Coppicing basketry willow

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Steve@DunbarGardens

Dunbar Gardens willow cuttings

So you bought some willow cuttings and you’re wondering how to prune them. Of course you can always read the handy growing tips on our website but the following photos show the essentials to getting started coppicing your basketry willow.

planting basketry willow cuttings

You get your garden soil ready to plant and mark your rows. Insert cuttings with the buds facing up. We give our willow cuttings a slanted cut on the root end to help them slide into the soil and make it easy to decide which end goes down.

first year basketry willows

After a year your willow plants might look like the ones above. I planted these in late May which isn’t optimum for our climate, but shows what they might look like in less than ideal growing conditions.

first year’s growth

This is a Salix purpurea plant after one year.

cutting the willow rods

Cut off the stems or rods back to the original cutting.

pruning back the original cutting

pruned back to an inch

I usually recommend leaving a couple of inches of the cutting above the soil level when planting. When you are coppicing the plants after the first year don’t hesitate to cut the original cutting back to within an inch of the ground above a lower stem.

finish cuttings stems off

Cut all the willow rods off the plant. You do not need to leave anything more than an inch of the stool above ground.

first year coppiced stool

Coppicing the willow close to the ground in the first year may reduce the second year’s yield, but I think you have a better stool for the long run. The willow stool gets a little higher each year as it matures so it is advantageous to start it out low. It will be easier to prune and hopefully lead to straighter willow. If you have planted through a poly ground cover, you probably want to leave the stool higher.

new cuttings from first year’s harvest

The first year harvest is often meager, but you can make your own cuttings from the butt ends to increase your willow planting.

new growth from coppiced stool

four year old coppiced willow plant

In three or four years your basketry willow plants will look something like the photo above.

coppiced willow

The willow rods are cut as close as possible to the stool. Clean cuts encourage better growth.

basketry willow harvest

Before you know it you will be harvesting bundles of basketry willow!

February 2013 Newsletter

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Steve@DunbarGardens

Greetings! Here is our current list of events and activities for 2013. We are especially excited about Katherine’s trip back east for the Cole-Ware Collection opening at the Renwick Gallery and the NBO conference at Arrowmont later in the year. Scroll on down for details of events, classes, and willow cuttings.

Upcoming Events

Artist Trust Benefit Art Auction: Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center, February 23, 2013. Annual dinner and auction benefits Artist Trust which supports Washington artists of all disciplines through grants, workshops and professional support. Katherine received a grant from Artist Trust to help fund her study with basketmaker David Drew in September, 2011. Katherine is donating one of her lovely panier à jour baskets for the auction. The auction is curated so there are some very nice works included which can be previewed on the website.

MoNA Style 2012: Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, WA, March 16, 2013, 10-5. This annual show features wearable art and home furnishings from Northwest artisans. Part of each sale helps support the museum. Katherine will be there with willow baskets along with 35 plus vendors of handmade creations.

Stash Fest Insider Visit: April 6-7, 2013, La Conner Civic Garden Club.

Katherine is donating a visit to Dunbar Gardens and her personal work space as part of this year’s StashFest which is an annual fundraiser for the La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum. StashFest attendees can buy a visit for one to three people to Katherine’s world or one of the other featured fiber artists. It’s a fun event for fiber lovers. You can check out all the details about the extraordinary fabric sales on the website.

A Measure of the Earth: The Cole-Ware Collection of American Baskets: October 4, 2013-January 12, 2014, Smithsonian American Art Museum Renwick Gallery.

Katherine has several baskets in this collection which was generously donated to the Smithsonian by collectors Steve Cole and Martha Ware. Katherine is planning on attending the opening of the exhibit in October. She is looking forward to meeting the collectors as well as many of the other artisans. As a maker of functional craft, it is an honor to be part of an exhibit at such a prestigious decorative arts venue. There will be an exhibit catalogue authored by curator Nicholas R. Bell with photos of all the baskets and interviews with the makers. There might even be a couple of photos of Dunbar Gardens in the catalog.

