FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nantucket Basket Workshop with Helaine Buckley Friday, August 21, 10am-2pm AND Saturday, August 22, 10am-2pm at the Cahoon Museum of American Art

Cotuit: Discover the art of Nantucket basketry as you create your own 6½” round Nantucket Lightship lidded bowl. Perfect for beginners and experienced weavers alike, this hands-on workshop offers a rewarding, approachable project rooted in tradition.

Each participant will receive a beautifully crafted cherry wood base, a matching solid rim, and a fitted lid—complete with your choice of acrylic carved knob for a personalized finishing touch. Using traditional reed staves and natural cane, you’ll learn time-honored weaving techniques as your bowl takes shape.

With all materials and tools provided, all you need to bring is your enthusiasm. Leave with a handcrafted piece that reflects your creativity and the enduring elegance of Nantucket basketry.

$475 per person/$450 per member

About the Cahoon Museum of American Art 

The Cahoon Museum of American Art is a unique Cape Cod destination. Located in the seaside village of Cotuit, MA, the Cahoon Museum has welcomed visitors of all ages to experience dynamic local and regional art exhibitions and enjoy fun, family-friendly activitie for over 40 years. The museum showcases a collection of American art from the 18th century to the present in one of their charming historic homes, with modern accessible galleries, artisan curated Gift Shop and enchanting gardens.

The Cahoon Museum located in the house built by Zenas Crocker c1775, is conveniently located at 4676 Falmouth Road, Rt 28 with ample parking in the rear. The elder Ebenezer Crocker’s c. 1739 Georgian Colonial, the Cahoon Garden Gallery and Gardens are located at the intersection of Rt 130 and are only accessible from the rear of 4676 Falmouth Rd.

Museum hours are Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am-4 pm. For more information, visit  Cahoonmuseum.org  or call (508) 428-7581

Please see parking regulations and road closures HERE

Oyster Harbors Fireworks tonight July 3, 2026.

Summer Exhibition at the Cahoon Museum

June 10 – September 20, 2026

Nantucket baskets have emerged as a celebrated icon of Nantucket Island craft. With origins linked to maritime lore, Nantucket Lightship history, and Wampanoag weaving traditions, Nantucket baskets have deep roots in the island’s culture and economy. Popularized during the nineteenth century, Nantucket baskets served a utilitarian purpose as storage and carrying baskets, becoming widely available for sale in shops. As interest in the baskets grew, workshops became available, and makers passed their knowledge down from one generation to the next.

Nantucket baskets are woven from rattan staves and cane. From these simple elements, decades of artistic ingenuity and reverence for traditional weaving techniques were born. Today, basket makers and weavers on Nantucket and Cape Cod lend a variety of artistic approaches to the time-honored tradition of Nantucket baskets. Some continue practicing in the style of historic, early modern baskets. Others lend their own artistic perspective and creative use of materials, while still others create conversations between the old and the new in their work. Though materials and approaches may have changed, the continued practice of Nantucket baskets speaks to an admiration of tradition and fine craft. Stave & Cane traces the origin stories, shares the evolution of Nantucket baskets as a popular craft, and celebrates the artistic ingenuity, creative collaborations, and unique stories behind contemporary basket-making.

This exhibition is co-curated by John Kaminski, Nantucket basket maker, and Leeann Ream, Cahoon Museum of American Art curator.

Sponsored by

William Babcock
Bruce and Polly Behrens
Anne Bockhoff
Jessica Rapp Grassetti and Carl Grassetti
Grant and Susan Pattison
Janice and Bruce Richards