Dana Gore has always been good with her
hands, but it wasn’t until she visited the
island of Nantucket in 1997 that she started
making her uniquely detailed Nantucket
Lightship Baskets.
Gore says sailors who worked on lightships off of the
coast of Nantucket in the 1800s inspired the name of the
baskets, which they would weave to pass the lonely hours.
Woven slats of bamboo cane combined with a solid wood
bottom identify the baskets. A single item may take several
weeks to create. Gore’s handiwork includes purses, trays,
ice buckets, vases, coffee tables, and even a bassinet.
The weaver believes knowing her clients results in more
meaningful relationships. Her favorite projects include a
large oval cherry wood basket with double handles for a
teacher in Southport, England, and a purse crafted for a
95-year-old Arizona woman as a gift from her son.
For more information, please visit:
www.danasnantucketbaskets.com
Dana Gore, basket weaver. Her workshop, shown below,
is equipped with various sizes and shapes of molds with
baskets in process on the workbench.
15 www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com
WBM