in conserving more of Oregon’s wetlands. Thank you for all you did to make Beaver Takes happen on the North Coast. I am so impressed and grateful for your vision, energy, gallery and the community you have created around art and the environment.
Please visit http://www.wetlandsconservnacy.org to see how we’re using your donation to make a lasting difference. Thank you. We are happy to have you as a partner. –Esther Lev, Executive Director, The Wetlands Conservancy.
