Weaving her way: Basketweaver and fiber artist to be featured at Pottery 101

**Dawn Hummer: Featured Artist at Pottery 101 Showcases Fiber Artistry**

**SALISBURY** — Weaving her first pine needle basket at the age of seven and learning to knit at 12 marked the beginning of a lifelong journey for fiber artist Dawn Hummer. Now, with 16 years of experience, Hummer is set to be the next featured artist at Pottery 101. Her work will be on display at the downtown gallery located at 101 S. Main St., Salisbury, where she will also meet the community during a reception on January 3 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Originally from Austin, Texas, Dawn and her family later moved to Chapel Hill, where she established her business, Wildflower Woven Design. As described in her artist statement, her work “celebrates the mindful and time-intensive creation of one-of-a-kind finely woven art pieces for home, public, and personal adornment.” Drawing respect from traditional patterns and techniques from both Eastern and Western cultures, each piece evolves into sculptural fiber art crafted personally in her studio.

Hummer’s passion for fiber art began because she appreciates how fiber is soft and flexible, allowing “manipulation and a more organic approach to creating 3D art.” Her background in education includes teaching in public and private schools, as well as advocating for students with disabilities. She has also instructed art to students, groups, and individuals, enriching her understanding and practice of creative expression.

Travel has played a significant role in shaping Hummer’s artistry. She has journeyed throughout the United States, Australia, Japan, and Europe, taking advantage of cultural learning environments and teachings. She continues to hone her craft by working mostly every day on her pieces.

Her weaving process is supported by the Slow Craft Movement, emphasizing deliberate, handcrafted work over mass production. As she explains in her artist statement, her woven pieces begin with “a single hand-warped fiber sequence of hundreds of sustainable and often hand-dyed textural threads meticulously threaded beamed on a multiple harness floor loom.” Combining foot-treadled patterns with shuttles of weft, her designs evolve into a fusion of color and texture.

Hummer uses sustainable materials including linen, silk, bamboo, wool, alpaca, tencel, cotton, hemp, sugarcane, as well as metals, paper, 16mm film, and found objects. Her woven baskets and hand-dyed hooked wool vignettes are crafted from sustainable reed, cane, and wool, underscoring her commitment to eco-friendly practices.

Speaking about the opportunity to be a featured artist at Pottery 101, Hummer says she is “flattered and always enjoys engaging with others’ interests in my work.” She looks forward to discussing these traditional art forms with the community, noting that while they have “little following these days,” many people can recall a family member who wove baskets or used a loom.

Through her art, Hummer hopes people will “gain a sense of my appreciation for the old ways, which we still depend on.” She emphasizes that every culture has woven cloth and vessels, and choosing to work by hand rather than machine retains importance and value as both tradition and craft.

Join Dawn Hummer and explore the timeless beauty of fiber art at Pottery 101’s reception on January 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. at 101 S. Main St., Salisbury.
https://www.salisburypost.com/2025/12/31/weaving-her-way-basketweaver-and-fiber-artist-to-be-featured-at-pottery-101/