Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Meet Slyvia Friday, the Zion Artist-in-Residence for February 2025, our first one of the year!
While artist-in-residence, Sylvia harvested willow with a permit near the Virgin River on Bureau of Land Management land. She says happy memories are quite literally woven into every fiber of her baskets, from the time of harvesting to the time of weaving, a 3–6-month long process!
Sylvia says weaving focuses her time and attention to the present moment, a powerful tool and valuable resources to her, especially as our time and attention become increasingly valuable commodities.
Not only does basket weaving connect her with the plants and culture of the places she's in, but it also connects her to her ancestral heritage. Sylvia pulls weaving traditions from her lineage with incorporating her own unique style in each work.
Sylvia says that it's important to remember both sustainability while harvesting and weaving, and the fact that these places, plants, and practices can hold cultural significance, so they should be treated with open curiosity and respect.
Watch and audio described version of this video on our website:
nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=E9518BAA-08E9-4F0E-9AD9-7130D5F1EA99
Meet Slyvia Friday, the Zion Artist-in-Residence for February 2025, our first one of the year!
While artist-in-residence, Sylvia harvested willow with a permit near the Virgin River on Bureau of Land Management land. She says happy memories are quite literally woven into every fiber of her baskets, from the time of harvesting to the time of weaving, a 3–6-month long process!
Sylvia says weaving focuses her time and attention to the present moment, a powerful tool and valuable resources to her, especially as our time and attention become increasingly valuable commodities.
Not only does basket weaving connect her with the plants and culture of the places she's in, but it also connects her to her ancestral heritage. Sylvia pulls weaving traditions from her lineage with incorporating her own unique style in each work.
Sylvia says that it's important to remember both sustainability while harvesting and weaving, and the fact that these places, plants, and practices can hold cultural significance, so they should be treated with open curiosity and respect.
Watch and audio described version of this video on our website:
nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=E9518BAA-08E9-4F0E-9AD9-7130D5F1EA99
