Charlotte basket artist's work on display at Gaston museum

GASTON COUNTY MUSEUM

Shakeeka Watts Brooks’ basket weaving prowess is on display in the exhibit “Woven with Purpose: Innovating Basketry for Generations to Come” at Gaston County Museum of Art & History.

Shakeeka Watts Brooks is a master at weaving baskets into functional art.

The Charlotte artist’s work is the subject of the exhibit “Woven with Purpose: Innovating Basketry for Generations to Come,” which debuts April 24 at the Gaston County Museum of Art & History in Dallas. A free reception with the artist on April 25 from 1-3 p.m. at the museum is open to the public. 

Brooks, owner of Hand Works By Shakeeka, draws on techniques rooted in West Africa, where people brought to the Americas as slaves transitioned their skills to the new surrounds by using materials like needles to create sturdy, functional baskets.

“Pine needle basketry has a rich and enduring history, especially within African American communities,” said Brooks, a Polkton, N.C., native. “The craft is deeply connected to the traditions enslaved Africans carried with them to America, particularly the art of coiled basket weaving.” 

The materials Brooks use are everyday items that can found in nature or at home, reflecting the ingenuity and creativity Africans brought to America generations prior. 

“I use natural materials such as long leaf pine needles, raffia, cotton rope, waxed linen thread, sinew, ceramic, seashells, nuts, wooden beads, wood slices and pinecones in my basketry,” Brooks said. “I use weaving methods that are traditional to my roots but are nontraditional in design. My goal is to turn this art form, known to many as a craft, into a fine art, by incorporating sculptural techniques into my designs. 

“I want to portray how basketry has evolved from domestic and utilitarian purposes such as gathering crops, winnowing rice, storing grain, and carrying vegetables and water into a beautiful, sculptural art form that can be displayed in galleries and museums. 

“To know one’s cultural heritage is very important to me. We must preserve our traditions, beliefs, and way of life for our future generations to practice them. I believe that not knowing and preserving our cultural heritage will result in the suffering of cultural degradation. I hope the work that I create will not only inspire the younger generation to learn about and appreciate their ancestors’ art form and struggle, but to inspire them to learn the craft of pine needle basket weaving and carry on their traditions and legacy.” 

The exhibit will be on display in the first-floor gallery of the museum through Aug. 22. The museum, located at 131 W. Main St., is open weekdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free.

“We are delighted to present this vibrant exhibit, “Woven with Purpose: Innovating Basketry for Generations to Come,” museum director Alexandrea Pizza. said in a statement. “Traditional pine needle basketry has a deep history in the American South but Ms. Brooks has transformed what was for many years a utilitarian craft into a creative expression of movement, form and function.”

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