Willow Basketmaking Classes

Currently there are no classes scheduled at Dunbar Gardens or the Mount Vernon area. Katherine is busy weaving baskets while attending to family obligations so she has cut back on her teaching schedule for the coming months. Some of you may know that Katherine’s father passed away early this year and her mother has needed assistance settling affairs. However, Katherine is teaching at the request of some basketry organizations in other locations.

March 22-24, 2013: Salt Spring Island Basketry Guild in SSI, British Columbia, Canada.

Katherine will be presenting a program on her 2011 willow travels in Europe as well as teaching a two day basketry class featuring the Irish potato basket. She is excited to visit weaving friends on SSI again. Details and registration are available on the Guild’s website.

October 8-13, 2013: National Basketry Organization Conference at Arrowmont in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Katherine is honored to have been asked to propose a class for the NBO conference. She is going to be teaching scalloming and fitching with willow. Working with bark-on willows from Katherine’s farm, participants in this workshop will work on two techniques in willow basket construction, scallomed-on stakes and fitched sides. Scalloming involves cutting a tail on the end of the willow stake so it can be attached to a base hoop, making the size and shape of the basket dependent only on the hoop. Fitching is an open work weave. Combined with scallomed stakes, it makes a strong and lightweight basket with elegantly simple lines. Participants will learn different base construction methods before learning to cut scalloms. Projects will be tailored to each student’s individual weaving level. Students can expect to make one to two baskets or fitched trivets.

Willow cuttings

It’s the time of year to order willow cuttings. We have a nice selection of varieties for planting listed on our website. Depending on your location, March through mid May is a good time to plant. There are planting tips on the website as well. If you need advice or have questions, send Steve an email.

Farmstand

We are open every day if you would like to look at the baskets we have on hand. You can also pick up willow cuttings, but please contact Steve in advance with an order.

Facebook: Dunbar Gardens has a Facebook page. We post photos of Katherine’s latest baskets, commissions, and photos of the farm. You don’t have to be a Facebook user to visit our page and look at the photo albums we have posted there.

For more information about classes, baskets, willow growing, or our farmstand please visit our website. Thanks!

Katherine & Steve

Weaving a willow basket slideshow

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Steve@DunbarGardens

We recently made a slideshow of Katherine weaving a willow log basket. She was commissioned to make four of these for the historic artisans of Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA. They are using them as general work baskets so Katherine added a ‘foot’ onto the baskets for better wear. Steve added a little music so it might be enjoyable even if you’re not a basket geek.

Summer 2012 Newsletter

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Steve@DunbarGardens

News

Greetings! Katherine has been busy traveling to teach some classes. In early June she was in eastern Washington for a weekend course organized through the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild. This past week she has been in Decorah, Iowa to teach a full week of classes to willow basketry enthusiasts. In between we managed to attend the Edmonds Arts Festival with her baskets. We have finally scheduled a couple of weekend classes for later in the summer here in Mount Vernon. You can scroll down for the details.

In the last mailing we let everyone know about some of Katherine’s baskets acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. They have announced the exhibit dates for the Cole-Ware Collection of American Baskets at the Renwick Gallery for next year, October 4, 2013-January 12, 2014. We’re looking forward to the exhibit and exhibit catalogue. You can read the announcement and find a link to the collection here: http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2013/baskets/. Meanwhile Katherine will have several different pieces in a couple of shows this August closer to home.

This past spring we sent out quite a few willow cuttings all across the country. We always appreciate feedback on how they are growing in your gardens; so drop us a line.

Upcoming Events

Anacortes Arts Festival, Arts at the Port:August 3-5, 2012, Anacortes, WA. Works by 87 artists were chosen by juror Barbara Matilsky for this year’s exhibit which runs during this weekend celebration of the arts in Anacortes. Katherine is the only basketmaker in the show and will have three pieces featuring her recent work with willow bark including “willow bark pouch” shown below.

Pearls of Experience, Basketry Exhibit: August 9-September 20, 2012. The Northwest Basket Weavers Guild celebrates their 30th anniversary with a juried exhibit of members’ work at the Schack Art Center in Everett, WA. Katherine will have four baskets in the show including “Crazy Quilt” shown below.

