Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson is the son of basket weaver Betty Rock Johnson and the brother of weavers Joann Johnson and Benjamin Johnson. Chris has built a reputation for his superlative technique by weaving baskets with narrow, uniform stitches. Joann explains that he uses very thin rods to coil around, so his 14-inch baskets may reach 45 rounds, or spirals, from the center. His detailed designs often include birds or geometric patterns. “He’s a fine, fine, fine weaver,” Joann exclaims. “When he’s finished with a basket, I always take a picture of it . . . It takes him a long time to do it, but he’s really good.” Given the amount of time Chris put into his baskets, he is not a prolific weaver. The combination of his baskets’ scarcity, technical perfection, and beautiful colors make them highly sought after by collectors.