Jill Choate is a nationally renowned fiber artist and instructor known for her ability to “talk to the antler” and weave a vessel around it. Her pioneering efforts incorporating antler into basketry have brought her to the forefront in this venue of contemporary vessel construction.  Her efforts in basketry are as well known as are her stories about life in the Alaskan bush.  Now based in the Ozarks of Missouri , Jill has lived in remote Alaska for 25 years with her family and sled dog team approximately 150 miles north of Anchorage . The Choate homestead was accessible by snow machine in winter and 4-wheeler in summer and equipped with all the modern "bush" conveniences - like a hand pump and an outhouse.  Living in the shadow of Denali with a salmon stream in the front yard and moose and bear for neighbors makes for great reminiscent tales about life in the Last Frontier. 

Artist Statement:  The construction of my vessels begins as a gift from the forest.  The antler’s natural curve, coloration, and texture are taken into consideration and ignite the potential for a creative vessel to emerge. Even though some basket designs may be similar each basket is as unique unto itself as a fingerprint.  Each creation is woven with the boreal forest in mind.  A branch, the smell of willow, brightly colored leaves, the wind passing through trees, snow sifting from the sky.  Using the inspiration of these simple gifts the result is a vessel of woven nature.  The designs are worked around the uniqueness of the antler as a focal point, the weave used as a drape to highlight its energy.