Willow Basketmaking Classes with Katherine Lewis

Classes are two days, from 9am to 5pm. everyone will leave with a finished basket. Class size is limited to 10. Cost is $180 per student which includes materials. We provide tea and coffee. Class will be held at the McLean Road Fire Hall meeting room just down the road from Dunbar Gardens. There is a registration form on our website.

August 25-26: Stake and Strand Round Baskets. Depending on each student’s experience, you can make a round gathering basket or a laundry basket with inset handles. We’ll make a round base using twining, stake up the sides and begin the weave with a sturdy base wale. Students can choose between different side weave options. The laundry basket is larger than the gathering basket, taking more hand strength and more time to weave the sides. Both baskets are finished with a traditional willow border. The gathering basket is then completed with a cross handle for carrying. People that have taken previous classes with Katherine can contact her about alternative projects.
September 15-16: Scallomed Oval Baskets. We will weave the base on an oval hoop frame, and scallom on the stakes. Learning to cut scalloms and attach stakes in this way will open up a new way of weaving baskets. The oval shopper is a nice arm basket. The magazine basket is a slim oval basket with a lengthwise handle, making it great for magazines or books. The sides can be woven in a selection of weaves. Comfort using a knife is essential for cutting scalloms!

Classes in other locations:

August 18, 2012: Mary Irvine Basket Day, Northwest Basket Weavers Guild, Seattle, WA: The NWBW’s annual summer gathering for members and guests. Katherine will be teaching two half day classes – ‘willow tension tray’ and ‘braided leather handles’. The Guild pays the instructors’ fees, and members pay only for the materials. Register in advance by July 1. At Meridian Park (50th and Meridian in Wallingford) from 9am – 4:30pm.

October 17-21, 2012: Tidal Twinings, Columbia Basin Basketry Guild Retreat in Rockaway, Oregon: Katherine will be teaching a two day oval laundry basket, one day fruit basket, and a mini class on roped handles. Great opportunity for Oregonians to get three plus days of willow weaving with Katherine.

Farmstand: We are open every day if you would like to look at the baskets we have on hand. We also have some fresh produce from our garden available on the weekends from 10am-6pm.

For more information about classes, baskets, willow growing, or our farmstand please visit our website. Thanks!

Katherine & Steve

March 2012 newsletter

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Steve@DunbarGardens

News

Katherine was honored to be informed that three of her baskets were recently acquired by the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In 2011, Katherine made several baskets for collectors Steven Cole and Martha Ware. They have a large collection of baskets made by American basketmakers from materials that they collect or grow themselves with an emphasis on functional or traditional design. Their collection includes the work of some impressive artisans including Darryl & Karen Arawjo, JoAnn Kelly Catsos, Jeffrey Gale, Jonathan Kline, Dona Look, Leon Niehues, Alice Ogden, JoAnne Russo, Aaron Yakim & Cynthia Taylor, and Jamin Uticone. Some of the willow basketmakers represented are Jennifer Heller Zurich, Joanna Schanz, Jo Campbell-Amsler, Bill Roeder, Jean Gage, and Lisa Head. Steve and Martha have recently donated a significant number of their collection to the Smithsonian where they are preparing an exhibit of the baskets at the Renwick Gallery in fall, 2013. You can see Katherine’s baskets included in the collection on the Smithsonian website here: http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/results/?id=30089 You can click on the hyperlink name of each basket to be able to view larger images of the work. Below is one of the baskets in the collection. We actually prefer this view of the basket to the one posted on the Smithsonian’s site.

Steve Cole's Rope Coil

Upcoming Events

MoNA Style 2012: Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, WA, March 17, 2012. This annual show features wearable art and home furnishings from Northwest artisans. Part of each sale helps support the museum. Katherine will be there with willow baskets along with 30 plus vendors of handmade creations.

“Willow Knot” Basket exhibit: Philip Dickel Basket Exhibit Museum Gallery in Amana, Iowa, April 2 – September 29, 2012. Katherine made the willow purse below for this annual exhibit organized by Joanna Schanz of the Broom and Basket Shop in West Amana. The willow knot refers to the large willow rod that is wrapped around a willow bundle and ‘cranked’ until it resembles a knot. Katherine added a pair of tiny knots as embellishments to this purse.

