Spirit canoes

These four boats appeared as part of a large series of woven canoe shapes. Each is inspired by a different human archetype, the hunter, the mother, the crone and the hetaira. They are crafted from willow shoots sourced from California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada. The bonelike interior of each rod was steamed into a gentle curve, allowing it to dry and stiffen into shape. Each boat was built upwards from the base using waxed linen thread to hold each layer to the one above it.

Woven fabric

Crafted by

Carol Shaw-Sutton