Local students recently learned how to make baskets during a Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Honors Program event.
Nancie Cooney, a retired art teacher and artist, taught seventh and eighth grade students from Central Valley, Dolgeville, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer, Little Falls, Owen D. Young and West Canada Valley about basketry.
“Basketry is an art form that dates back thousands of years,” Herkimer BOCES Honors Program Coordinator Deborah Schoff said. “Baskets have been created and used by many different cultures. They have been utilized for food storage, transportation, construction and recently for decorations. In this workshop, students were introduced to the beginning steps in learning the art of basket-making.”
The Round Reed Basketry Herkimer BOCES Honors Program event took place on March 18 at the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center in Herkimer.
“The process required patience as the reeds needed to be soaked in water several times throughout the task,” Schoff said. “It was interesting to see how different each basket turned out. The students discovered how color, tension and creativity played a role in their creation.”
The Herkimer BOCES Honors Program is open to students in Herkimer BOCES component school districts and is designed to support the potential of students in grades 3-12 who have above average interests and abilities in a particular area. Programs allow for interaction with like-minded peers. Students learn by engaging in educational activities with presenters who are noted in their field. Exploration and programs provide for different learning styles and include topics in the arts and sciences as well as literature and history. Ongoing evaluation of all programs by teachers and students assures their relevance and quality.
Nancie Cooney, a retired art teacher and artist, teaches local seventh and eighth graders about basketry during a Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Honors Program event on March 18 at the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center in Herkimer.
