The People:
Lucy George

Unlike most basket weavers of her generation, Lucy Nola George (1897-1978) did not learn the skills of her craft from her mother. As an adult and mother of six children, she turned to making baskets out of necessity. Self taught, she was one of the first Cherokee basket weavers to make baskets from honeysuckle. A signature element on many of her baskets was a decorative “button,” repeated around the basket’s circumference. In the 1960s, George taught basketry classes. She was a member of Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, an artisan cooperative of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. In 1970, Qualla Arts and Crafts honored her with a solo exhibition and brochure titled, Basketry by Lucy George.

Read more about Lucy George on the Cherokee Traditions website.