I made by first two baskets in 1988 while attending a 7-night community ed course in St. Louis, MO.  Little did I know that my career would change 12 years later from accountant to basketmaker. Basketmaking has allowed my life to become balanced.  Where I once had little interest in color, shape and style, today I look at everything from a vantage point to include those elements.  Everyone should make time to indulge in the creation of things whether it's a flower bed, a poem or a piece of furniture.  Art, primitive or fine, blends the personality.  One becomes interesting when interested in creating art.

Today, every day has something to do with making a basket.  It might be demonstrating, marketing, teaching, designing, doing a craft show, or dyeing reed.  But the "best" days are when I'm actually constructing a basket.  For me the exciting part is carving handles, ears, skates and rims.  I use very large reed, a shavehorse, drawknife, pocketknife, and Stanley shaver.  And when the three coats of lacquer have been applied to what was once just a big stick the basket comes to life.  The fine layer of mineral oil will make it dance. Dance into the hands and home of someone who will put this piece of art to work.  

It's always a bit sad for me to say goodbye to a basket I've made, because a part of my life went into it.  But knowing that it's making another person smile helps me through the process.  Next thing I know I'm distracted by another basket as I choose colors, a shape and style.  And the process begins again!