Q: Aren’t you glad you don’t have a permanent fur coat like Chance during this heat?
Eric: Yes. But it comes in handy during the winter!
Q: Did you hear about JoAnn Kelly Catsos’ chance of one of her baskets being on the October cover of The Crafts Report magazine?
Eric: Yes. I saw it on Facebook. She made it through all the rounds down to the top final four.
Q: How long have you known JoAnn?
Eric: JoAnn and I go way back in terms of basket years. You’ve heard of dog years — well there is such a thing as basket years.
Q: How many years exactly is a basket year?
Eric: It’s not really a specific number of years per se. It’s more based on the “story.” You see, back in the day, in the deep woods of Sanbornton, New Hampshire, those wanting to learn how to make Shaker Baskets came from all over. Some came for a few days and some came for a few weeks. Some came every year for a week.
And everyone came for different reasons. Some had bigger aspirations, like JoAnn Kelly Catsos. She was one of those that was there at the beginning. It was evident early on that she might be the one that would take the craft of basketry a step further.
Q: She must have because I see her name and her work everywhere!
Eric: She definitely did. Twenty (plus) years later she is one of the most predominant black ash basket makers in the country. And she needs our help! As I said, she is now in the final four candidates to have their work on the cover of Crafts Report magazine! A vote for JoAnn is not only your recognition of her work, but will help all basket makers from all over to have their craft on the front page!
Well put Eric! The voting will end early Saturday morning so vote now! I’ll make it real easy – just click here to vote!
Now, if you follow me on Facebook, you know how much I dislike their new Timeline format! I can never find anything or see where I’m supposed to post, etc. etc. – So it took me awhile to find the correct post to hit “LIKE” so I made a screenshot (to the right) of the one to vote on. When you go to the link I gave you above, people are adding new posts so it gets lost for timeline-inept people like me! When you find the image that has the same text above JoAnn’s basket (as it is in the small picture snapshot I have here) then right below the image, hit “LIKE”.
It’s that simple!! And you need to vote before 10 am July 14th. So don’t wait and just vote now! No excuses people if she is not October’s Cover Girl!!
To learn more about JoAnn and her work visit her website here.
I’ve been informed that JoAnn is down to the final TWO!! Don’t forget to vote tonight!
I let my Crafts Report subscription lapse. I better re-subscribe so I can have Jo sign it! Good Luck!
Get your subscription! On October’s issue it will be JoAnn’s Jubilique basket!!! Yah!
Jo is in the Final 2! I haven’t checked to see how she is doing but I hope she makes it!
I know!
Eric and Lynne – THANKYOU for the lovely post. Yes, I first learned about black ash basketry at the Basket Shop….many ‘basket years’ ago. (exactly how many people years equals a basket year, anyway?) I must thank Martha’s for helping me get to where I am today……1 of 2 finalists in a ‘Cover Girl’ contest . My heartfelt thanks to everyone in this wonderful community that has supported me. Now, let’s vote and win this thing!!
Oh, 1 of 2! I think I wrote 1 of 4!