Second Sundays are a perfect way to spend time creating in the Museum with your family and loved ones! Admission is pay-what-you-wish, and donations are appreciated. Each Second Sunday of the month, from 2-4pm.

November is Indigenous Heritage Month and we are so excited to celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and important contributions of this land’s first peoples. This Second Sunday, we will be practicing and learning about the art of basket weaving.

Indigenous people have been weaving baskets for generations for utilitarian purposes. Basketry was, and still is, a sacred tradition and one of absolute necessity. In a world where there were no cupboards, plates, or bowls to hold your belongings, baskets served as indispensable items that had multiple purposes. They allowed people to carry water, clothing, food, and much more. Unfortunately, this tradition is at risk of becoming a lost artform due to invasive species.

The emerald ash borer (EAB), is an invasive beetle that kills ash trees. This invasive species has threatened not only the furniture industry but also the Native American art and tradition of basket making. Today, ash trees are on the brink of extinction and materials for traditional basketry are becoming more and more scarce, forcing contemporary artists to downsize their work.

Artist Highlight: Penelope Minner is a local Seneca-Iroquois Nation artist from Salamanca, NY who creates basketry, corn husk work, as well as graphic, and watercolor art. Minner uses black ash splints for her baskets. While she has tried using white ash, which is fairly brittle, the end results were not desirable. “Black ash has a quality of flexibility and durability that makes for a sturdy basket,” she said. “Once split, the sheen is such a lovely natural feature.” Because black ash is becoming inaccessible, Minner said she plans to downsize her baskets and the size of her works.

Second Sunday is sponsored by PAcyber and UPMC Health Plan.