Debora Muhl is a self taught basket artist from Spinnerstown, Pa., who
uses the technique of coiling, in which coils of sweet grass
are sewn together with waxed linens or artificial sinew. Her
materials of choice are sweet grasses native to Maine, which
are gathered, combed & sorted by Native Americans. The
grasses are left in their natural state for their sweet aromas.
Many of these coiled sculptural baskets begin with an unusual
cut-out segment of gourd and are designed in the process of
their creation. The resulting basket is a free form sculpture.
Muhl began making baskets in 1983, but the challenge of mastering
various techniques and materials eventually led her to create
one-of-a-kind art pieces. Her work is included in many private
collections around the world as well as in the permanent collections
of the Mint Museum in Charlotte, N.C., the Museum of Fine
Arts, Boston, Ma., the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Ma.
and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, France.
Statement: Music was my first passion. It gave me a vehicle
for expressing deep feelings, and it taught me the necessity
of bringing discipline and clarity of vision to my work. Sculptural
coiling allows me to create a kind of visual metaphor for
the music of my life.
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