Mobile Menu

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • TWE & TEAM
    • CONTRIBUTORS
  • PODCASTS
  • INTERVIEWS
    • TWE STORIES
  • BOOKS
    • 20 WOMEN STORYTELLERS
    • 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • SEARCH THIS SITE
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH: LISTEN TO Ginger Zee, ABC Meteorologist, On Facing and Healing From Trauma

Your browser does not support the audio element.
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • ADVERTISE

TWE Logo 2

The World As We See It

Header Right

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • TWE & TEAM
    • CONTRIBUTORS
  • PODCASTS
  • INTERVIEWS
    • TWE STORIES
  • BOOKS
    • 20 WOMEN STORYTELLERS
    • 20 WOMEN CHANGEMAKERS
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CONTACT
  • SEARCH THIS SITE

TWE FUN STUFF: The Wacky Basketry of Fiber Artist Emily Dvorin

October 2, 2013 //  by Pamela Burke//  Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Email

Emily Dvorin, sculptural fiber artist

UPDATE 9/18/16: We ran into Emily at the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival with loads of new baskets. Look at the one she was working on made out of coffee pods! This woman is soooo creative!

Emily Dvorin, basket weaver/Photo: P. Burke

By Pamela Burke/October 2, 2013

When I think of baskets–and I’ve always loved them–I think of the wonderfully woven, deep containers that you can put anywhere and stuff anything into.  Recently TWE ran into objects that were called baskets but that added a new perspective to the definition.

baskets2
“Big Fat Hairy Deal”

We found these non-traditional containers at the Mill Valley Art Festival in northern California. Using materials from the hardware store, cable ties and other found objects, scuptural fiber artist Emily Dvorin has fashioned the most whimsical and imaginative art pieces.  She claims almost anything can be used to make them.  Think curlers, paintbrushes, wooden spools, plastic forks, tees, and whatever else is in the kitchen sink.

Emily says she’s trying to change the definition of the word basket.  They are “transordinary” vessels she engineers with color and texture.  She also loves the unexpected ingredients she finds to make them.  Take a look below at what she fashioned with brightly colored pencils, adding a few neon cable ties for support, a little bit of sass and voilá!

baskets3
“Caught Doing Good”

And what about those toy parts lying around the house accomplishing nothing? These can be priceless materials for a new arrangement. Below she’s taken plastic leftovers and structured yet another colorful piece of quirky art.  Recognize any of these items?

baskets4
“Well Loved”

People don’t seem to know what to make out of her objet as they are so far beyond the concept of what we know as baskets. Some may call this a craft rather than art.  Emily’s response: “I dance on the cusp of fine art and fine craft.”

Emily obviously loves junk and thinks we take for granted what we throw away. Shaping these odds and ends into something new and fabulous is her challenge.  In case you think some of these designs are wacky, she does teach a course called “Wacky Basketry.”

baskets5
“Frizzle Frazzle”

Whatever genre these creations are, we love their artistry and spunk. So as you peer at your surroundings, take a longer look and see what might work as a reassembled object. Emily makes good use of vegetable bags and toothbrushes–simple items whose life can be short. And don’t forget to eyeball musical instruments.  She once created a basket using felt hammers from a piano.

Feast your eyes on “Spun,” one of Emily’s favorite pieces, made with slinkies and cable ties. If you look closely you’ll see the precompressed springs that formally brought great joy as they maneuvered  down steps.  Bravo to Emily for coming up with such an imaginative use of a classic child’s toy! Take a look at more of her fun creations here.

Emily Dvorin's sculptural basketry, SPUN
“SPUN”

Basket photos by Pamela Burke; remaining photos from Emily Dvorin

###

 

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Email

Category: Design, Fun StuffTag: Basket Weaver, Emily Dvorin, Mill Valley Art Festival, Sculptural Fiber Artist, Wacky Basketry

If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to The Women's Eye
and get our latest updates in your Inbox!

You can unsubscribe at any time.

Related Posts

If you liked this post, you might also be interested in these:

Reinvention & Restlessness exhibit saluting '90s Fashion at FIT, Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC/Photo: Pamela Burke for The Women's Eye | thewomenseye.com

Reinvention & Restlessness: Fashion in the Nineties at FIT, NYC

"The Millinery Shop" catalogue photo Legion of Honor

TWE DESIGN: Degas, Paris Fashion and Hat Exhibit Will Entertain and Inform

TWE DESIGN: Summer of Love – The de Young’s Exhibit of Unity, Activism and Change

Linda Hamilton, founder of Nomad Chic Boutique | Photos from Linda Hamilton

TWE DESIGN: Linda Hamilton’s Nomad Chic Boutique Discovers Artisans Worldwide

Oscar de la Renta de Young exhibit/Photo: Wendy Verlailne

TWE DESIGN: A Grand Salute to Fashion Icon Oscar de la Renta

Festive Footwwear 2015/UGG

TWE FUN STUFF: Festive Footwear for 2015

Happy Holidays from The Women's Eye: Pamela Burke with her dog, Toni, and Stacey Gualandi with her dogs, Wally and Bobo

Happy Holidays from The Women’s Eye!

Kathy Ross Mixed Media Artist/Photo from Kathy to TWE

TWE FUN STUFF: Artist Kathy Ross Mixes Media With Wonder And Whimsy

Peach top with polka dots and zebra/Anthropologie 3/14

TWE FUN STUFF: Spring Style with Orange Polka Dots and Zebras

Pink Sequin Australian UGGS

FUN STUFF: Eye-Popping Footwear for the Holidays

Fancy Fascinator by Jax Hatz seen at the Sausalito Art Festival

Fascinators and Dress Paintings at the Sausalito Art Festival

Tiffany Burress, lawyer and maternity clothing designer/Photo from the Burress family

Designer Tiffany Glenn Burress On Creating Stylish And ‘Joiful’ Maternity Clothing

Previous Post: « TOP 10: Outsourcing a Life–Indian Surrogacy
Next Post: TOP 10: An Afternoon with Iris Apfel Iris Apfel/stylelist.com»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Footer

Inspiration

Many times it takes enormous determination and courage in the face of fear and uncertainty. Leading is about passion. Stand up and do it if something needs changing.

Holly Gordon, Producer Girl Rising

TWE Podcasts

SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Search our Archives

  • ABOUT THE WOMEN’S EYE TEAM
  • TWE Radio/Podcasts
  • TWE Interviews & Stories
  • Contact Us

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2010–2022 by The Women's Eye, L.L.C. All rights reserved · Privacy Policy | Terms of Use