The Mighty White Oak: From Tree to Basketry

ᎺᎵ ᏔᎻᏏᏂ Mary W. Thompson is an esteemed river cane and white oak basket weaver, potter, veteran, and enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI). She is a vital link to three generations of river cane basket weavers, teaching the specialized double weave technique, and expresses her appreciation for her ancestry and culture through her art. For over thirty years, Thompson has engaged in this art form, including harvesting raw materials, gathering natural dyes, and making traditional-style Cherokee pottery. Her designs have influenced contemporary art forms, creating patterns for clothing and upholstery fabric, and she is an experienced educator who has taught basketry at the Cherokee Central School, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, and the Museum of the Cherokee People. Thompson has received major recognition, including the Arrowmont 2021 Appalachian Craft and Culture Fellow, the South Arts 2021 Folk & Traditional Arts Master Artist Fellowship, and the 2023 First Peoples Fund Community Spirit Award. Her work is held in permanent collections at the University of South Alabama and the Milwaukee Art Museum, and she is known for her public art installations like ‘The Basket’ and ‘Critters in the Cane Patch.’ A veteran of the United States Air Force, she also served four terms in the EBCI’s legislative branch.