There are a few art forms I have never tried. Sculpting involving carving away of something, pottery throwing and basket weaving.

Now, thanks to Judy Penry  and the RAL Art Center, I can check basket weaving off my list (or maybe add it to those things that I will do from time to time).

I made this little Nantucket basket using a kit provided by Judy. She provided all the tools, instruction and moral support needed and the only thing I added was the little beads with which I finished the lashing cords. She even gave me the little shell to glue into the bottom.

I really enjoyed doing this despite a short period when my arthritis was acting up. Took care of that in a quick minute with my Deep Blue oil…. She said I did a good job of packing, and my staves stayed pretty straight (thanks to her warning me just in time to push them upright as I went along… Thanks to all her prep work, the entire project was completed in 5 hours or so including breaks. If I had also put in all the staves, it might have taken 6.

In any case, I’m seriously thinking of taking another of her classes with a differently shaped basket. Or one of the bigger ones in this shape.