Basketry Elevated to Art

SEELEY LAKE - A basket weaver uses natural or man-made fibers to create a container that can be used for some practical purpose. A fiber artist might make a basket but the item's practical purpose is secondary to its value as a work of art. With fiber art, the focus is on the beauty of the materials, admiration for the skill of the weaver and appreciation for the amount of time and patience required to bring the piece to completion. Seeley Lake resident Patti Chamberlin is a fiber artist.

Thirty years ago Chamberlin and a friend took a basket weaving class just for the fun of it. Chamberlin sa...