Roger Sturdivant
Roger Sturdivant joined the Guild in 2014 as a fused glass artist. Though he never had any formal classes in his craft, Roger has become a skilled artist. He enjoys the artistic process, calling it a ‘labor of love.’ His pieces are both colorful and functional.
Although an initial class in stained glass left him uninspired, he later found interest in fused glass. During a cruise to Canada and New England, he saw numerous fused glass pieces, which led to Roger’s interest in the craft. He purchased his first kiln in 2009 and began learning the craft through trial and error. After a few shows, the praise he received from his work led him to learning different processes and eventually purchasing a larger kiln. All of his glass is hand-cut, and he makes his own frit.
Roger is a member of not only the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, but also the Louisiana Crafts Guild and the Tennessee Craft Guild. He has had articles published in several magazines including Mississippi State of Mind, Stages Mississippi, and Today in Mississippi, and his work has been featured on the cover of The Mississippi Encyclopedia (2017).
Member since 2008
Member Classification: Fellow
Medium: Fiber. Artist Categories: Baskets and Caning.
Marilyn Diehl’s nephew, Roger Jamison, began weaving when he was 13. By the time he was 18 in 1994, he was accepted into the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, Inc. Also a teacher, Marilyn began watching Roger and learning to make baskets. Helping Roger for a year or two, Marilyn had no idea that in 2002 she would buy his business and move his 500-square-foot shop to the Diehl family home nestled on Highway 532 near Hot Coffee, MS.
In the fall of 2015, Marilyn moved the business to its current location on Main Street in Mount Olive and changed the name to the Basket Cottage. Split rattan is used to make the baskets. Solid hickory and oak are used for the handles. The baskets are trimmed with sea grasses, round reed and cane. Each basket is dated, numbered and signed. Marilyn’s baskets have been shipped all over the United States and Canada, as well as Italy, Germany, Brazil and England.
