Maggie Smith ‘Willow 1’
Piece of basketry Commissioned by
The Museum of English Rural Life
as part of the Stakeholder Project 2013 - 2014
A nest of 3 baskets all made from Willow.
Within the 3 baskets every part of the Willow has been used from leaves to roots. If you count assembly as a technique 17 have been used, some traditional basketry techniques and others techniques not traditionally used with Willow.
The aim of the piece was to use as many different techniques as possible to celebrate the versatility of willow, still being discovered through on going exploration/experimentation started in 2003/4.
The piece was inspired by the wonderful variety of traditional skills and materials demonstrated within the museum collection. My basketry career was started by my appreciation for these traditional skills and a desire to learn more about them. However within the piece I also wanted to demonstrate that working with traditional materials and keeping traditional skills alive can be enhanced by each generation pushing these materials/skills and continuing to develop them.
Maggie Smith ‘Willow’ Series
Celebrating the versatility of willow
Willow 3 Willow 4 Willow 5
Join Maggie for this WILLOW BARK x3 day workshop.
Over the 3 days Maggie will share her skills and knowledge of making with willow bark to enable each student to design and create their own individual pieces.
