Carolina Sweetgrass Tray with Braided Rim
Sweetgrass, bulrush, pine needles, palmetto (coiling, wrapping)
John C. Campbell Folk School
Brasstown, TN
This coiled basket reflects an art form passed down through generations in the coastal Lowcountry of the United States. Made from sweetgrass, pine needles, bulrush, and palmetto, the basket’s careful stitching and rhythmic pattern reflect both cultural legacy and craftsmanship. Its form honors a practice rooted in West African techniques, preserved and carried on by Gullah artisans today.
While the basket is my own design, it was made under the tutelage and guidance of Sarah Edwards-Hammond. Sarah is a renowned master Gullah Geechee sweetgrass basket weaver and educator based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. For over 50 years, she has dedicated her life to preserving and sharing the historic, 300-year-old West African coiled basketry tradition that is central to Lowcountry culture.
Sarah and me at the end of the class
