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Cahuilla Basketry

Indigenous people in California have a long legacy of producing baskets of great diversity and beauty. Baskets hold a utilitarian purpose and are beautifully woven celebrations of expression, culture, and kinship. In this workshop, you will learn about the highly regarded and exquisite work of Cahuilla Basketry from Cahuilla basketmaker Rose Ann Hamilton. Over the last three decades, the Cahuilla people have experienced a revival in basket making as an art form and form of personal expression. Utilizing traditional methods, you will learn to create a Cahuilla-style coiled basket using yucca, Juncus, and Deer Grass.  

At the beginning of your week of basket-making, you are invited to participate in a field trip to the nearby Cahuilla Reservation, where you will learn how to responsibly identify, gather and prepare the plants used in basket-making.

Materials to Bring (Optional):

  • Small portable lamp (clamp is best)
  • Seat cushion

For Field Trip:

    • Gardening gloves
    • Long sleeved shirt
    • Jeans/pants
    • Favorite closed-toe walking shoes
    • Sunscreen
    • Hat

Rose Ann Hamilton (Cahuilla, Apapatkiktem clan) first learned from renowned Cahuilla basket-weaver Donna Largo at Idyllwild Arts in 1993. She has taught Cahuilla basket classes and presented at Cahuilla, Santa Rosa, Ramona, Agua Caliente, Los Coyotes, Santa Ysabel, San Manuel, and Morongo Indian Reservations, as well as the Riverside Metropolitan Museum, Autry Museum, Agua Caliente Museum, the Heard Museum and San Manuel conferences at CSUSB, and Crafton Hills College. She has participated in cultural gatherings at Los Coyotes, Santa Ysabel, and Soboba reservations. Her inspiration and passion for the art of basket weaving came from her grandmother, Rosanda Apapas Hopkins Tortez Lugo, and great-grandmother, Antonia Casero, Cahuilla master weavers.

Native American & Inland Empire Teacher Scholarships 

Generous donors have made scholarships and fellowships for adult workshops available on a limited basis for these specific groups:

1) Native American Community Leaders, Artists, Members, and Teachers

2) Inland Empire Teachers, Professors, and Graduate Students

Scholarships include tuition, dorm housing, and all meals provided by the campus dining service.

Scholarship Details: 

1) Native American Community Members, Leaders, Artists, and Teachers

For adults 19 and older with current tribal affiliation, the scholarship brings community leaders, artists, members, and teachers to workshops at Idyllwild Arts to benefit both the scholarship recipients themselves and those in their schools or tribal communities. Applicants with financial needs may receive priority. We also offer scholarships for Native American Teens for both the Summer Program and the Academy.

2) Inland Empire Teachers, Professors, and Graduate Students

For teachers and graduate students from the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and the adjacent areas), this scholarship brings teachers and graduate students to Idyllwild Arts to attend Native American Arts workshops. The Native American Arts Workshops benefit both recipients and their students and communities, providing culturally appropriate instruction and professional development to teachers and graduate students. Applicants with financial needs may receive priority. These scholarships are made possible through the generous support of the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians.

Click here for more information about adult scholarships.

Age: 19 years and above

Dates: June 20-24, 2022

One-week session 

Tuition, room, and board: $1,515

Day student tuition: $790

Lab Fee: $45, includes materials and a personal set of tools; you may be asked to bring additional materials.

Skill Level: All level

Faculty: Rose Ann Hamilton

Enrollment is limited to 12 students

Note: This year’s field trip will be an organized group event. Participants will need to follow all COVID-19 protocols set in place if using IAF transportation. Students who wish to drive on their own are allowed.

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