JoAnne Russo:
With a basket career spanning three decades, I’m looking back at what I've accomplished and forward to what I’ll achieve.

My previous baskets were exciting, fun and creative within a disciplined tradition. It’s time to let go of that safe and comfortable work and delve into larger, less controlled shapes and incorporate more of the textile skills I’ve learned throughout my life. It’s an exciting time and my new creations are as bold and spirited as ever.

As an avid observer of nature and incessant collector of diverse material - from acorns to zippers - I continually gather interesting items to use on my baskets. In this new series, each one-of-a-kind piece is woven tightly and precisely, with added elements thoughtfully chosen to display order and harmony. In this piece, I’ve sew stacks of beads and a zipper to add interest and texture. My new sculptural work suggests a narrative; a view of the human form expressed through a plaited form.

285 Scarlet Tanagers, 3.5x5.5x5.5 inches
Ripe, 13x12x12.5 inches