Carol Emarthle-Douglas (Northern Arapaho/Seminole), Round Dance, 2016, rattan round reed, raffia, dyes, silk, and glass, SAR.2017-6-1AB. Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2020 School for Advanced Research.
Story by IARC curator of education Felicia Garcia
SAR staff began working at home several months ago, and one of the things we miss most about being on campus is being able to access the Indian Arts Research Center (IARC) collection every day. Over the last few weeks, IARC staff members have spent some time reflecting on their favorite pieces from the collection. Here is one of the pieces that was selected by IARC collections assistant Molly Winslow.
This miniature basket was made by 2016 Ronald and Susan Dubin fellow Carol Emarthle-Douglas shortly after her tenure in 2017. The basket stands less than 2 inches in height and depicts thirteen dancers who have their backs to the viewer. There are seven female dancers and six male dancers—if you look closely, you can see that the female dancers have tiny glass beads (Charlotte, size 13 and 15) sewn onto the backs of their moccasins. The lid is also removable and fits perfectly on top of the basket. If you visited the IARC within the last year, you might have seen this incredible basket featured on the pedestal in Vault Two, as it was part of the miniatures exhibition curated by 2018–2019 Anne Ray interns Felicia Garcia and Samantha Tracy.
Carol Emarthle-Douglas (Northern Arapaho/Seminole), Round Dance, 2016, rattan round reed, raffia, dyes, silk, and glass, SAR.2017-6-1AB. Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2020 School for Advanced Research.
Molly said she picked this basket because she has “always loved miniatures, and this amazing basket by 2016 Dubin fellow Carol Emarthle-Douglas is no exception.”
This coiled basket is only 1.5 inches tall! It’s hard for me to fathom weaving a large basket, let alone something this tiny and detailed. The skill required to create a piece like this is remarkable, and it is one of my favorite pieces in the IARC collection.
Visit our eMuseum for more images of this amazing piece, and stay tuned for future posts about our IARC collection staff picks!