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About the Artist

ARTIST STATEMENT


Some of my earliest memories are of my mom creating beadwork and my dad making things from wood in his shop. From a very young age I was taught an appreciation of handmade objects. I enjoy the challenge of patiently working on a basket and figuring out how to solve challenges along the path to completing it.

In 2002 I founded a fair trade project designed to support weavers and their families in rural Africa. I still work at Baskets of Africa every day, it’s my passion to work with weavers and baskets from across Africa.

But I also enjoy creating my own baskets in my personal style. I’m developing a language in basketry, sometimes whimsical and at other times serious, to convey my impressions of places, things, people, concepts and miscellany.

My material of choice is waxed flax linen thread because it’s a tiny material that allows me to execute very complex designs in a small basket. I enjoy creating the diminutive structures and shapes of a basket with these complicated combinations of designs. My favorite techniques to use are twining, reverse twining and 3 or 4 rod wale. Weaving baskets from waxed linen thread can take weeks or even months to complete one piece.

I also enjoy weaving with reed because it’s another natural material that can be woven using similar techniques to twining. I can learn new techniques which will sometimes translate well in waxed linen. When using reed, I can make larger baskets rapidly which affords me a quick sense of accomplishment.

Cael Chappell
Basket Maker

EDUCATION


2023

“Tradition and Innovation in Basketry 11”, National Basketry Organization Conference, Class from Kate Anderson

2022

Tidal Twinings Retreat, Columbia Basin Basketry Guild, Classes from Ann Coddington

Stowe Basketry Festival, Classes from Flo Hoppe, Annetta Kraayeveld, Mary Hettmansperger, and JoAnn Kelly Catsos

2020

Learning from basket weavers on a trip to Africa: Uganda and Kenya.

2019

National Basketry Organization Biennial Conference, “Japanese Basketry Techniques”, Flo Hoppe

2018

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Fiber/Baskets, “New Uses for an Ancient Technique”, Lois Russell

JURIED EXHIBITIONS


2023

“Art Evolved, Intertwined”, Studio Art Quilt Association and National Basketry Organization, Traveling to Yellowstone Art Museum, Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Art Museum, Fuller Craft Museum

“Caution! Men Running with Scissors!” Invitational Exhibit, American Tapestry Alliance, Vanderbilt University Gallery, TN

“Redefining the Basket” Invitational Exhibit, Gallery 76, Australia

“Weave, Coil, Twine, Plait, Knot: Traditional and Contemporary Basketry” Invitational, Edwardsville Art Center, Edwardsville, IL

“ArtsThrive 2023”, Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque, NM

2022

“Southwest Regional Juried Exhibition”, Surface Design Association and Tubac Center of the Arts, Tubac, AZ

“Staked Out: Contemporary Basketry” Invitational, Blue Spiral 1 Gallery, Asheville, NC

“Dogwood to Kudzu”, Handweavers Guild of America (HGA), Traveling to Multiple Locations

“Fiber Arts Fiesta”, First Place, Special Merit, Albuquerque Fiber Arts Council, Albuquerque, NM

2021

“Small Expressions”, Handweavers Guild of America (HGA), Traveling to Multiple Locations

“Fantastic Fibers!”, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, KY

“Craft Boston: Fiber Stories”, Boston, MA

2020

“Emerging Artists”, Fiber Art Network, Printed in Fiber Art Now Magazine

“Members in Print 2”, National Basketry Organization, Printed in Basketry+ Magazine

“Small Expressions”, Handweavers Guild of America (HGA), Traveling to Multiple Locations

“Yarn, Rope, String”, Fiber Art Network, Printed in Fiber Art Now Magazine

“Craft Nouveau: An International Fine Craft Competition”, Blue Line Arts, Roseville, CA

“RIGHT TO VOTE!”, Hera Gallery, Wakefield, RI

2019

“Twisting Fibers: An Art for All Reasons”, Art League Rhode Island, Pawtucket, RI

“Fiber Arts Fiesta” Biennial, Albuquerque Fiber Arts Council, Albuquerque, NM

“Basketry Now: 10thAnniversary Exhibition”, National Basketry Organization, Kentucky Museum, Bowling Green, KY

 

PUBLICATIONS


2023

“Art Evolved:  Intertwined” Exhibition Catalog

2022

Convergence 2022 Conference Guide, Handweavers Guild of America (HGA)

2021

“Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot” Magazine, Handweavers Guild of America (HGA)

Albuquerque Journal Newspaper

2020

“Basketry+” Magazine, National Basketry Organization

“Fiber Art Now” Magazine, Fiber Art Network (twice)

“Craft Nouveau”, Exhibition Catalog

Thimble Collectors International, Spring 2020 Bulletin

2019

Salann Magazine, First Edition

“Basketry Now”, Exhibition Catalog, National Basketry Organization

 

ADDITIONAL HONORS


2023

“Tidal Twining” Retreat, Columbia Basin Basketry Guild, Teacher, Portland, OR

National Basketry Organization, Vice President

WARP – Weave A Real Peace, Secretary

Las Arañas Spinners and Weavers Guild, Board of Directors

Basketmakers of Victoria, Teacher, Twining Techniques, Victoria, Australia

Columbia Basin Basketry Guild, Guest Speaker, Portland, OR

2022

National Basketry Organization, Vice President

WARP – Weave A Real Peace, Secretary

Las Arañas Spinners and Weavers Guild, Board of Directors

Minnesota Basket Weavers’ Guild, Guest Speaker, Minneapolis, MN

Las Tejedoras Fiber Arts Guild, Guest Speaker, Santa Fe, NM

Seaside Weavers’ Guild, Guest Speaker, Los Angeles, CA

The Basket Gang, Teacher, Advanced Twining Techniques, Los Angeles, CA

Misti Washington Guild, Teacher, Twined Earrings, San Diego, CA

Northeast Basketmakers Guild, Teacher, Twined Earrings, Pawcatuck, CT

Northeast Basketmakers Guild Gathering, “Best in Show”, Pawcatuck, CT

“Every 1 2022” Members’ Exhibition, National Basketry Organization

2021

National Basketry Organization, Board of Directors

WARP – Weave A Real Peace, Board of Directors

Las Arañas Spinners and Weavers Guild, Board of Directors

Handweavers Guild of America, Spinning & Weaving Week Thread Talk, Nationwide

Basketmakers of Victoria, Guest Speaker, Australia

“Craft Boston: Fiber Stories”, Featured Artist Demo & Talk, Nationwide

FiberGuild, Guest Speaker, Greenville, DE

Misti Washington Guild, Guest Speaker, San Diego, CA

North West Basket Weavers Guild, Guest Speaker, Seattle, WA

Bay Area Basket Makers, Guest Speaker, San Francisco, CA

“Every 1” Members’ Exhibition, National Basketry Organization

2020

Weave A Real Peace (WARP), Guest Speaker, Nationwide

North West Basket Weavers Guild, Guest Speaker, Seattle, WA

National Basketry Organization, Membership Committee

Las Arañas Spinners and Weavers Guild, Guest Speaker, Albuquerque, NM

Columbia Basin Basketry Guild, Guest Speaker, Portland, OR

New Mexico Bead Society, Guest Speaker, Albuquerque, NM

National Basketry Organization, Online Programming Group

2019

1st Place, Judges’ Choice, Best of Show,  “Weaving & Spinning”, 12th Biennial Fiber Arts Fiesta, Albuquerque, NM

New Mexico Bead Society, Guest Speaker, Albuquerque, NM

2018

2ndPlace, “Miniature and Small Works”, The Gallery ABQ, Albuquerque, NM