Kenny Keezer (Artist Profile)
Kenny Keezer, son of renowned basket maker Clara Neptune Keezer, carries on a rich tradition of Native American basketry, specifically within the Passamaquoddy tribe.
His mother, Clara Neptune Keezer (1930-2016), was an award-winning Passamaquoddy basketmaker who received a National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. She was a celebrated figure in the art world, known for her exquisite craftsmanship and preservation of traditional methods.
His brother, Rocky Keezer; aunts, Angela Barnes and Theresa Neptune Gardner; his uncle, Peter Neptune; and his cousin, Debbie Nicholas, are all renowned Passamaquoddy basketmakers.
Kenny continues his family legacy, creating intricate and finely woven baskets that reflect the cultural heritage of the Passamaquoddy people.
Kenny lives at Sipayik (Pleasant Point) in Perry, Maine, and has been weaving baskets since 1997. Kenny’s work, like his mother’s, emphasizes the use of natural materials such as brown ash and sweetgrass, staples in Wabanaki basketry.
Many of Kenny’s basket-making tools have been passed down for generations–the blocks and forms that baskets are woven over, splint gauges, and splitters.
At the market, you will have an opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for a fantastic basket created by Kenny Keezer and meet him in person.
For more information about Kenny Keezer, please visit: https://umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum/kenny-keezer/
Photos: Kenny Keezer – Passamaquoddy Basketmaker
Video: Clara Keezer – National Heritage Fellow
Upcoming 2024 Wabanaki Winter Market (Saturday, December 14, 2024):
Organized by the Hudson Museum, the Wabanaki Winter Market is New England’s largest holiday gathering of Wabanaki artists. The annual December event features award-winning Wabanaki weavers as well as new artists representing the next generation of artists.
The event is supported in part by a grant from the Onion Foundation.
Location of the event: The Collins Center for the Arts (2 Flagstaff Road | Orono, Maine)
Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024 (from 9 am to 3 pm)
Contact: Gretchen Faulkner | Director, Hudson Museum (207.581.1904) For event updates, please visit: https://www.wabanakiwintermarket.org