As 2018 Newtown Arts Festival events continue into National Arts Month, master weaver Tina Puckett will be presenting a workshop at The Garage.

All ages are invited to join Ms Puckett for the workshop at the town’s teen center, 57 Church Hill Road, on Saturday, October 13.

It will run from 1 to 4 pm and cost $40, which includes materials.

Reservations are required and can be done by calling Ms Puckett directly, at 860-309-6934.

At the workshop, students will learn basic weaving techniques for making a ribbed basket using reeds and sea grass.

A self-taught artist, Ms Puckett has been weaving for 37 years. She is influenced by the natural materials that grow in the northwest corner of Connecticut, where she lives. The shape of the vines she uses actually dictates what form her basket will take.

She mixes her own dyes, creating a subtle use of color that adds to the effect of the basket.

“Weaving is a lot like painting,” the artist says. “You can lay down layers of colors and textures to bring forth subtle or vibrant imagery.

Her work has been exhibited at museums, art galleries, libraries, and craft shows, including the Slater Mill Museum in Pawtucket, R.I., and Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2003 in Korea, where Ms Puckett won the honorable mention in basketry.

Ms Puckett lives and works at Whiting Mills in Winsted, where she has a working studio that is open to the public weekends and by appointment.