Betty Maney

Betty Maney is a Cherokee traditional artist who makes white oak and rivercane basketry, stamped pottery, and beadwork in addition to re-creating historic Cherokee clothing (twining, feather capes and pucker toe moccasins). She comes from a family of traditional artists, including her sister Mary W. Thompson who is a Rivercane basketmaker and stamped pottery maker; Thompson is also a recipient of a 2021 Folk & Traditional Arts Master Artist Fellowship.

A third-generation basket weaver, Maney learned the process and techniques from her mother, Geraldine Welch (Walkingstick) who learned from her paternal grandmother, Annie Powell Welch. As a child, her mother made baskets to sell to tourists to help support the family. “In my early twenties,” explained Maney, “my interest in weaving was rekindled while watching [Mom] weave her beautiful baskets. This is when I went back to my childhood memories of how she would harvest and prepare the white oak material. Many years later as a young adult, I had a desire to try while watching my Mother weave. I asked her for enough material to get started. She gave them to me. That's when I realized that I already had all the knowledge of the entire process I learned from her still tucked away in my memory.” Maney continues to use the methodology of her family to source and prepare white oak for her baskets.

Maney was introduced to pottery when she worked at the Oconaluftee Indian Village (over thirty years ago) working with master potters Oceola Smith, Nancy Bigmeat, and Amanda Swimmer. Dr. Barbara Duncan (former education director at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian), reintroduced the process of Cherokee stamped pottery to Maney and other members of the Cherokee community. Maney and other potters initially worked from archeological pottery fragments from the museum’s collection. Maney makes small pinch pots and uses the coil method for the larger pots. She uses wood paddles to emboss or ‘stamp’ with traditional and contemporary carved designs, allowing the earthenware to dry prior to firing. 

In the early 1980s, Maney was introduced to beadwork by her neighbor. First learning the peyote stitch, Maney now includes the brick, herringbone, and appliqué stitches in her work. She uses beadwork to create jewelry and embellish clothing using glass seed beads, sterling silver findings, Swarovski crystals, and natural leather.

Maney is committed to actively learning as a lifelong process. She will always seek new techniques and more information about the historical significance traditional arts in the Cherokee community. “And as long as other artists and crafters are willing to teach, I will be there to learn when possible,” said Maney. She plans to continue to learn from other Cherokee artists. With her South Arts fellowship, Maney also hopes to build a covered outdoor studio space and fire pit that would provide a designated area for guests to watch her make baskets and fire pottery (using the traditional method instead of a kiln). Additionally, she will upgrade her tools and acquire additional supplies.