José Formoso Reyes, Creel Nantucket "Friendship" Basket Handbag, ca. 1950-55, rattan, pine, oak and ebony, 8 ¼ x 6 ¾", Private Collection of Henry and Sharon Martin

Nantucket Lightship Baskets: Carrying On Tradition
Oct. 29, 2010 - Jan. 23, 2011
Opening Reception
5:30-7 p.m., Thurs., Nov. 11, 2010

Nantucket Lightship Baskets: Carrying On Tradition will showcase the delicate, artistic, yet extremely practical baskets that have been used as a means of conveyance for hundreds of years. The exhibition will feature three periods of basket making: The early Lightship-made Baskets, Post Lightship era Nantucket-made Baskets and the innovative shapes and uses of Contemporary Baskets. The works by artists from the Ray family of basket makers as well as contemporary artists José Formoso Reyes and Michael Kane will be on view.

Sam and Janet Bailey, Paul and Diane Madden, Hank and Sharon Martin and Melinda and Paul Sullivan have all generously loaned items from their personal collections for this exhibition.

A portion of this exhibition will also be dedicated to the intricate process behind crafting a Nantucket Lightship Basket. The Basket Maker’s Catalogue has generously donated materials, handles, cane, and reed as well as a lightship basket on a mold in process, all available for visitors to see and touch.