Join Lanesboro Artist-in-residence, Martha Bird, for a introductory weaving class On August 23rd! Bird will guide participants through the process of making their very own Brigid’s Cross. Participants will learn and practice the required techniques with pipe cleaners, before graduating to working with willow, the artist’s preferred medium.
Bird spent a month of study in Ireland, where she learned to make this cross. In Ireland, Brigid’s cross has associations with protection and shelter, however the shape has the potential for broader symbolic emanations personal to each maker. Participants will also learn and experience the health benefits of such hands on creation, guided by Bird’s experience and expertise. The class will run from 6 to 8pm at Sylvan Park. (In the case of rain, the event will be moved to the St Mane Theatre.) This free class is capped at ten participants. Register for your place in the class now:
Lanesboro Arts is proud to feature weaver, sculptor, nurse, and mental health advocate Martha Bird as the Lanesboro Arts Artist in Residence from August 15th – September 12th, 2022.
During her residency, Bird will create and install a temporary outdoor sculpture made from fresh willow. Grounded in the potentiality for basketry to serve as a source of physical, mental, and communal healing, Bird intends to address the mental health of individuals and communities through art and art based interactions.
About Martha Bird
Educated as a Public Health and Board Certified Holistic RN, Martha’s vision is to “use my own art and process to integrate community involvement and utilize my knowledge to empower people to follow their passion and include it in their life, so they can be as well and healthy as possible.” Martha uses basketry techniques as a starting point to create expansive conceptual sculpture that both carry forward the traditional craft and challenge its utilitarian assumptions. Her work draws from her own professional expertise and life experiences to explore the human body, manifestations of trauma, and concepts of resilience, energy and growth. Martha has brought her meditative practice and depth of knowledge to lecture audiences across the United States, and her work has been featured in art exhibitions across Minnesota and throughout the country.
Click here to learn more about Martha Bird and her Residency.
The Lanesboro Artist Residency Program is supported by the Jerome foundation.
