Eric Jon Taylor is an award-winning professional black ash basket maker, woodworker and trusted teacher. He designs and creates all his baskets, including processing his own materials, original patterns and making the molds. In 2000, Eric decided to stop making reproduction baskets where he apprenticed and went on his own, designing his own unique line. He introduced the first baskets of what would become his Cottage Collection in 2001 and as of today, he has over 200 designs. Every basket is not only functional, but a unique marriage of contemporary woodworking techniques, refined materials and classic textures.
In 2007, Eric was one of the basket makers featured in Weaving History: A Basket Heritage Project. In 2009, his ‘Burgundy Arch’ basket received the Best in Basketry Award and the Best in Traditional Design Award (which included all craft categories from furniture to fashion to sculpture) from the 75th Annual League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. Eric is a two-time winner of the Viewer’s Choice Award at AMB Convention. In 2010, he won Best in Naturals at the Annual NCBA and Viewer’s Choice Award at Northeast Basket Makers. His Smith River Creel basket was a part of the 2013 Smithsonian Renwick exhibition, A Measure of the Earth: The Cole-Ware Collection of American Baskets in Washington, D.C., and is now in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian.
“Not only do I make all my own materials including molds, rims, handles and teaching, I’m now in a hurry to process as much American Black Ash as I can before it’s all destroyed by the Emerald Ash Borer.” – Eric Taylor
For over twenty years he has taught all over the country at major conventions and basketry guilds. In addition, for the past seven years he has taught advanced workshops at his basket shop in Tennessee where students learn in-depth skills in basket making.
In 2012, Eric left New Hampshire, and now lives with his artist wife,Lynne, in rural Middle Tennessee along with their rescues Izzy, Minnie Kitty, Mr. Squiggs, and a shop cat named CoCo.
Contact Eric or visit his website: Eric Taylor Basketry