The Weaving Ancestry exhibition is an expression of Martha Bird’s sculptural basketry. It embodies Bird’s learnings and journeys connecting her art to her ancestral roots. Art mirrors her life and through a variety of materials and techniques these works allow Bird to discover herself.
Opening Reception
Friday, 9/5 @ 6-8:30 PM with short intro talk by Martha Bird
Artist Presentation
Friday, 10/3 @ 6 PM
Come learn the rich history of the Knutkorg Basket! There will be the opportunity to touch, hold and inspect historic baskets from Sweden and post-WWII Duluth and Martha Bird will share about the enriching experience of working side by side with a Master Basketmaker while digging deeper into her ancestral roots. In this presentation she will explore, through photos, the ways history parallels her artistic practice and connects to her family lineage in Duluth. The presentation will cover many angles and offer participants the opportunity for robust Q&A.
Special Event
Saturday 10/4 @ 1-3 PM
Making a Willow Brigid’s Cross
at the Duluth Public Library (Main), pre-registration required
Martha Bird
I am a Twin Cities studio artist that specializes in sculptural basketry. I use basketry techniques as a starting point to create expansive conceptual forms that both carry forward the traditional craft and challenge its utilitarian assumptions. I work intentionally to create shapes and designs that express and connect a soul and mind to invite wholeness.
Martha Bird’s artwork has exhibited regionally and nationally, including in galleries and exhibitions across Minnesota and the US. Her work has been acquired by the Minnesota Historical Society, and can also be found in collections in New York, Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. Bird has been awarded numerous Minnesota arts grants and artist residencies to pursue her work.
