Use Of Native Craft Materials

USE OF NATIVE CRAFT MATERIALS USE OF NATIVE CRAFT MATERIALS MARGARET EBERHARDT SHAXKLIX ACKNOWLEDGMENTS THE writer wishes to express her appreciation of the unlimited inspiration and guidance furnished by Miss Maud Ellsworth, associate professor in art education, the University of Kansas. PHOTOGRAPHS The photographs listed below were taken by B. V. Shanklin, R. R. Russell, and Burch Brown. PLATE I. A potten-vase on a wheat-straw mat Fron tispiece II. Threading a cardboard loom. III. Weaving a straw mat on a cardboard loom. IV. Cutting the ends of the straws. V. Additional thread is woven under and over the extending weft ends. VI. To remove the mat from the cardboard, slip the warp over the ends of the notches. VII. A table setting with a wheat-straw mat, VIII. A straw hat made of two types of straw braid. IX. A straw cowboy. X. Remove the husks from the dye bath with sticks. XL Add a new strip of cornhusk to the right hand strand. 5 6 USE OF NATIVE CRAFT MATERIALS XII. A hat and bag made of braided cornhusks. XIIL The fringe is tied in place and trimmed. XIV. A cornhusk costume flower. XV. Cornhusk dolls. XVI. Cornhusk needlepoint. XVII. Slough grass and cornhusks are combined for baskets. XVIII. Overlap the ends and hold them in place with the thumb. XIX. A cattail mat. XX. Mexican horse and rider. XXI. Scrape the pith from the split rush. XXII. Break the lumps of clay with a hammer. XXIII. A homemade sieve. XXIV. The bottom of the bowl is shaped in a saucer shaped mold. XXV. The fire is started with cedar wood. XXVI. Dung cakes are piled over the pottery. XXVII. Stirring the smoldering fire. XXVIII. The pieces are lifted out with pokers. XXIX. The designs are made by the contrastingof dull and polished areas. XXX. Coil bowls made without the aid of a wheel. XXXI. Dry particles of plaster will stay on top of the surface. XXXII. Pour the plaster into the pie tin. XXXIII. The tools for making a coil bowl are simple, as here shown. XXXIV. Roll the coil with the fingers. XXXV. Apply slip to the base for the first coil. XXXVI. Cut the ends of the coil at an angle. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 7 XXXVII. Roll the clay until it is level with the two strips of wood. XXXVIII. A ceramic box. XXXIX. The rim covers part of the earth in the box. XL. Hold the knife to the right of the piece. XLI. With a wire-loop tool, cut away the high places. XLII. The essential tools. XLIII. Support the walls with the fingers. XLIV. Mark the high spots on the clay. XLV. A cake jar with a wooden lid. XLVI. A large teapot. XLVII. Pour the mold full. XLVIIL Press the clay into the mold. XLIX. Cut the excess clay from the impression. L. Plans for building an electric kiln. LI. Fill the back of the pine cone with sawdust and glue. LIL A design printed from a cut okra pod. LIII. A flower arrangement in keeping with the Arkansas dolls and basket. INTRODUCTION As a teacher or group leader begins to see beauty and sources of handcraft materials in the countryside, so will the learner also search, experiment, and create objects of beauty and utility. Much of the information presented is based upon original experiments and observations. In writing the handbook, care has been taken to make the steps in gathering, preparing, and working of the materials plain and in giving adequate illustrations to aid the worker in handcrafts. Each chapter contains information concerning the gathering, preparing, and use of thematerial as well as suggested adaptations. No patterns as such are given. The methods described are adapted to other materials which may be at hand in different localities of the country. The problems range from simple articles for younger crafts men to the more advanced work of adolescents and adults. The articles made are the result of putting to artistic and useful purposes what would otherwise be wasted products. There remains a vast field of research in native hand craft materials...