Location: Eddington, Maine
Employment Type: Part-Time on site
Start Date: June 2025
Compensation: $20-35/hr (commensurate with experience)
Position Overview:
An Indigenous basket weaver working in a contemporary art context is seeking a skilled and reliable studio assistant to support the material preparation process. This role is essential to maintaining the efficiency, quality, and rhythm of studio production. The ideal candidate is organized, attentive to detail, and comfortable working with their hands in a materials-focused environment.
Key responsibilities include but not limited to:
Organize raw materials by size, thickness, and width
Scrape and thin wood to precise specifications
Clean stray fibers from individual wood pieces and re-roll them for use
Sort and grade materials (ash, sweetgrass, cedar bark) by color and quality
Perform detailed hand-sanding tasks
Braid ash wood, sweetgrass, and cedar bark with precision, meeting the artist’s high standards.
Split ash wood and learn to pound ash trees (requires training and skill progression)
Remove studio waste and burn scrap material appropriately.
Light maintenance such as shoveling snow to maintain safe studio access.
Purchasing materials for the studio such as paints, dyes, tools etc.
Regular organization and cleaning of the studio space.
Qualifications:
Strong knife skills and excellent hand-eye coordination
Proven ability to work safely and skillfully with hands in a detail-oriented setting
Highly organized and able to maintain orderly workspaces
Experience in woodworking, forestry, or related manual crafts is a strong plus
Willingness to learn and follow artist-specific techniques and standards
Driver’s license and regular access to a car
Work Environment:
This is a hands-on, physically active position that takes place in a working studio. Comfort with repetitive tasks and a respect for natural materials and traditional processes are important. The studio hours are 8am - 5pm and the assistants exact hours can be agreed upon based on the applicant's circumstances.
To Apply:
Please use the link to below submit a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience, any craft or materials-based background, and why you're interested in this role. Include a résumé or summary of relevant work history if available.
Application Link: https://airtable.com/apperCZ713ODrIYoB/shrb0xS9GjBicgH0u
