On July 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Damariscotta River Association (DRA) is offering a traditional gourd basket-making workshop with Abenaki basket-maker and educator Judy Dow at DRA’s Great Salt Bay Farm in Damariscotta.

Traditional gourd basket-making can be a very creative form of self-expression. Workshop participants will have the option to paint their gourds, dye them with black walnut, or burn a design onto them. The rims may be woven with reeds of various colors, or with pine needles or corn husks. Patterns can be cut out of the sides for decoration or to create a night light.

If time allows, participants may make decorated accessories, ornaments, or masks out of remnant materials.

The workshop is appropriate for ages 15 and up. The fee for the class is $65. Participants should bring lunch, a water bottle, and snacks. Register online at damariscottariver.org/events.

Judy Dow, of Winooski, Vermont, works with DRA at different times of the year to teach special programs. Dow is a renowned basket weaver and a life-long, award-winning educator who specializes in sharing indigenous knowledge with children. She is also on the Board of Directors for OYATE and the Native American Scouting Association.

To learn more about Dow and her basket making, visit dawnlandvoices.org.

For more information call (207) 563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or visit online at www.damariscottariver.org.