Aaron Yakim designs each basket around the properties of a particular wood, so that each piece is unique. Finding the right tree to use is, for the artist, the most important part of any basketmaking endeavor. White oak, for example, is known for the ease with which it splits, as well as its strength and flexibility. Yakim carefully selects a young white oak tree from among the many in West Virginia's hardwood forests and, using only hand tools, splits the trunk into thin, flexible strips that he can manipulate into unique forms without the use of molds. Non Tucket Rib is an Appalachian take on the handmade basket purses of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. The title is a clever pun that both references and distances itself from the popular Nantucket creations. By replacing a single letter, the meaning of the title becomes "not Nantucket." "Rib" simply refers to the basket's curved foundation pieces. A customer specially requested this style from Yakim, who worked on the design over a number of years, making improvements and alterations along the way.
