Born and raised in Richmond, Mi’kmaw artisan Nora Richard fell into crafting by accident when she took a job at Basket Weavers.

Initially convinced she wasn’t going to be able to pick up the intricate craft, Nora soon discovered to her own surprise that she was, in fact, a natural. Mentored by Francis Pickle and Ann McRae, Nora quickly fell in love with the art of basket weaving and found her own style of expression. She also found that she enjoyed bringing new life to old baskets just as much as she liked creating new ones.

Over the past 14 years, Nora’s repaired countless worn-out baskets and woven many new ones. In all of the years between then and now, she’s only ever kept two of the baskets she’s created for herself.

A multi-talented artisan, she also creates works of art with leather and beads. Today, Nora enjoys weaving baskets and crafting as a therapeutic outlet and a means of connecting with her son, who she is teaching to split the white ash. She is grateful to local farmers that will watch for wood that suits her needs. Passionate about keeping the tradition of basket weaving alive, Nora hosts workshops for the PEI Craft Council.

Nora’s baskets are available for purchase through the PEI Craft Council’s retail shop in Charlottetown, at Poppies Porch, and at select craft fairs. She also shares her creations through her Facebook page Mi’Kmaq Basket Weaver.