Mimi Bonkowske was drawn to pine needle basketry because of her affinity for working with natural resources to create works of art. The things most people see as natural refuse were seen as useful and beautiful to Mimi.

When Mimi attempted to make her first basket over 25 years ago, she had no idea where this would take her. Landing in idyllic Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, where she escaped the Pandora experience in 2000, began her journey. Remembering the Native American basket makers in the Chicago museum, she used their wisdom and artistry as her guide to learn the beauty of her craft. Realizing that pine needles are more than just debris, she turned them into an art form, paying homage to this tradition.

Mimi displayed and sold her baskets from Red Feather Lakes to Fort Collins while expanding her process and techniques to incorporate stones into her craft work. Mimi’s baskets have been shown in regional fairs and for display at the Clear Creek County Exhibition Center. Amnesty International displays one of her pieces in their gallery in Colorado for their Pine River Library Fiber Exhibit in Fort Collins.

In 2004, Mimi made a move to Durango, Colorado, where as of three months she has begun a new journey. Some 800 miles later, Mimi and her four cats have set up house and have begun to work. Here, she continues to evolve her basketry.