Primrose Adams Haida Spruce Root Woven Bottle Native Art

Description

Haida weaving, once an important part of everyday life, is an art still being passed on through the generations. Some of the finest historic weavings are from the Haida and displayed prominently in museums. Today, Haidas have revived the weavings for ceremonial use as well as sale. Weaving was traditionally practiced by women, although today there are a few men practicing this art. As with many Haida traditions, weaving suffered during the 1800's when populations plummeted due to disease. Luckily, a handful of women kept the art alive. Traditionally weaving materials included spruce root and red cedar bark. Thin, strong spruce roots are harvested from around the base of a young living tree. The roots must be stripped of the outer bark, then split several times before it can be stored for later use. The roots must also be cured for several months to improve flexibility. Spruce root can be woven tightly enough to make water-resistant baskets and hats. Like cedar bark there is a limited time in early summer and fall for harvesting. All of this preparation is reflected in the price of Haida basketry.
This beautiful little woven bottle measures 4.75" x 1.25" round and was created by Master Weaver Primrose Adams.
Primrose Adams uses spruce root to create her woven hats and baskets. She is arguably the finest Northwest Coast cedar and spruce root weaver of her generation. Her mother was late Haida artist Florence Edenshaw Davidson. She learned to weave as an adult from her mother-in-law, Haida weaver Selina Peratrovich. Primrose was married to Haida artist Victor Adams, and her daughter, Isabel Rorick, is also a weaver. She wove a potlatch hat for acclaimed Haida artist Robert Davidson in 1981. In 2005, she was featured in the Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation 2 exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, NY. This same year, she was included in Sharon Busby’s Spruce-Root Baskets of the Haida and Tlingit book. In 2008, Primrose was included in the Vancouver Art Gallery’s 'Raven Travelling: Two Centuries of Haida Art' exhibition. Her work can be found in major museums around the world, including The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
"Haida weaving", "raven's tail", "isabel rorick"