Penny Minner

Traditional arts and crafts were commonplace in our household. My parents were very artistic, traditional craftspeople of their time. My father, Lester Jimerson, was a traditional wood carver and mask maker. He made horn rattles, turtle rattles, and traditional Seneca headdresses, while my mother, Hazel, would make traditional cornhusk dolls, cornhusk mats, and salt bottles. They both have worked in the Smithsonian Institute
collections.

I learned much from watching my parents. I also learned a lot about basket making from my cousin, Midge Dean Stock. I feel that through my talents, I am able to share their spirit with others to pass on to the next generation and to those who are willing to learn. Over the last 15 years, I have worked within the community to teach black ash splint basket making and cornhusk doll making, though I have been practicing the craft since 1998. The basket-making process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and because of that, many new students find it is not for them. Finding a dedicated student to whom I can pass this along and keep the tradition alive is a true pleasure.

I reside on the Allegany Reservation in Western New York. I have done demonstrations for the Iroquois Indian Museum, the Seneca Nation (various departments), SUNY Fredonia, Fenimore Art Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian in NYC. In 2019, three of my art pieces were acquired for the National Museum of the American Indians permanent collection, a life long dream.