Willow Basketmaking Classes with Katherine Lewis

March 14 -15, 2012: Northwest Basketweavers Guild Spring Retreat: Katherine will be teaching a “Double border tray” at this year’s retreat. See the Guild’s website for full details.

June 1-3, 2012: Willow Weekend in Entiat, Washington: This weekend event in eastern Washington organized by Claudia Mullek will feature workshops by Judy Zugish, Jo Campbell-Amsler, and Katherine Lewis. Katherine will be teaching a two day class in which people can weave either a round gathering basket or an oval garden basket. There are still places available in this class. Friday evening will feature presentations by the three artists about their work. You can find details and a registration form here in this pdf on our website.

Katherine is expecting to post some dates for classes at Dunbar Gardens for late summer. We’ll be sending another email out in late spring with updates.

Willow cuttings

It’s the time of year to order willow cuttings. We have a nice selection of varieties for planting listed on our website. Depending on your location, March through mid May is a good time to plant. There are planting tips on the website. If you need advice or have questions, send Steve an email.

For more information about classes, baskets, willow growing, or our farmstand please visit our website. Thanks!

Katherine & Steve

January 2012 newsletter

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Steve@DunbarGardens

Happy New Year!

Four views of a basket by Katherine Lewis

We hope your new year is off to a good start. 2011 was a busy year for us. As many of you know, Katherine made a six week trip to Europe to visit basketry festivals, basketmakers, museums, and study willow basketry to improve her skills and knowledge of the craft. See below for information about her upcoming presentation in Seattle on the trip. After getting back, Katherine made several new pieces for Art’s Alive (November 4-6) in La Conner where she was invited to participate in the ‘Emerging Artists’ exhibit. Then we were fortunate to get a mention in a Rita Konig column in the Wall Street Journal about log baskets and fireplaces. Next thing Katherine knew she had a waiting list of orders. Although it is nice to be busy, Katherine hopes to spend time this spring concentrating on work inspired by her trip.

Log baskets with different weaves: French randing, slewing, cat, English randing

Upcoming Events

Baskets in Europe, 2011: Katherine Lewis presentation to the Northwest Basket Weavers’ Guild, January 11, 2012, 6:30PM, Shoreline Unitarian Church, 14724 1st Avenue NE Shoreline, WA. Katherine will be presenting a program about the three basketry festivals she attended in Europe in 2011. She will show photos and discuss the three festivals in Vallabregues, France; Nowy Tomysl, Poland; and Lichtenfels, Germany. Each festival was unique in both basketmakers and staging of the event. She will also bring baskets that she purchased from some other willow basketmakers. Everyone is welcome to attend. Katherine’s program will begin at 7:30, but baskets and other trip souvenirs will be available for viewing at 6:30.

Fête de la Vannerie à Vallabrègues

Artist Trust Benefit Art Auction: Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center, February 25, 2012. Annual event to benefit Artist Trust which supports Washington artists of all disciplines through grants and career training programs. Katherine received a $1500 grant from Artist Trust to help fund her study with basketmaker David Drew in September, 2011. Katherine is donating one of her baskets for the auction.

willow rope coil basket by Katherine Lewis

"whirlpool" by Katherine Lewis

MoNA Style 2012: Museum of Northwest Art, La Conner, WA, March 17, 2012. This annual show features wearable art and home furnishings from Northwest artisans. Part of each sale helps support the museum. Katherine will be there with willow baskets along with 40 other vendors of handmade creations.

Willow Basketmaking Classes with Katherine Lewis

March 14 -15, 2012: Northwest Basketweavers Guild Spring Retreat: Katherine will be teaching one 10 hour class “Double border tray” at this coming year’s retreat. See the Guild’s website for full details. Unfortunately, the Guild is only offering one class by Katherine this year. Want more willow classes at retreat? Make it known to the retreat committee.

June 1-3, 2012: Willow Weekend in Entiat, Washington: This weekend event in eastern Washington organized by Claudia Mullek will feature workshops by Judy Zugish, Jo Campbell-Amsler, and Katherine Lewis. Katherine will be teaching a two day class in which people can weave either a round gathering basket or an oval garden basket. Friday evening will feature presentations by the three artists about their work. You can find details and a registration form here in this pdf on our website.

