The Center for Craft is working in collaboration with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to create a public art installation to preserve and advance the important craft legacy of western North Carolina.
You can be a part of ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket by making a donation to support the public art parklet today. To contribute to this project, please donate now.
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ABOUT THE DESIGN
The conception of ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket first began in 2017, when the Center initiated the Broadway Cultural Gateway Planning Project to transform the block surrounding 67 Broadway Street.
As a result, the area is now blossoming into a cultural gateway and arts destination to welcome residents and visitors to downtown Asheville. By engaging thousands of pedestrians with indigenous craft traditions, the public art installation serves as a recognition of local Cherokee history and contemporary cultural contributions. Additionally, the installation serves as an outdoor meeting space, fulfilling a need which has been made all the more apparent by our current pandemic.
Photo credit: David Huff
This photo was taken at an outdoor workshop ᎺᎵ ᏔᎻᏏᏂ Mary W. Thompson hosted for member of the Design-Build Team. From Left to Right: Kayla Councell, ᎺᎵ ᏔᎻᏏᏂ Mary W. Thompson, Thomas Gibson, Tina Councell
ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket has been planned and developed in collaboration with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and with input from the Asheville community. Basketmaker and EBCI member ᎺᎵ ᏔᎻᏏᏂ Mary W. Thompson, serves as the consulting artist on the Design-Build Team.
Additionally, a feedback session was held with the Qualla Arts and Crafts Co-Op Board of Directors in January 2020 and a EBCI Planning and Advisory Committee met from July - November 2020 to inform the public art installation's design and interpretive materials. The Center worked with the New Kituwah Academy and the Cherokee Speakers Council to generate the Cherokee syllabary to be featured within ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket.
Throughout summer 2020 we engaged community key stakeholders to update them on the progress of the installation and seek feedback during the design development process. A total of 55 community members were invited, including local residents, property owners, and business owners (from Broadway Street to The Loft North), Coworkers with office space at the Center, Advisory and Design Team members from the Broadway Cultural Gateway Planning Project, and other community members. In total, we held eight, outdoor socially-distanced in-person and three virtual meetings.
In November 2021, you may have seen us in front of the Center testing a small piece of ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket for design and feasibility. A crucial step in the design process, the prototype was amazing to see in person! That chevron pattern cut-out of the steel decking is an abstraction of the basket pattern known as “falling water” and doubles as a drain for rainwater, snow, and ice.
Thanks to our downtown Asheville neighbors Peter Laine and Constance Ensner, Dane and Cynthia Barrager, and an anonymous donor for making the prototype possible!
Renderings by Osgood Landscape Architecture.
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Parklet News
We continue to seek additional funding to ensure the success of this project.
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ᏔᎷᏣ The Basket is dedicated in memory of TJ Holland, former Cultural Resources Supervisor, Junaluska Museum, and a proud member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Holland served on the Public Art Parklet + Basketry Exhibition Committee until his recent passing. Holland’s immeasurable contributions to the EBCI culture and community will continue to be recognized and honored through this project.
Outdoor workshop ᎺᎵ ᏔᎻᏏᏂ Mary W. Thompson hosted for members of the Design-Build Team.
67 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 785-1357 | info@centerforcraft.org
Gallery Hours: Tues–Sat, 10–6 get more info
Gallery Hours: Closed — Reopening Fall 2019
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