We are thrilled to highlight the remarkable work of Kandi McGilton through a feature from the Smithsonian Folklife Festival article. She is a talented Ts’msyen artist who is preserving and revitalizing her tribe’s endangered cedar basketry tradition. Recently featured in a compelling article, McGilton’s dedication to her craft goes far beyond creating beautiful baskets—she is actively keeping her cultural heritage alive.
McGilton specializes in the endangered Annette Island weaving style, a technique that involves intricate clockwise weaving and elaborate false embroidery designs using red cedar bark. Her journey as a weaver began through an apprenticeship with master Haida weavers Holly and Delores Churchill, and she now teaches this ancestral art form with a profound commitment to cultural transmission.
“I want this art form to live beyond me, just like how I want the language to live beyond us,” McGilton powerfully states, embodying the spirit of cultural preservation and intergenerational knowledge sharing. We are proud to represent such an extraordinary artist whose work is not just a craft, but a vital act of cultural resilience and heritage maintenance.
The article can be found HERE.
Stonington will reopen the next day, Friday, for normal hours!
