Learn about Jon Kay's forthcoming book, Baskets and the Burden's They Bear, which provides an overview of Indiana basketry past and present.
About the speaker:
Drawing on stories of basket makers from across Indiana, from the nineteenth century to the present, folklorist Jon Kay weaves together a compelling history of the state’s basketry traditions. Moving from Miami elm bark baskets and the distinctive oak-rod baskets made by Brown County settlers, to the colorful willow work made by a Mennonite maker to the innovative baskets crafted from repurposed plastic straps by Chin refugees in Indianapolis, he traces the evolution of basket forms, function, and meaning. Through these diverse examples, Kay shares Indiana’s basket-making history through the stories of its makers.
Date: September 21, 2026 | Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Museum Experience Center | Price: Free