This charming, painted, red cedar bark basket was created by husband-and-wife artists Shannon and John C. Hudson III. The Hudson family have long been involved in the revitalization and promotion of Tsimshian art and culture in their home community of Metlakatla, Alaska. Shannon learned to weave cedar bark baskets from John’s aunt, Lillian Buchert. John is the son of the late Tsimshian master artist Jack C. Hudson II. In 1974, Jack began teaching Northwest Coast art in Metlakatla High School, which he would continue doing until 2010, when John took over the program upon his father’s retirement. Today, John is regarded as a master carver in his own right who has participated in the Smithsonian Institution’s artist leadership program to study ancestral objects such as whistles and puppets to bring that knowledge back to his community and students. [1]

This basket features a painted split dogfish design rendered in red and black formline and a red and black 4-point “star” design on the knob-top lid. It is finely woven from thin strands of cedar bark using a plain twining technique. The rim edges of the lid and base of the basket are finished to the exterior using a braiding method. The basket was originally sold through the Snow Goose Gallery in Seattle and is an earlier example of Hudson’s work.

1. Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center Alaska channel. “Voices from Cedar (2 of 12): An Interview with John Hudson.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfppUqvYeTc. Accessed Dec. 09, 2024.

Thank you to John Hudson for clarifying information on this basket.