Monthly Archives: July 2009

SAT studio tour

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baskets and willows at Dunbar Gardens

baskets and willows at Dunbar Gardens

This past weekend was the sixth annual juried Skagit Artists Together studio tour. This is the second year that Katherine has participated. The tour is kind of an open farm day for us at Dunbar Gardens. Since Katherine actually works on the second floor of our old farmhouse, we display the baskets in our barn and Katherine demonstrates basketry outside. The nice thing for visitors is that they can see the connection between the craft and the materials. We invite people to walk out to see the willow fields. We can explain the process of growing, harvesting, drying, sorting, soaking, and finally weaving of the willows.

baskets in the barn

baskets in the barn

We had a beautiful two days for the tour. Traffic and sales were less than last year, but that was not surprising given the down economy. We hope folks enjoyed their visit. We were still selling some fresh produce from our garden like we do every weekend, so some people just stopped by for the vegies!

Heidi clowning around

Heidi clowning around

Basketry of the Pacific Northwest

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green oval panier a jour

green oval panier a jour

Katherine was pleased to be invited to participate in Basketry of the Pacific Northwest on view in The Lab at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, Oregon from July 28 through August 29. This exhibit is a small show in the Community Showcase which features Northwest basket makers, both traditional and contemporary. The show was juried by Charissa Brock and runs in conjunction with The National Basketry Organization‘s 2009 conference in Portland.

The call for entries asked for basketry submissions that have an inspirational tie to an object or image that the artist has in their studio. For Katherine, one of her sources of inspiration are the baskets that she has made while learning from some of her mentors. Below is a photo of an open work French basket that she made while taking a course with Norbert Faure at the Cooperative of Vannerie in Villaines-les-Rochers which inspired the oval panier a jour woven with green Dicky Meadows willow with peeled buff for the fitching in the photo above, one of the baskets accepted for the exhibit.

traditional oval panier a jour

traditional oval panier a jour

Actually, Katherine was lucky to even apply for the exhibit. Thanks goes to Susi Nuss and her BasketMakers blog who posted on Tuesday, June 30 that the deadline for submissions had been extended to Monday, July 6. Ironically this was the first time we had even heard of this exhibit; so she had less than a week to consider submitting. (Though now Katherine can’t complain too much about my time following all the blogs!) The choice was made a little easier because Kat Perez at the Museum allowed the submission to be e-mailed.

With other projects to complete, she could only squeeze in a couple of days to make some possible entries and get me to photograph them. As those of you who work with ‘brown’ willows know, it also depended on what was soaked up at the moment.

Skagit tray

Skagit tray

She decided on making baskets that are fairly typical of her work like the oval panier a jour and this tray that is based on an Irish potato basket. The inspiration for these trays are the willows we grow and harvest on our farm.

willow harvested at Dunbar Gardens

willow harvested at Dunbar Gardens

Three submissions were allowed for each entry. The third basket Katherine submitted and the third basket she made last week to submit was the one not chosen. But we sold it for a wedding present today!

willow vase

willow vase

But even if none of them had been selected, Katherine still needed more baskets for the local Skagit Artists Together studio tour this coming weekend. So if you’re in Portland, check out  the Museum of Contemporary Craft and this exhibit which includes not only Katherine’s baskets but work by Pat Courtney Gold, Donna Crispin, Carol Horvath, Claudia Mullek, Patti Shaw, Shannon Weber, Linda Hendrickson, and Nanette Davis.

P.S.:

The Lab at Museum of Contemporary Craft

The Lab at Museum of Contemporary Craft

We were sent this photo sheet by exhibition coordinator Kat Perez. You can click on the image to get a larger size.

July newsletter

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KLewiswillowbasketmaker

We just sent out our July News from Dunbar Gardens. Every couple of months or so, we mail out a listing of events and classes. Most of the information is available on Dunbargardens.com, but the newsletter provides a concise format. If you would like to join our list, simply send an email to news-subscribe@dunbargardens.com. You will receive an automated email asking you to verify your subscription. Here is the main part of the recent mailing:

Upcoming Events

Skagit Artists Together Studio Tour:  July 18 & 19, 10am – 6pm. 6th annual juried studio tour with 28 selected artists opening their studios and workshops for a weekend to visitors. At Dunbar Gardens you can see Katherine’s baskets, a demonstration of willow basketry, our willow fields, and our market garden. Bring some friends and make a day of it; maps are on line or available at each location.

Celebrate Skagit Art at the La Conner Seaside Gallery: July 17 – 26, 112 Morris Street in La Conner. Katherine will be at the opening artist reception Saturday, July 18, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Annual art show sponsored by Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland and held in conjunction with the SAT tour. Check out Katherine’s piece at the show; probably the only value-added farm product entered!

Garden GA-GA Skagit:  Friday, August 21, 4-9pm at Juntunen Farm and Gardens, 18091 Burkland Road, Mount Vernon. Katherine was just invited to this joint effort between Skagit Artists Together, Museum of Northwest Art, Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce, Children’s Hospital Guild of Skagit County, and EDASC. This event is a garden party with artists in action, live music, wine and beer garden, food, and tours of the beautiful Juntunen gardens with proceeds to benefit Seattle Children’s Hospital. Katherine will be demonstrating willow basketry and selling her work as part of this celebration. Tickets must be purchased before August 14. Contact Debi at EDASC 360-336-6114 or see the web link.

Fall Collection 2009, Dewey Beach Artists at The Depot Arts Center:  September 4 through 26, 611 R Ave., Anacortes, WA. Katherine has been invited to be a guest artist with the Dewey Beach artists group at their annual show at The Depot Arts Center. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday; check their website for the list of artists, hours, and map.

Willow Basketmaking Classes with Katherine Lewis

There are still spaces available in all of the class dates. Classes are two days; from 9am to 5pm. Class size is limited to 10. Cost is $165 per student which includes materials. There is a registration form on the website. Or you can send us your contact info (name, address, email, telephone) along with a $35 deposit per class session. See the website for more details.