Weave an Impact Initiative
This initiative celebrates cultural storytelling, intergenerational learning, and environmental awareness. From honoring Indigenous weaving traditions to empowering seniors and youth, these ongoing projects aim to cultivate a thriving basketry community while providing artists with opportunities to share their work.
01
Pick Up Needles – Put Down the Phone + Exhibition
A hands-on initiative designed to give youth a creative, screen-free outlet while teaching them valuable weaving techniques.
Workshop 1: Pine Needle Weaving – Teaching traditional techniques and building an appreciation for natural materials.
Workshop 2: Upcycled Weaving—Participants bring old T-shirts to repurpose into woven crafts, blending sustainability with creativity.
Why It Matters:
-
Reduces screen time and encourages mindfulness
-
Introduces affordable, hands-on artistic expression
-
Equips youth with a skill they can carry forward and pass on
The Exhibition:
After two years, students will have the opportunity to display their work in a group exhibition. This gives them a sense of achievement and a strong addition to their creative portfolio. Students who choose to sell their work will receive 100% of the profits.
Project Start Date: Fall 2025
02
Gratitude Basket Day + Exhibition
An annual gathering where basketry brings people together in the spirit of gratitude. Participants contribute to a community feast by bringing a handmade basket as their “entry fee.” The event is open to all workshop attendees, community members, and seniors from the Biography Basket project.
The Gathering:
-
A shared meal with vegan and non-vegan options, mindful of allergies
-
Group weaving activities where attendees create baskets together
-
Optional corn husk basket-making station (leftover husks can be taken home for further weaving)
-
A community photo capturing the essence of our shared experiences
The Exhibition:
At the start of the new year, we will host an exhibition featuring:
-
The 15 collaborative Gratitude Baskets
-
Corn husk creations
-
Any additional submitted works
Individual baskets made for sale will be sold, and 100% of the profits will go to the artists.
​
Project Start Date: November 2025
03
Just Getting Started
Exhibition
Showcasing baskets and creations from all previous workshops.
Who Can Participate?
-
All past workshop attendees receive free entry for their first basket
-
Under 18: Free unlimited entries
-
Adults (25+): First entry free, second entry $20
Why It Matters:
This exhibition provides a platform for emerging and experienced weavers to share their work, celebrate their progress, and connect with a larger creative community. Individual artists who sell their baskets will receive 100% of their earnings.
​
Entry Admission Date: Dec 2025
04
Biography Basket Exhibition
This project invites seniors in retirement homes to create baskets that tell their life stories. Whether representing memories, experiences, or personal symbols, each basket becomes a piece of living history.
​
Seniors can also record video stories to accompany their work, creating a digital archive of their voices and reflections.
​
Seniors may choose to sell their work and will receive 100% of the profits. This project provides a creative outlet, a way to share personal histories, and direct financial support for participants and their families.
Project Start Date: Fall 2025
05
Keeping the Language Alive + Exhibition
A community event dedicated to Native and Hawaiian communities, where weaving becomes a way to share history, tradition, and connection. Elders begin by weaving the base, attendees each add a row, and community leaders complete the rim, symbolizing the role each generation plays in preserving knowledge.
Throughout the event, participants share their traditions and perspectives on how their history has been recorded. These insights are carefully documented to preserve their stories in written form, ensuring that their voices are heard and honored.
​
Each community is visited three times:
-
Community Weaving – Creating the collaborative basket
-
Storytelling & Documentation – Writing down shared histories
-
Thank You Gathering – Honoring contributions and strengthening connections​
An exhibition will showcase the baskets alongside any artwork, writings, or contributions the participants want to share. Elders, youth, and community leaders will be invited to ensure they are accurately represented. This ongoing project is a tribute to the resilience of Indigenous craftsmanship and a bridge between past, present, and future generations.
Project Start Date: Spring 2026
06
Next Generation
A continuation of Biography Baskets, The Next Generation invites seniors to bring a relative or someone they care about to a special workshop where they pass down the art of basketry.
.
Together, they will create a collaborative basket throughout the course of the program, weaving not only pine needles but also their shared stories, traditions, and creativity.
At the end of the program, participants will have the opportunity to showcase their work in a final exhibition, celebrating the intergenerational exchange of craftsmanship and connection. This project honors the beauty of mentorship and ensures that the art of pine-needle basketry continues to thrive in the hands of the next generation.
Project Start Date: Fall 2027
