Shakeeka: Weaving Heritage, Nature, and Purpose Into Every Coil
Shakeeka’s artistic journey began with a spark—one that lit up in the most unexpected way. As a child, she was captivated by her older brother’s cartoon sketches, calling them “the coolest thing” she had ever seen. Eager to learn, she asked him to teach her. Not long after, she was sketching them on her own. That same year, in third grade, she entered her drawings into an art contest—and took first place. “My ambition to become an artist was sparked that day,” she says. And just like that, a lifelong creative path began to unfold.
Years later, on a family trip to Charleston, South Carolina, another defining moment emerged—this time rooted in cultural revelation. She came across Gullah women weaving pine needle baskets and was immediately drawn in. She learned how West Africans, brought to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, carried with them the tradition of coiled basketry. These baskets, originally used for winnowing rice on Southern plantations, were a direct link to her African American heritage. “I didn’t understand why I had never heard of this before,” she reflects. “I believed that sharing this creativity with the world was my destiny.” That experience led her to enroll in a pine needle basketry class at Wingate University—and it’s a decision that transformed her practice.
With a background in graphic design, Shakeeka brings a sharp visual sensibility to her work. The principles she studied—balance, contrast, proportion, unity—continue to shape her approach to basketry today. But while her design education grounded her in form, her connection to nature fuels the heart of her creations. Every coil, thread, and embellishment reflects the natural world and the legacy of those who came before her. She weaves using pine needles, sinew, shells, and stones, choosing colors that evoke the elements: warm reds for sunsets, cool blues for peace, earthy tones for grounding.
“There’s a deep connection between detail and meaning in my work,” she explains. That detail draws the viewer in, but it also serves a larger purpose. For Shakeeka, basketry is a form of storytelling—a way to visually preserve culture and pass it forward. “Art is visual documentation of historical events, religious beliefs, and everyday life,” she says. Whether through baskets, sculpture, design, or books, she believes art is essential for cultural preservation and education—especially when it comes to honoring African American heritage.
“My current mood has the greatest impact on my designs,” she says. “After my aunt died of breast cancer, I just wanted to weave baskets with pink thread and pink beads.” Whether she’s creating traditional forms for festivals or sculptural works for juried shows, her process is deeply intuitive. “The best outcomes are from the free-form weavings with no planning. I simply pick up a needle and thread and begin.”
But like all artists, Shakeeka sometimes hits a wall. “If I feel creatively blocked or overwhelmed, I remove myself from everything—no art, no social media, nothing,” she explains. “I clear my mind and focus on something else for a while.” It might be a walk in nature, working on a children’s book, or spending time outside with her family. That break gives her the clarity she needs to return refreshed. “Once I’m ready, I return to art with a clear head. It never fails.”
Cultural preservation remains at the center of Shakeeka’s work. She sees basketry not just as an art form, but as a form of connection—both to ancestors and to community. “When I weave, I feel like I’m connecting with my ancestors,” she says. “I believe I can learn about my people’s history through basket weaving.”
She’s also passionate about keeping this “lost art” alive through education. She leads workshops, teaches youth, and creates children’s books that highlight African American heritage and historical figures. Her dual practice as both a visual artist and an author allows her to reach young people in meaningful ways. “I hope my work inspires the next generation to not only spread the word about coiled basketry but to learn the craft themselves.”
If she could collaborate with any artist, Shakeeka says it would be Debora Muhl, a self-taught basket weaver from Pennsylvania known for her sculptural sweetgrass forms. “She was the first basket weaver I ever researched, and I knew right away there was no limit to the craft,” Shakeeka says. “We both adore the sculptural form of baskets, and I think we’d push the boundaries of what basket weaving can be.”
Technology has also opened up new ways to share her work. Instead of hours spent photographing her baskets in different locations, she now uses AI tools to enhance images, make videos, and streamline the process of showcasing her art online. It’s helped her stay present in both her creative practice and her life as a mother and entrepreneur.
Her work has been featured in exhibitions across North Carolina, and one of her proudest moments came when Wingate University—her alma mater—invited her back to host her first solo show and basket demonstration. “It gave me the courage to go for my dreams,” she says. Her solo show at the Gaston County Museum, set for next year, will be her largest and most ambitious yet.
Recently, she was awarded a 2024 Artist Support Grant from the Arts & Science Council—an unexpected affirmation that arrived at just the right time. “I thought my career was at a standstill. But that grant reminded me that people believe in my art.”
Looking ahead, Shakeeka dreams of seeing her work on ArtPop billboards across Charlotte, publishing a coffee table book of her basketry, and continuing to bring her voice into the world through both art and books. She also hopes to see more exhibition and guild opportunities for sculptural and 3D artists like herself.
To emerging artists, she offers simple but wise advice: “Try as many mediums as you can. It will only help you grow.”
Whether she’s collecting pine needles with her mom and daughter on a quiet autumn day, sketching an idea from the roadside, or threading beads into a basket, Shakeeka continues to weave her story—one coil at a time.
Today, her work bridges the past and the present. It’s steeped in tradition but also undeniably her own—sculptural, intentional, and full of heart. With each basket, she creates more than an object—she offers a visual echo of history, a connection to the earth, and a celebration of identity.
Shakeeka is a member of the Guild of Charlotte Artists and would love to see more opportunities for sculptural and 3D artists to exhibit their work.
You can explore more of Shakeeka’s work at:
Website: https://handworksbyshakeeka.square.site/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shakeeka.watts
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hand_works_by_shakeeka/