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Donnie Ellison
Master Basket Maker |
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Watch Donnie turn the mighty oak into beautiful baskets, a skill he's spent a lifetime mastering.
A Craftsman In The Making
Master basket maker Donnie Ellison has been intrigued with weaving since he used to watch his grandfather make cane-bottomed chairs in Lead Hill, Arkansas.
The Silver Dollar City Years
When Donnie came to Silver Dollar City in 1972, he apprenticed under Leslie Jones, an accomplished basket maker who taught Donnie the entire process of making a basket from the ground up.
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Beginning with the selection of native white oak trees, "You want trees growing on north and east hillsides," Donnie says, "because the grain of the wood will be straight," Donnie learned to split the logs, shape the wood and draw the strips. After six months of working with the logs and gaining an appreciation for the characteristics of white oak, Donnie was finally allowed to weave a basket. In the following years, he studied, experimented, designed and made thousands of baskets, eventually earning Silver Dollar City’s prestigious Master Craftsman designation.
Interesting Extras
During his 34 years as a craftsman at Silver Dollar City, Donnie has taught and mentored other basket makers, while working to preserve basket making as a heritage craft through the park’s Craftsman For A Day program.
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Helpful Handouts:
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Silver Dollar City Map
Print out a copy of this full color map to help you plan your visit to Silver Dollar City ahead of time!
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