Tuesday Night Talk: The Art of Mi’kmaw Basketry

Mi’kmaw artists are creating a wide range of imaginative and beautiful work using the skills and traditions of basketry weaving given to them by their elders and ancestors.

Peter J Clair is one of nine artists presented in The Art of Mi’kmaw Basketry (FORMAC publishing), which was released in 2023.

Peter was among the first to break new ground in the 1980s when public interest was rising in Indigenous contemporary art. As a master sculptural weaver he uses natural materials to create thought-provoking pieces using traditional and contemporary forms. He often uses Black Ash, willow and other tree barks.

Peter is also a poet and fiction writer. As our guest speaker, he will present in English, with occasional commentary in Mi’kmaw.

Peter J Clair was born in Elsipogtog, New Brunswick in the Nigmag territory of Signigtog. He now lives in Tobique, New Brunswick. He has worked for much of his life at the traditional craft of ash splint basket making. He has created original, contemporary designs for a variety of uses. His work has been presented across Canada, New York and the Dominican Republic.