Sandy Soring
Sandy has dabbled in one craft or another since she was twelve, but her main interest has always been baskets. In 1984 she took a class in basketry and the rest, as they say, is history. Sandy enjoys working with colors - everything from black to natural and all the colors in-between. She does all her own dying and staining and is sure her neighbors wonder what is going on when they see the different colored reed hanging on the clothesline. Sandy creates her baskets for everyday use, not just for decoration purposes.
Sandy and her husband have been living in the Copper Country for five years. The move there has allowed Sandy to work on her baskets full time. She comments, " It is nice to have the time to try all the things I have had in my head for a long time."
We are happy to say that Sandy has added wagon wheel rugs to her inventory this year.
Eunice Carlson
Being of Scandavian descent and a native of the Upper Peninsula it is only natural that Eunice would, as an artist, have a bent toward weaving. Combining her ethnic heritage bark weaving with the Native American art of quill work has produced a variety of serviceable and decorative pieces.
Eunice mentored under the Native American quill artists from the Great Lakes regions which added to her expertise of this early art. The white and black colors of the quills makes for interesting patterns on boxes, purses, moccasins and bowls. Moccasins dating back to over 1,000 years have been found in the United States indicating that the art had been developed to a high degree before the European explorers reached this country.
Though it is not uncommon to find fancy quilled boxes in European oil paintings of the 1800's, you won't have to travel to Europe for these unique items; you can find them right in the U.P. in our art gallery.