LeeAnn Galusha. Years ago, a chance article about pine needle baskets sparked LeeAnn’s curiosity. She was fascinated by the idea of creating something beautiful out of natural materials.
After high school, she spent summers working and taking in the wonders of Yellowstone National Park. She spent one winter in Oregon and was formally introduced to the unique art of pine needle basketry. “By the end of the class I had developed a life-long passion.”
Returning to Yellowstone, LeeAnn continued to perfect her artistic skills. Her love of nature also connected her with her husband, Steve. The two of them set off on another adventure in Alaska, where they taught in a two-teacher school on a small island in Prince William Sound. During those long, dark, wet winters, LeeAnn continued to weave her stories into baskets. She began to hand-dye needles and incorporate beads and stitches, to add color to the designs and to those dreary days. After 15 years of enduring the challenges of rural Alaska, LeeAnn and her husband returned to Montana. She continues to create her beloved pine needle art.