Northhampton News

Banana Factory Gallery Shoppe recently issued the following announcement

Event: Creative Family Workshop: Cylinder Basket

When: November 28, 2020

Saturday, November 28 | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

You and your child will create a pretty basket with a wooden base and beads for decoration. Participants will learn 3 introductory weaving techniques. Children will use a 3 or 4 " base and parents may use an oval or 6 " base if they would like a slightly larger basket. All techniques will be the same. A variety of reed colors are available. Beginner Level.

Debbi Zvanut has been basket weaving for over 26 years, and teaching children for 48 years. She has been teaching children the basics of basket weaving for 18 years. Spring and fall weekends finds Debbi leading heritage worships for children 6 years and older, making basic baskets. In addition, she teaches all 3 levels of 4-H basketry to 4-H groups. Girl Scouting holds a special place in her heart, as she creates weaving programs and workshops for Juniors, Cadettes and Seniors at camps and in troops. She especially enjoys sharing her expertise with all levels of weavers who want to be challenged and enjoy creating a useful piece of art. Deb has taught at the Hamburg Arts Alliance ( 5 years), Salem Evangelical Congregational Church ( 3 years), Northwestern Lehigh School District Community Education Program (eight years) and now at the Banana Factory for 5 years. Debbi has also designed a day camp basket weaving program and an intensive basket weaving program at G.S. resident camp and the Banana Factory summer day camp program. Zvanut is also a competition winner, winning 14 ribbons over 5 years and Best of Show in 2013 at The Great Allentown Fair. These baskets include a large creel-shaped bicycle basket, a cane non-traditional Nantucket basket purse with lid, a small ash back pack, large Nantucket bucket, and a two-tone Nantucket Fruit Bowl. She has placed second two times and third once in the mold-woven category and a second in the flat reed category at the North Carolina Basketry Association Guild Exhibit. Debbi dyes most of her own reed and weaving materials and love to create deep, vibrant hues and an occasional lighter shade to compliment the darks. She enjoys designing a basket with a pattern-symmetrical patterns – these are always challenging and fun. “My primary medium is reed-both flat and round, but I also weave with cane, ash, oak, waxed linen, paper, fabrics and different types of reed. I enjoy making traditional types of baskets, but find it especially stimulating to make an unusual shape or incorporate a non-traditional item into the weave; such as wire, beads or buttons, philodendron leaf or deer antler.” Debbi continues striving to learn new types of weaving and to design new styles for herself and for her students.

Banana Factory Safety Measures for Patrons:

Health & Wellness

All patrons will be asked to monitor their personal health and refrain from attending classes if they are exhibiting any symptoms.

Patrons are asked if they begin to feel unwell during their visit to ArtsQuest, to please remove themselves immediately and inform their instructor of any possible contamination of the building.

Symptoms include but are not limited to fever and chills, persistent cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea/vomiting/diarrhea (CDC symptoms).

Personal Protective Equipment

Masks are always required to be worn while traveling through common areas of the building and during all interpersonal interactions, including during the entire class session while in any Banana Factory classroom.

Any patron not adhering to this policy will be asked to put their mask on. If non-compliance continues after several attempts, the patron will be asked to leave the property.

Patrons participating in classes will be required to wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer once every hour for the duration of their time in the building.

Social Distancing

Social distancing shall be practiced whenever feasible. When not feasible, face masks or physical barriers should be in use.

Contact Tracing

The patron or client is required to inform ArtsQuest of a positive COVID-19 test (not by name) if they visited our site within a two-week period of the positive result.

Class registration will allow for an associated name. Class registrations should be kept for a minimum of 30 days.

Compliance & Reporting

All patrons must comply with the guidelines set forth in this document to protect from COVID-19 exposures.

Patrons are encouraged to report unsafe conditions and/or compliance violations to their instructor without fear of retaliation or reprisal.

Non-compliance will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. A failure to comply with these guidelines and procedures may result in expulsion from the class without a refund.

Communications

Rules and regulations should be made clear during the registration process.

Signage will be placed throughout the site to remind patrons of the guidelines set forth in this document.

Patrons participating in classes will be required to sign a participation waiver.

A waiver will be included in the registration process. By signing the waiver, patrons are acknowledging that they will adhere to the rules/guidelines and that they voluntarily assume all risks associated with exposure to COVID-19.

Signs will be posted denoting that the Banana Factory will remain closed to the public during the green phase.

Permitted guests are as follows:

Patrons registered in Banana Factory classes.

3rd party guests by appointment only.

Original source can be found here