Brown Egg Basket

This small egg basket is made from tightly woven round reeds. Artist Ira Blount’s eye for color is evidenced in the way he varies light brown, dark brown, and reddish-brown reeds. The contrast between the variations in color and the uniformity of the plain weave illustrates Blount’s ability to skillfully experiment with form, materials, and color. A God’s Eye design connects the basket’s rim and handle.

In a 2011 interview with the The Afro-American, Blount told a reporter that he’s especially proud of his egg baskets because of the intricacy involved in making them. He was also interested in the practical shape of egg baskets which is both attractive and a reflection of their function: to protect the eggs from cracking.