I started my chair caning, wicker furniture repair and antler basket weaving career in 1975 with the encouragement and insistence of my Mother-in-Law. She suggested I learn how to weave a paper rush seat, using an instructional magazine article.
Eventually I started a home-based business weaving on a part-time basis so I could care for my young child and still make an income. My Mother-in-Law was right, I loved the antiques that I worked on and thanks to her have enjoyed years in the field of arts and crafts, with a special emphasis on wicker repair and chair seat weaving!
Read Cathryn’s Artist Resume, Artist Statement and Gallery Representation pages for more information.
Traditional Baskets and Deer Antler Basketry
"First Attempt" Deer Antler Basket © 1990
Basically self-taught and after getting the chair seat weaving and wicker repair down pat, basketry began to intrigue me too. So in the early 1980s I made traditional reed baskets, wicker baby cradles and bassinets and started entering in arts and craft shows around the region.
One day, in 1988 I saw a picture of a deer antler basket in a magazine and decided that I could improve on that design, so I went home and began creating my own original designs. The antler basket quickly became my signature basket and is what I’m best known for in the basketry world today.
I’ve enjoyed creating the antler basket sculptures for nearly 20 years now, and have taught antler basket and seatweaving classes since 1998, through national basket guild workshops, folk schools and conventions, and by authoring antler basket and seatweaving patterns. I really enjoy meeting all the people, traveling and being able to pass on my knowledge; perpetuating all these fine crafts!
See the Events Calendar for a schedule of interesting basketry workshops, gallery exhibitions, flea markets and shows this year taking place across the country.
Cathryn’s Antler Basket and Seatweaving Patterns
With over 25 developed antler basket patterns, and several traditional and seatweaving patterns, there’s always a variety to choose from at a workshop, convention or basket guild class. Patterns are available wherever I teach, here on WickerWoman.com, and from several cane & basket supply companies.
Three of Cathryn’s deer antler baskets were featured in a 1999 reprint of Splint Woven Basketry by Robin Taylor Daugherty and are frequently selected for juried art shows, traveling exhibits, and art gallery exhibitions. See the Alibris Book weblink below to order your copy today!
Wicker Repair Shop Opens in Zumbro Falls, Minnesota
In 1991, I leased my studio in Zumbro Falls, Minnesota and became a full-time, professional weaver with my own retail storefront. Here I repaired and restored all types of wicker furniture and all types of woven chair seats, sold antique wicker furniture, cane & basket supplies (locally only, no mail order), taught a few classes, and marketed my deer antler baskets.
Commissioned Wicker Seats for Sikorsky S-38 Amphibian Replica Plane
In the late 1990s, I had the great pleasure of creating two wicker/cane replica airplane seats for the Johnson’s Wax Company’s Sikorsky S-38 Amphibian airplane. Owner of the company and pilot himself, Samuel Johnson, commissioned Born Again Restorations in Owatonna, Minnesota to build a replica of the one his father flew to Brazil in the 1930s, when they discovered and developed the carnauba wax for use in their products.
After three years in the making, Sam and his two sons flew the replica on a recreation flight of the route taken so many years ago by his father, logging in over 15,000 miles on the round-trip flight.
I also made two other wicker/cane replica chair seats for the Sikorsky S-38 amphibian private plane that Born Again Restorations owner "Buzz" Kaplan made for himself. It was an replica and reconstruction of "Osa’s Ark", using an original S-38 wing and tailbooms. He and his wife made several trips to Africa in the plane that was painted in black and white zebra strips!
Grants and Awards
2000 brought a new aspect to shop through the Folk Art Apprenticeship Grant awarded by the Minnesota State Arts Board and the McKnight Foundation. I served as Master to Apprentice Ben Scott from Byron, MN teaching him all the various types and patterns involved in chair seat weaving; hole-to-hole cane, cane webbing, wide binding cane, paper rush, natural rush and splints.
Over a period of several weeks, Ben came to the shop for one-on-one chair caning and business marketing techniques and tips of the trade. He later applied his learned skills to his own chair caning business, opened after he retired from his position as an Episcopal priest. Ben quickly became an accomplished weaver, providing his services to customers from Byron, Rochester, Minneapolis,
St. Paul, MN and surrounding areas. See his listing in the Furniture Repair Directory-Seatweaving.
I was awarded two Arrowhead Regional Arts Council/McKnight grants; Career Development Grant 2004 for an antler basket exhibition at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids, MN and a Career Development–Emerging Artist Fellowship, 2005 for travel/study to England.
In July of 2007 I had the distinct pleasure of being the President of the very first chair caning guild in the nation called, The SeatWeavers’ Guild. We are developing a website and making plans for our first annual gathering, workshop, or convention to be held in July of 2008 in the founding state of Ohio at Robbins Crossing on the grounds of the college in Nelsonville.
The Wicker Woman–As Seen in National Craft, Antique & Small Business Books
These fine authors either featured my work or requested my craft and marketing expertise in the following books. Purchase these books from Alibris using this handy weblink.
- HOMEMADE MONEY-STARTING SMART! and HOMEMADE MONEY-BRINGING IN THE BUCKS!
by Barbara Brabec, 2005 - YELLOW PAGES, by Ralph & Terry Kovel, 2005
- SIX STEPS TO FREE PUBLICITY, by Marcia Yudkin, 2003
- 101 BEST HOME-BASED BUSINESSES FOR WOMEN,
by Priscilla Y. Huff, 2002 - HANDMADE FOR PROFIT! by Barbara Brabec,2002.
- PRICING GUIDELINES FOR YOUR ARTS & CRAFTS, by Sylvia Landman, 2000
- SMALL TOWN MINNESOTA FROM A to Z, by Tony Andersen, 2000
- KOVEL’S GUIDE to SELLING, BUYING, and FIXING YOUR ANTIQUES and COLLECTIBLES,
by Ralph & Terry Kovel, 1995
Business Changes and Relocation to Angora, Minnesota
In 2002 we sold our building in Zumbro Falls, MN and closed the business there to relocate in northeastern Minnesota on 120 acres. Although I’ve limited the number of chair caning and wicker repair jobs I commit to, I’ve been teaching several classes both in the state and across the country, exhibiting in regional and national galleries.
We are building a huge studio/garage on our property and when it’s completed, I will be back up and running with the wicker repair and chair caning and will offer classes and private instruction here, too. Until then I continue to teach my crafts, develop and market patterns, and my deer antler baskets to sell here on my website.
