Gabriel Frey Virtual Wabanaki Winter Market 2020

Gabriel Frey demonstrates and discusses the process of making ash baskets - from harvest through final weaving.
This video was made possible by a partnership with the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance and by grants from Bangor Savings Bank and the Maine Expansion Arts Fund of the Maine Community Foundation.

[@tabaxikhajit4541]

I encourage anyone watching to find Frey in other videos, where he is more in his natural habitat (his workshop video for instance). This video shows the process, but there is a life and history to basket weaving that isn't fully conveyed here. I don't know him personally, but he has gained my respect as an artisan, an artist, and a conservator of history. Thank you,, Hudson, for giving us this glimpse.

[@dentonbragg6283]

Excellent discussion on ash splint basketry. Living very close to Great Smoky Mountain Natl. Park, I have to rely on White Ash for splints, since Black/Brown Ash doesn't grow this far south. It's not as forgiving a species to work but the rewards are worth it, since the splints are typically stronger and more durable. I've led a few classes at primitive skills gatherings where we travel the entire process, from harvesting the tree, pounding, separating, and riving the splints-and then creating the baskets. It usually takes several days for each student to process his splints and make a small/medium size basket. I enjoyed Gabriel's talk and demonstration!

[@timothylongmore7325]

When's the best time of year? It looked like autumn in the demonstration. I've tried soaking and riving out billets to pound. I've never tried the entire log as many native peoples do. Making a pounding machine this next year to speed things up. To old to pound logs all day, lol.

[@maco1713]

Amazing!