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Artisan Shelia Brooks is bringing her craft of pine needle basket weaving from Union Springs to the Johnson Center for the Arts.

Andrea Pack, JCA director, said Brooks is a familiar face at the Pioneer Museum of Alabama on Pioneer Days, demonstrating her craft.

“But, the Johnson Center s providing local residents with the chance to learn how to make a basket of their own at Second Saturday Studio at the Johnson Center for the Arts.

This class, due to the time required to learn, will consist of two Saturdays March 9 and March 16 from 9 a.m. until noon, Pack said. The fee to participate is $100 and all participants will leave with their basket, and also with the knowledge to create more. 

“The thing that I love most about this craft is that it uses a renewable, plentiful organic resource to create something useful and beautiful,” Brooks said. “We want to promote creativity and appreciation for folk arts that have such a strong presence in this state and keep them alive for future generations.

For more information, call the JCA at 670-2287 or visit the Johnson Center for the Arts at 300 East Walnut Street in downtown Troy.