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Date: January 17, 2027
Times: 10am - 1pm
Level: ALL
Membership Price: $112 (Members can use code MEMBERS10 upon checkout to receive 10% off)
Youth Price: $95
Please note: There is a $25 Materials Fee to be paid directly to the instructor at the beginning of class. Cash appreciated.
Workshop Description:
Join sixth-generation sweetgrass basket “sewer” and artist Andrea Cayetano-Jefferson for a hands-on class rooted in Gullah/Geechee heritage. Andrea’s style of coiled basket making has been passed down in the South Carolina Lowcountry for hundreds of years. This craft is practiced through the legacy of enslaved West Africans who adapted their techniques utilizing grasses and materials found in the Lowcountry.
Andrea learned this art as a child from her mother, Martha, and her aunt, and began working at the historic Charleston City Market at just six years old. With more than 35 years of experience, Andrea’s work has been featured all over.
In this class, you’ll be given a base of your own vessel to start with and Andrea will bring sweetgrass for everyone! You leave with foundational coil and stitch techniques to incorporate in your own work or dive further into your existing knowledge.
Andrea, her mother Martha, and daughter Chelsea have works included in “let this earth become a heaven” – on view November 14th, 2026 - February 7th, 2027. Be sure to come by early to check out the show!
About the Instructor:
Andrea Cayetano-Jefferson proudly represents the rich heritage of the Gullah/Geechee culture through her exceptional work as a sixth-generation sweetgrass basket artist. From an early age, she learned the intricate art of basket sewing from her mother, Martha, and her aunt, whose teachings inspired her lifelong commitment to preserving and honoring the traditions, history, and artistry of her Gullah ancestors.
With more than 35 years of experience, Andrea began working at the historic Charleston City Market at just six years old. Today, she shares her handcrafted work through in-person events, her studio, and her Etsy shop. Andrea also served as the Gullah Community Coordinator for several Etsy projects in 2021 and 2023, and in Spring 2023, she was selected by John Legend to participate in his Etsy Celebrity Collaborations.
Andrea’s artistry and cultural contributions have been recognized nationally through exhibitions and collaborations. Her work has been featured at Vandiver Gallery, the Arts Center of Greenwood, and the Northern Clay Center. In 2021, she and her daughter Chelsea were accepted into the Folklife & Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program, further continuing their family’s artistic legacy.
Known for her deep knowledge of sweetgrass basketry and Gullah/Geechee culture, Andrea has been featured by numerous local and national media outlets. In 2023, she was recognized by the Charleston Area Black Caucus as one of their “40 Pros to Know.”
Andrea has also completed several prestigious commissions, including creating her largest tote basket for permanent display at Fort Fisher State Historic Site and a traditional rice fanner basket for Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site. Queen Quet commissioned Andrea for a mixed-media collection featuring sweetgrass, bulrush, pine needles, and palmetto woven into wooden bowls and centerpieces.
Her work and story have been featured in the Summer 2023 issue of the National Basketry Organization publication. In 2023, Amazon Fashion highlighted Andrea, her mother Martha, and her daughter Chelsea in its “Gifted” campaign, celebrating three generations of “Dream Weavers.” Andrea and her family were also featured in the May 2024 issue of Southern Living as part of the Southern Maker series, with their work displayed in the Southern Living Idea House.
Andrea’s story is further highlighted in the PBS documentary series Made With Love America Part 2. She is also a featured artist in the Homo Faber Guide, a prestigious project created by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship dedicated to celebrating and preserving master craftsmanship around the world.
Required Materials:
All required materials will be provided to students!