Influential Woman · Artisan basket weaving
Lee Anne Williams Hiatt
Owner, Sunkota Ridge Baskets
Mount Airy, NC 27030
In our fast-moving world, pausing to appreciate beauty by a creek, a waterfall, or a mountain trail recharges your perseverance, creativity, and work performance.
Lee Anne Williams Hiatt · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Lee Anne
Lee Anne Williams Hiatt is the Owner and artisan behind Sunkota Ridge Baskets, which she operates from her home in Mount Airy, North Carolina. After a 33-year career as a dental assistant and a period dedicated to caring for her parents, Hiatt transitioned into artisan basket weaving, turning her passion for heritage, nature, and craftsmanship into a business. Drawing inspiration from her roots in Bryson City near the Great Smoky Mountains and her Cherokee family connections, she taught herself the craft and developed a distinctive style that combines traditional weaving techniques with personalized embellishments, names, and themes. Each basket is carefully handcrafted to reflect the beauty and character of the Appalachian, Blue Ridge, and Great Smoky Mountains. Hiatt’s baskets are designed to be more than functional or decorative pieces; they are intended to preserve memories and encourage people to pause and appreciate the natural world. Her collections include the Smoky Mountain Series, Waterfall Basket Series, and Creek Series, with baskets named after meaningful places, creeks, waterfalls, wildflowers, and other elements of nature. Each piece takes approximately two days to create, and Hiatt allows the basket to develop its own natural shape before embellishing it. She studied at Surry Community College, earning an AAS, and has shared her work through local artisan markets supported by the Chamber of Commerce, Raffaldini Winery as well as online. Her commitment to craftsmanship reflects her desire to help preserve basketry as a meaningful and increasingly rare art form. Hiatt attributes her success to remaining faithful to her original goals, maintaining strong communication with customers, and making every effort to fulfill special and custom orders. She has persevered through challenges involving timing, limited space, and the difficulty of introducing an appreciation for nature and handmade craftsmanship in a fast-paced world. She encourages young women entering the industry not to view rejection as a permanent “no,” but rather as an opportunity to persevere and continue pursuing their ambitions. Guided by generosity, creativity, and her deep love of nature, Hiatt hopes each Sunkota Ridge Basket brings its owner a connection to heritage, a moment of reflection, and a reminder of the special memories worth holding onto.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lee Anne
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to staying true to my vision and remaining committed to the work I set out to do. I value maintaining open communication with my customers, listening to their needs, and going the extra mile to fulfill special orders whenever possible. It is incredibly rewarding to know that my work connects people to the beauty, history, and cultural significance of traditional baskets and the ways they have been used throughout generations. Being able to preserve and share that beauty while creating something meaningful for others is what continues to inspire me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to honor my passion while developing my own authentic approach. My journey into basket weaving was inspired by my love of heritage and nature, and while I deeply respect Native American weaving traditions, I learned to personalize and embellish my work to create a unique patterns of my own. With guidance from my son-in-law, who is full-blooded Cherokee, I spent about a year refining my technique and continuing to learn. I call my creations “Sunkota baskets” because I see them as memories that should never be forgotten. This experience has taught me the importance of respecting tradition, embracing creativity, and staying true to my own artistic expression.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The best advice I would give to young women entering my industry is not to take “no” as a negative or as a permanent answer. Sometimes “no” simply means “not right now,” so I encourage women to persevere, remain confident in their abilities, and continue pursuing what they truly want. If you believe in something and are passionate about it, go after it with determination and don’t let setbacks stop you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is that basket weaving is becoming a dying art, and I am deeply committed to doing everything I can to keep it alive. Finding enough time and space to dedicate to the craft can be difficult, but one of my greatest opportunities is to help people recognize and appreciate the beauty of nature through my baskets. I hope my work will inspire others to value this traditional craft and ensure that its beauty and meaning continue to be appreciated for generations to come.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are generosity, appreciation, and a deep connection to nature. I have always been the kind of person who wants to give something meaningful to others, and I consider myself a true nature enthusiast. In such a busy world, I hope my baskets give people a reason to pause, reconnect with nature, and remember the special moments and memories that make life meaningful.
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