Mary Ann and Bill have been making oak baskets for well over 20 years. It all began when they met and apprenticed with Mr. Jesse Thomason, a third generation basket maker from Blount County, Al. Each basket begins by harvesting a carefully selected white oak tree and ends after many hours spent riving and cleaning the splits with simple hand tools and then weaving the basket. The handles and rims are hand carved for each basket.
While apprenticing with Mr. Thomason, the Alabama State Council on the Arts took an interest in their work. They were honored to be included in 2008 in " Carry On ", a book and show celebrating the 20th year of the apprenticeship program. They have also been featured in " From Tradition", sponsored by the Alabama Folklife Association and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. During the years they have lived in Alabama their work has been shown in numerous shows and galleries throughout the southeast , featured in Lipstick, Friends & Family and Birmingham magazines and is included in the Magnolia Grove Museum in Alabama and the Arkansas Historical Museum. They have taught at the Museum of Art in Birmingham, Tannehill Historical State Park in McCalla, Al., the Appalachian Artisans Center in Norris, Tn.,the Alabama Folk School, their home studio, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the John C. Campbell Folk School in their native North Carolina. Mary Ann and Bill have recently retired as the resident basket makers at Tannehill Historical State Park after demonstrating there for more than 15 years. They continue to be a part of the white oak basket makers gathering they started more than 5 years ago and to experiment with other basket making materials. Mary Ann and Bill are members of the National Basketry Organization, the North Carolina Basketry Association and the Natural Fibers Group.,
While apprenticing with Mr. Thomason, the Alabama State Council on the Arts took an interest in their work. They were honored to be included in 2008 in " Carry On ", a book and show celebrating the 20th year of the apprenticeship program. They have also been featured in " From Tradition", sponsored by the Alabama Folklife Association and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. During the years they have lived in Alabama their work has been shown in numerous shows and galleries throughout the southeast , featured in Lipstick, Friends & Family and Birmingham magazines and is included in the Magnolia Grove Museum in Alabama and the Arkansas Historical Museum. They have taught at the Museum of Art in Birmingham, Tannehill Historical State Park in McCalla, Al., the Appalachian Artisans Center in Norris, Tn.,the Alabama Folk School, their home studio, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and the John C. Campbell Folk School in their native North Carolina. Mary Ann and Bill have recently retired as the resident basket makers at Tannehill Historical State Park after demonstrating there for more than 15 years. They continue to be a part of the white oak basket makers gathering they started more than 5 years ago and to experiment with other basket making materials. Mary Ann and Bill are members of the National Basketry Organization, the North Carolina Basketry Association and the Natural Fibers Group.,