Fran Reed

Frances Ann Reed (née Williams; June 12, 1943 – September 11, 2008) was an American fiber artist and teacher based in Alaska who specialized in a distinctive style of basketry made from dried fish skins and other natural materials found in the state.

Biography

Early life Reed was born Frances Williams in La Jolla, California, on June 12, 1943, to parents Charles and Mary Alice Williams. Reed, a competitive swimmer, graduated from La Jolla High School in 1961. She met her husband, Dick Reed, in 1961 while both were students at the University of Oregon. She began teaching weaving at an art school in Eugene, Oregon, after her graduation. She is survived by her husband and children.

Reed's final scholarly paper, entitled Embellishment of the Alaska Native Gut Parka, was presented posthumously at the 11th Biennial Textile Society of America Symposium in Honolulu, Hawaii, by Audrey Armstrong. Armstrong, an Athabascan basket maker and friend of Reed, had been taught many techniques and skills by Reed.