Sarah Sockbeson Penobscot Diamond Basket

Sarah Sockbeson, a young Penobscot basketmaker, has enjoyed great success with her richly colored, tightly woven baskets. In 2015, she won top awards at Santa Fe Indian Market, one of the highest achievements in the Native American art world.

Also in 2015, her work was included in the Portland Art Museum’s Biennial Exhibition, alongside several other important Maine Indian basket makers.

The exquisiteness of this basket is in the details. Very fine splints in select places, a very tight feel overall, and a unique design element the artist calls diamonds.

Sockbeson says this about the basket:

“I’ve been working on this piece for the better part of a year to produce.

It features one of my more modern weave styles, which I call a”Diamond pattern,” a contemporary twist on the traditional “ribbon curl” technique. I usually combine with vertical stripes and then after the whole basket is woven (painstakingly) cover the entire piece one by one with these little curls or “diamonds.” In total there are over 1,300 Diamond curls in this one work. To me the end result is almost a quilted or matelassé look. Of course it does take longer to produce than the curl or porcupine/point techniques, which are woven row by row as you weave up the basket.

This application of the ribbon curl does give a unique, dramatic effect when finished despite the tediousness of construction process!

A slice of deer antler is Sockbeson’s signature finial.

6 inch diameter x 4 inches high; 5 1/2 inches high including finial