Willow Basketmaker

Katherine Lewis , willow basketmaker

I am a basketmaker. I work on my farm in the Skagit Valley where I grow selected varieties of basketry willow. Although willow is a common basketry material throughout the world, I am one of a few who are actively growing and crafting their own willow in the United States. Growing my materials enables me to choose from an array of natural colors and weaving qualities.

The willow withies are harvested annually and each year’s growth is influenced by the variable elements of climate coupled with how I manage my crop. The willows are coppiced to the ground each year, so that there is always a new opportunity to both influence and learn from the process.I am continually inspired by the nature of the willows, the varying colors and textures of each year’s harvest. It is a pleasure to choose the right basket to weave from each bundle of willow.

I weave baskets from these willows using traditional European stake and strand basketry techniques. I have traveled several times to the UK and France to tutor with basketmakers, study the basketmaking traditions, explore the willow growing areas, and collect new varieties to plant for my work. I have studied with accomplished basketmakers from England, Switzerland, France, and Scotland; including Adrian Charlton, Jenny Crisp, Sally Goymer, Norbert Faure, Alastair Heseltine, and Werner Turtschi.

While the techniques I use are traditional, each piece is unique and not bound to any specific tradition. My work transforms this natural material using the hand tools of the craft into useful forms. I strive to attain a simple elegance in my finished pieces.

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