Willow Gathering 2012 in Decorah, Iowa, June 21-26, 2012: Katherine has been invited to teach in Iowa at this workshop organized by Jo Campbell-Amsler and Lee Zieke Lee. She will be teaching three two-day classes: rope coil, scallomed oval baskets, and Irish potato basket. For those of you who live in the Midwest this will be a great opportunity to take one or more of Katherine’s classes. Also teaching at the event will be Sandy Whalen and Donna Kallner. The organizers expect the classes to fill well in advance. Information and registrations are available through Jo Campbell-Amsler. See the brochure.

Katherine is expecting to post some dates for classes at Dunbar Gardens for late summer. We’ll be sending another email out later in the spring with updates.

Willow cuttings

Lincon's Sparrow

It’s the time of year to order willow cuttings. We have a nice selection of varieties for planting listed on our website. Depending on your location, March through mid May is a good time to plant. There are planting tips on the website. If you need advice or have questions, send Steve an email.

Facebook: Dunbar Gardens has a Facebook page. We post photos of Katherine’s latest baskets, commissions, and photos of the farm as well as other links of interest for willow basketry.

For more information about classes, baskets, willow growing, or our farmstand please visit our website. Thanks!

Katherine & Steve

August 2011 newsletter

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Steve@DunbarGardens

Upcoming Events

Harvesting the Skagit

18th Juried Art Show at the Schack Art Center (Arts Council of Snohomish County): Everett, WA, June 30 – August 25, 2011. Katherine has one basket – “Harvesting the Skagit” – entered in this biennial exhibit of Northwest artists represented in a wide variety of mediums. Katherine’s piece received an honorable mention in the juror’s awards.

Anacortes Arts Festival – ‘Experience Art’: Anacortes, WA, August 6-7, 2011, 10am – 4pm. Katherine has been invited to be in the ‘Working Artists’ demonstration area. The AAF is one of western Washington’s best arts and crafts festivals. As part of the 50th anniversary of the festival, they will be expanding the number of artists presenting and demonstrating their work in this area at the north end of Commercial Avenue. Come watch and talk with Katherine about her work.

Nana Queen

All Things Considered VI – National Basketry Organization Juried Exhibit at the Fuller Craft Museum: Brockton, Massachusetts, July 30-December 12, 2011. This biennial exhibit highlights the diversity of contemporary and traditional basketry in the US. There will be 48 invitational pieces and 37 pieces juried by Bruce Pepich and Ann McMullen. Katherine is excited to have her piece ‘Nana Queen’ juried into the show. There will a catalog of the exhibit published by the NBO.

Festival of Family Farms at Gordon Skagit Farms: October 1-2, 2011. 10am-4pm, 15598 McLean Rd., Mount Vernon (just around the corner from Dunbar Gardens). Katherine will be demonstrating willow basketmaking and selling baskets at the Gordon’s Autumn Harvest Farmstand as part of the annual Skagit Valley farm tour.

thirteen branches

Art’s Alive! 2011: Maple Hall, La Conner, WA, November 4-6, 2011. Katherine has been invited to participate in the “Emerging Artists” Exhibit this year. She will have several pieces on display for sale. The opening will be Friday, Nov. 4, 6-9pm. There is a wonderful selection of artists in the invitational and emerging artists’ shows. There will be many artists exhibiting and demonstrating around town that weekend. Katherine will be doing a demo at the Skagit Historical Museum. One of the pieces that Katherine has created for the exhibit is ‘thirteen branches’.

Katherine’s trip to Europe

Swiatovy Festiwal Wikliny – The World Festival of Wicker and Wickerwork: Nowy Tomysl, Poland, August 26-28, 2011. Katherine was invited to attend this biennial event in Poland. There will be basketmakers from about 30 countries participating in the event with competitions, demonstrations, parades and more. This area is a large producer of willow, so it will be of a particular interest to Katherine and her basketry work.

