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HUMMINGBIRD: Oval porcupine quill/coil sweetgrass basket: Paul St John-Mohawk
$ 67.31
- Description
- Size Guide
Description
A hovering ruby throated hummingbird is atop this basket by Paul St John, Mohawk.This is the 10th oval ruby throated hummingbird basket of this size I have offered by Paul. Each one is different. -
The hummingbird of natural white with green, red and black dyed quills is on an oval birch bark medallion at the center of the coiled sweetgrass lid. Here the birchbark has as it dried pulled up on the sides leaving an uneven top surface. This occurs when working with natural materials and here - adds to the feeling of motion of the hummingbird's hover.
This basket
has birch bark at center of lid and used as the bottom - then co
iled tidal sweetgrass. It is 5.75" long, 4.75" across and about 2.75" high. It is slightly larger by 1/4" in all directions than most of Paul's oval sweetgrass/birchbark baskets. The birch bark medallion at lid's center is 3.75" long and 2.75" wide. There is a border of natural white porcupine quills around the outer edge of the birch bark medallion - between the coiled sweetgrass and the medallion.
The ruby throated hummingbird is one of Paul's most beloved quill creations. This one is a beauty!
Paul St. John now lives in Maine. He is an enrolled Mohawk tribal member. He grew up on the Mohawk lands in New York, his father's homeland. His mother is Passamaquoddy/MicMac/Maliseet - When I saw his work I knew immediately I needed to offer his great baskets. While quill work and coiled sweetgrass baskets are historically Maine Indian traditional crafts, currently no one here but Paul St. John is actively practicing this craft. - Passamaquoddy basket makers, Jeremy Frey and Otter, both have used some quill work on their baskets... but quill work on coiled sweetgrass baskets are Paul St John's specialty.
Paul is shown in slideshow above with 2 of his works - one of them is a coiled sweetgrass basket with a side facing cardinal. He not only does sweetgrass coil baskets and porcupine quill work on birch bark -- but also amazing dolls, Iroquois beadwork, MicMac beadwork, great moccasins, knife sheaths, medicine bags and so much more! He is truly a man of many (many many) talents!
Watch this store for more of his pieces. Can't wait to see what he is going to create next.