Pine Needle Basket w Painted Bird and Handles, long leaf pine needles, wooden center w. painted bird, raffia, string, 9in h x 11in w

After thirty years of management in Human Resources and technology, Ann Carney and her husband retired from Connecticut and Pennsylvania jobs to twenty-three years of Florida living.   They spent winters exploring Florida and the southern U.S. coast and then went RV’ing through northern U.S. and Canada in the summers.

The beauty of the foliage, the birds, the Gulf of Mexico inspired Ann to try her hand at painting.  That was the beginning of a new, challenging endeavor.  The beauty of the western U.S. made camping and painting the mountains, lakes, trees, sky a never-ending delight. Additionally, the variety of baskets made by Native Americans using natural materials became a second inspiration and challenge.  Baskets from Long Leaf Pines, found in the Dakotas or Georgia, lend themselves to artistic renderings of animals, containers, decorations, etc., so, when Carney wasn’t painting, she was creating with pine needles. However, knitting, needlepoint, sewing and gardening fill any remaining hours now that Ann is living in Connecticut.  Carney’s Baskets are currently exhibited at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook, Connecticut.