Presentation

Martha Bird (Minneapolis, MN) will present on basketry as a tool for healing and empowerment in this groundbreaking talk Reclaiming Basketry: Working Through Stigma to Reach Creative Potential. Bird will share a history of basketry as both an art form and a therapeutic tool, providing an engaging, far-ranging look at the history of basketry in therapy, the craft movement and veterans’ rehabilitation since World War I, and challenging the stigmas, perceptions and stereotypes about basket weaving in popular culture. She describes her own introduction to basketry, and how she wove her way into activity and health after a back injury, two years of prescribed bed rest, and a bout of serious depression. Bird uses her life experiences and research to highlight the health benefits of creating art and to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Her examination of the broader history of basketry and her own story of working through stigma encourages a deeper understanding of how creating with one’s hands can enrich our level of well-being.

This is a free event that is open to the public. Anderson Center Event Link