Cedar Baskets By Irene Mills

Irene started her journey as an artist when she was 11 years old, working with argillite with her late uncle Doug Wilson, argillite carver and author of Argillite Art of the Haida. Since that time Irene has expanded her artistic talents to woodworking, quilting, beading, tanning hides, regalia making and weaving. In the mid 90s, Irene began learning the tradition of cedar weaving from April Davis on Haida Gwaii. Over the years she continued to learn from her aunties Isabel Brillon and Gladys Vandal, creating cedar bark hats and baskets. Expanding her weaving knowledge into wool in 2009, Irene learned Raven's Tail weaving from Nika Collison, a student of renowned Haida weavers Evelyn Vanderhoop and Lisa Hageman. Improving her weaving through the generosity of these weavers, Irene is currently learning to spin her own 'z twist' yarn for Raven's Tail weaving. Irene has exhibited her artwork in solo and group exhibitions. These pieces are in private and public collections, including cedar weavings in UBC's Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver BC and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, Washington DC. Irene is also a traditional Haida singer who has performed at community events as well as public events in Vancouver, Ottawa, New York, Chicago and France. haida_