Katherine has used the invitation to the festival in Poland as a motivation to organize a trip to Europe to study willow basketry. She will be leaving in August for six weeks to visit France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, Netherlands, and Germany. Stops will include three major basketry festivals: the Fête de la Vannerie in Vallabrègues, France, the World Festival of Wicker in Nowy Tomysl, Poland, and the Korbmarkt in Lichtenfels, Germany; as well as visits to several museums and basketmakers’ studios including one of her early mentors Werner Turtschi. Katherine has also arranged to study with David Drew in Villaines-les-Rochers in the Loire Valley of France for several days. She met David when she was in Villaines in 2006 taking a class at the Cooperative de Vannerie. She is excited to go back and get a chance to work with such an outstanding willow basketmaker. Katherine will be posting photos and comments during her trip on the Dunbar Gardens Facebook page.

Willow Basketmaking Classes with Katherine Lewis

Due to Katherine’s trip to Europe and her busy schedule of basketmaking, the next class here in Mount Vernon will be December 3 & 4. This will be a two day class with a focus on small projects. Several people have expressed interest in weaving small baskets for gifts. More details will be posted on our website later in the year. The class will be the usual two days, 9am-5pm, limit 10 people, $175, at the McLean Road Fire Hall.

Willow Gathering 2012 in Decorah, Iowa, June 21-26,2012: Katherine has been invited to teach in Iowa at this workshop organized by Jo Campbell-Amsler and Lee Zieke Lee. She will be teaching three two-day classes: Scottish rope coil, scallomed oval baskets, and Irish potato basket. For those of you who live in the Midwest this will be a great opportunity to take one or more of Katherine’s classes. Also teaching at the event will be Sandy Whalen and Donna Kallner. The organizers expect the classes to fill well in advance. Information and registrations are available through Jo Campbell-Amsler – jocamsler@hotmail.com.

Farmstand: Despite the cool weather we have been experiencing, the farmstand is open with a variety of produce fresh from our garden every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You can find details on the website. Come out and enjoy the produce this year because Steve is thinking he needs to start making baskets so that he doesn’t miss out on the next trip to Europe!

Facebook: Dunbar Gardens has a Facebook page. We post photos of Katherine’s latest baskets, commissions, and photos of the farm as well as other links of interest for willow basketry.

For more information about classes, baskets, willow growing, or our farmstand please visit our website.

Thanks!

Katherine & Steve

The Mistress bicycle basket panniers

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Steve@DunbarGardens

Katherine made this pair of bicycle panniers last November. They were a custom order for Ben Ferencz at Freeman Transport, who hand build bikes in Missoula, Montana. Ben wanted a pair of willow baskets for a tandem bike.

Ben sent us a Freeman rack so that Katherine could figure out attachment using willow and leather straps.

They also wanted these to be picnic baskets, so Katherine added a removable cutting board on the inside of one lid. The lids are held on by a leather strap and buckle on each end.

Here’s what the basket panniers looked like on an old bike we have with the Freeman rack tied on. They looked great even on this old beater, but it was going to be a pleasure to see them on a hand built tandem.

We knew the baskets were going to be mounted on a special tandem that Freeman was building, but we didn’t know who the actual customer was. Ben had briefly mentioned the name Mistress. We had no idea that Mistress was a “creative agency” in Venice, CA. It was kind of amusing to come across this video and see Katherine’s baskets riding around the streets of LA.

The next short video shows the tandem bicycle being made. There are some good shots of the baskets again near the end. The tandem bike is apparently now for sale as The Mistress.

SAT artist of the month

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Steve@DunbarGardens

Katherine is the featured artist of the month for January 2011 on the Skagit Artists Together website. SAT is a local artist organization whose mission is to create collaborative opportunities to connect citizens of Skagit County with the visual arts. The group has more than 65 members, and Katherine has been a member for more than three years now. In July, SAT sponsors an annual studio tour which gives people a nice opportunity to meet artists, see some working studios, and tour our beautiful valley. Webmaster Ron King puts together these monthly artist features from info provided by the artist. Katherine’s includes 10 photos of her work, an artist statement, list of selected exhibits, awards, and publications. Check out Katherine’s page.