Scrape the Willow Until It Sings: The Words and Work of Basket Maker Julia Parker

Master basket weaver Julia Parker is a longtime resident of Yosemite National Park, where visitors can watch her weave at the Yosemite Museum. Deborah Valoma, associate professor of textiles and graduate fine arts at CCA (deborahvaloma.com), has known Julia since she was eleven. She intelligently and affectionately explores Julia's work in this book, which touches on the history of California Indians, how anthropological paradigms have influenced the way we interpret and look at basketry, Julia's extraordinary personal story, and how to appreciate and understand Julia's own vision for her work. The book is envisioned as highly graphic with a dynamic, contemporary look (versus Essential Art, for example, where a basket's objectness is foremost). Includes long excerpts from interviews with Julia as well as academic context for understanding the history of California basket making.