THE LADY WITH THE PINE NEEDLE PURSE By Rhonda Claridge Artist Harriet Thompson is a self-confessed "pine needle snob." Also known as "The Basket Lady" (and "the basket case" by some), Harriet weaves baskets and other goods from the needles of Great Abaco Island's pine forest. Without any known predecessors, she has learned this unique medium through trial and error. "Not any pine needle will do," says the purist. Part of the joy she takes in her work is locating trees that bear long, pliable, "beautiful" needles. If she hears that green trees have been downed somewhere, she sets off with a cutlass to harvest needles. "I only take from fallen trees. My friends bring me pine needles too, and I ask them not to take from living trees," she says. She hangs the cut branches on a clothesline for the needles to dry, in the shade if she wants greener needles and in the sun for browner ones. Later, she washes the needles and stores them in the vegetable drawer of her fridge to keep them moist. At "31 years young", Harriet has been full-time basketmaking for two years. Her works are for sale in several Abaco locations, including Creative Native in Green Turtle Cay and Java Café in Marsh Harbour, where she works three days a week. She also creates commissioned pieces, some of which are now as far abroad as Holland, Australia and France. "I've never seen these places, but my baskets are sharing homes," Harriet says with a smile. Besides creating baskets of all different shapes and sizes, patterns and colors, Harriet has also made vases, plant holders, salt and pepper shakers, and, recently, a prototype pine needle purse. One of her new designs is a stitched frame around the rim of plates custom-thrown by Abaco Ceramics. "I do a lot of experimenting. One day I want to make furniture," she says. The process is time-consuming and begins with removing what Harriet calls the "butts" from the ends of each clump of needles. She sews the needles together with coloured or natural raffia thread. Often she weaves in beads, buttons, sea-glass, or small curios that people ask her to include in their personal pieces. For different effects, sometimes she dyes the needles or leaves the "butts" on, poking out of the weave. "It's all just playing. Nothing ever turns out as I expect it to. It's freedom to do whatever I want," she says. Her fingertips are hardened, having been pricked countless times by the pine needles' sharp ends. "A lot of pain goes into this as well." She coats the finished piece with a shellac so the needles don't decay. Harriet was born in Nassau and has always been inspired by her "big and best sister" Colette Bootle, who was "painting, painting, painting" while Harriet was growing up, and who is now also an artist living in Marsh Harbour, known for her beach landscapes. "I don't paint, but always loved baskets," Harriet says, "so I tried to think of something that's different?" She began making things with casuarina needles. Later, she discovered that pine needles are sturdier. "I don't think we're going to run out of pine needles." She moved to Marsh Harbour three years ago. Although her Nassau friends thought she was crazy, Harriet hasn't regretted the move. For a while, she managed Angler's restaurant at Boat Harbour and worked on her baskets at home, saying to herself, "Who would ever buy this?" One day she left her restaurant job to explore the life of full-time basketing weaving and selling, which seemed like a huge risk at the time. "I realized that there's a lot more important things in life, like happiness." While she makes baskets, she can "appreciate the day. It's peaceful. I have lots of time to think. If I'm driven, I can sit up all night. I'll keep doing it till it stops making me happy." Last year the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism contacted Harriet and asked her to enter their 1st Annual Souvenirs Competition. She did so, and, out of hundreds of entrants, she was awarded Honorary Recipient. Since then, the Ministry has talked with her about mass producing her pine needle works. "I said, 'No. When it gets to that, it's not Harriet anymore.'"To reach The Basket Lady, call 1-242-367-3293 or 1-242-359-6534, or email: harrietnt@hotmail.com.

© 2000 Abacoinfo.com All Rights Reserved.  
Stories reproduced with express permission from Abaco Life.
Stories published from the Abaco Life Magazine are © 2000 Abaco Life.
To obtain all the stories contained within this publication click here to subscribe.