Tree Bark Container with Beads

This container is made of smooth tree bark folded and bent at the edges. The rim is a wood splint, and the handle retains some of the original nodes of the twig from which it was shaped. This encourages the viewer to consider the physical environments in which the materials were found and transformed. The container is accented with reddish-orange and white beads and orange waxed linen.

After moving to Washington, DC following World War II, Ira Blount mastered dozens of artisanal crafts. His love for crafting, learning, and community engagement would endure over the course of his long life and career.