WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Discover the beauty of traditional Anishinaabe basketry in this unique opportunity to learn with acclaimed artist Burlington Tooshkenig of Walpole Island First Nation. You’ll learn how to gather and prepare materials to create a finely coiled round basket using wiingushk (sweetgrass), carefully bundling and stitching the fragrant fibres into delicate, closely worked coils. The basket will be finished with a birch bark lid, adorned with intricate porcupine quillwork that adds a distinctive touch of colour, pattern and elegance.

Join us for a memorable experience in traditional basketry, where natural materials, fine handwork and cultural artistry come together in a beautiful piece to treasure.

• SKILL LEVEL: All levels, beginners welcome.

• $950 + hst

Burlington Tooshkenig

Instructor Bio:We are deeply honored to welcome Burlington Tooshkenig as an instructor for this basketry workshop. Burlington is an Anishinaabe artist from Walpole Island First Nation in Ontario, Canada, who learned the art of sweetgrass basketry from his grandmother. Driven to keep this traditional craft alive, he has mastered and expanded his practice to include birch bark and black ash basketry, embellishing his creations with porcupine quillwork, beadwork, spruce root, stonework, and shell work.

A passionate educator, Burlington shares Indigenous art forms with a global audience. His celebrated work has been acquired by institutions such as the Indigenous Art Centre at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Art Bank, with art sales spanning across the globe.