Welcome to Bryn's Basket Blog

Who am I to write this blog? I am neither a weaver (though I have woven baskets), nor a Native American. In fact, I often feel I have a profound ignorance in the ways of baskets, which is why I want to write, share, and learn from your comments.

I have worked with Native American baskets since 1985. That includes over 14 years with the world's biggest collection, the 14,000+ baskets of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian in Los Angeles. For nine of those years, I was Curator of Basketry. That collection is now part of the Autry Museum of the American West. At the Museum of Riverside,* I worked with Christopher L. Moser for four years, and helped edit his book American Indian Basketry of Northern California (1989). Our friendship lasted until his passing in 2003, and I still miss talking with him about baskets. I spent hours with Justin F. Farmer, documenting baskets as he transferred his collection to the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, and I later cataloged and exhibited those baskets at the Pechanga Government Building and the San Diego Airport (2006-07).

This blog will include what I come across and do in the basket world, peppered with past stories, weaver interviews, basket events and activities, books and articles, museum exhibits and museum bloopers (it bothers me when labels are wrong!), and more. My hope is to do something weekly, but you never know. If I see something intriguing or an idea pops into my mind, I'll try to share it sooner.

*The Riverside Municipal Museum was founded in 1924, it is the City of Riverside's Museum.

The name was changed to Riverside Metropolitan Museum in the early 2000s.

The name was changed to Museum of Riverside in 2019.

https://riversideca.gov/museum/about.asp