Madeline Lamson
Miniature
Butterfly
5" Diameter
This super-tight weaving by
one of the most well-known Hopi basket weavers, Madeline Lamson,
is a great example of quality miniature work. The coils are extremely
small and tight. This kind of workmanship is very difficult to
master, but Madeline has done so with precision and detail. These
little baskets are truly museum quality masterpieces.
Basketry is an ancient craft
of the Indian people; it even precedes pottery making. Baskets
used for cooking were lined with clay, and water vessels were
covered with pine pitch. Today basket making has developed into
a fine art, that few Native Americans continue to practice.
Where baskets were once a
common item among all tribes, the art has now disappeared among
many Native Americans, and the handful of weavers that continue
this ancient craft are few and far between.
Hopi basket weavers are considered
some of the best in North America. They produce baskets in three
different techniques.
On Second Mesa the Hopi weavers
specialize in Hopi Coil basketry. Hopi coiled baskets are woven
by wrapping bundles of plant material with a single piece of
plant material usually yucca. The colors are usually limited
to white, yellow, green, red and black. Designs you often find
on these beautiful baskets are Katsina, animals, blanket, and
geometric designs.
