Basket Weaving with the Parker Family
Join Julia and Lucy Parker and Ursula and Naomi Johns for a weekend of basket weaving and camping at Pie Ranch.
Basket Weaving with the Parker Family
Tuition: $830
This workshop is now sold out. Get on the waitlist here.
In this three-day workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from Julia Parker and her family as they guide you through traditional Miwok-Paiute basket weaving techniques and share stories that have lived on through generations. All weaving materials are provided, and you’ll be able to create and take home your own beautiful handmade basket. Please note that you’ll need to bring some specific equipment with you — view a suggested packing list below.
Know Before You Go:
Program dates: Friday, November 8th through Sunday, November 10th, 9am-4pm each day.
Program location: Pie Ranch, 2080 Green Oaks Way, Pescadero CA 94060
What’s included:
Three full days of guided instruction, farm-to-table lunch every day, coffee and tea for participants throughout the weekend, space for tent camping Thurs-Monday. There is no discount if you choose not to camp.
Camping dates:
Participants can arrive on Thursday, November 7th after 3pm and depart Monday, November 12th by 10am. There is space for all to camp in the meadow. We guarantee tent camping only and do not provide hookups for RVs or trailers, though we can provide parking spots for trailers less than 30ft. Please be prepared to tent camp. Picnic tables, and outdoor kitchen, and firepit are provided in the camping meadow.
Experience level:
All levels welcome.
What’s not included:
Camping gear
Breakfast, snacks, or dinner for participants
Transportation.
Additional information:
Participants MUST be present for all three days of basketweaving-- partial attendance is not permitted.
Waitlist
Once the class reaches capacity, we will organize a waitlist.
Refunds
If you cancel before Friday, October 25th you will receive a full refund. If you cancel before Friday, November 1st you will receive a 50% refund. There are no refunds after November 1st.
WHAT TO WEAR:
Check the weather before you pack. Dress for coastal fall conditions, which means it could be warm or cool and wet. The program continues rain or shine, so come prepared for any weather with layered clothing and waterproof outerwear, as well as sturdy footwear.
EQUIPMENT & GEAR TO BRING:
You’ll need to bring the following gear for this class:
• All camping gear to be self-sufficient if you are camping.
• Dinner and breakfast for each day if you are camping
• Daypack with snacks and plenty of water - we have potable water onsite as well.
• Rain gear
• Sun protection: strong sunscreen, sun hat, and sunglasses
• Wallpaper pan-shallow long container to soak materials, grasses, reeds while working (something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/reviews/Zinsser-30-in-Plastic-Wallpaper-Prep-Tray-Case-of-12-98030/205168907/1)
• Large plastic bucket/container something deep to soak the entire basket overnight
• Metal awl-found in art stores for beading or jewelry making
• Pruners
• Sharp knife
• Spray bottle
• Towel
• Notepad and pen
• Comfortable folding chair-course takes place outside
DRIVING
Also, do not forget to fill your gas tank BEFORE you embark Hwy 1 to Pie Ranch. There is one gas station 3 miles north of Pie Ranch at Gazos Road intersection and another in Pescadero.
About the instructors:
Julia F. Parker PhD is a renowned Pomo Basketmaker who was the cultural ambassador and basketmaker at Yosemite National Park’s cultural center for many years. Her life history and career is bio can be found here on wikipedia. Her book, Scrape the Willow Until it Sings: The Words and Work of Basketmaker Julia Parker is available on Amazon.
Lucy Parker lives in Lee Vining on the eastern side of the Sierra: she is descended from the Kashaya Pomo, Yosemite Miwok, Mono Lake Paiute and Coast Miwok people. Lucy is proudly; named after her Father, Ralph’s Grandmother, Lucy Parker Telles most famous for her traditional knowledge and oversize baskets housed in the Yosemite Museum as their primary collection. Lucy is the successor in a long line of Basket Makers and is also a well-known well-respected basket maker along with her mother Julia Parker.
Lucy and Julia teach basket making and work as cultural demonstrators of traditional knowledge throughout the United States. Lucy demonstrates and teaches at Yosemite National Park and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Lucy works with all weaving traditions, researches and contributes to education in all weaving styles. Most recently she has worked as a consultant for the Southwest Indian Museum and Great Basin Weavers of Nevada at their Gathering in Carson City.
Lucy and her mother Julia have demonstrated and taught nation wide and continue to travel throughout the United States educating and promoting the importance of learning and keeping cultural knowledge and basket making skills, alive and healthy. Their work in promoting these time honored traditions has helped to establish this art form and educate the public in these respected and honored traditions of California Native people.
Active in all Native issues, Lucy works with Park services and Land management organizations educating the public and government agencies about the protection and preservation of traditional land management for weaving and gathering sites. Lucy also organizes and is a Guide for The Mono Lake-Yosemite Elders sixty-five mile traditional walk over the Sierras.
Ursula Johns and Naomi Johns bios incoming!
Questions? Email nina@pieranch.org