Sharon Dobbins

 

 

I have always enjoyed the world of crafts and over the years have “dabbled” in many. It was not until I retired from the  Carroll County school system in 2003 that I found the time to pursue the art of basketry.  I enrolled in my first basket class in the fall of 2003 through Surry Community College and have continued to take classes ever since.  I knew immediately that this was my calling.  I like to think that any creative talent I have in this area is genetic.  My grandfather was a master basket maker.  Unlike my grandfather, who gathered and formed his own splints and carved his own rims and handles, I prefer to purchase my materials, which are readily available in today’s marketplace.  I do dye my own reed and sometimes make my own stain from natural products.  Today I still “dabble” in other art forms, but basket weaving continues to be an obsession.  I am drawn to the fact that in a relatively short amount of time I can complete a basket from start to finish.  What begins as a stack of reeds can be transformed into something both useful and beautiful.  I love the sense of accomplishment I feel when I have finished a basket.  I feel privileged to be able to help keep this age-old art alive.