November 2016 Newsletter

Katherine Lewis willow basketsRexville Grange Art Show
November 11-13 & 19-20, 2016. 19229 Rexville Grange Rd., Mount Vernon, WA. Annual arts and crafts show in the Skagit Valley the two weekends before Thanksgiving featuring baskets, paintings, pottery, glass, photography, jewelry, weaving, and wood from Northwest artists. As you can see from the photo above, Katherine has a lot of nice willow baskets that she is bringing to the show. Opening party Friday, November 11 from 6-8pm with live music from Campbell Road.

Katherine Lewis willow basket "Crazy Quilt"National Basketry Organization 9th Biennial Conference
July 18-23, 2017. Katherine has been invited to teach Colors and Textures: Playing with Willow at the next NBO conference to be held at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. Her class is already full at this time, but there are some spaces available in other workshops. Check the NBO website to see which classes are available. In addition to classes there will also be a couple of basketry exhibits. You can find out how to enter your work or go see the work from the NBO website. Katherine is one of the Board members who have been working hard to make this a great event.

Dunbar Gardens willow cuttings sampleWillow Cuttings

We will start taking willow cuttings orders for Spring 2017 delivery starting in December. Take a look at the website for all the details. Order early to reserve your cuttings; we usually sell out by March.

Classes

Katherine’s classes at the upcoming Northwest Basket Weavers Guild Winter Retreat in January are all full. Likewise the class at the National Basketry Organization Conference in July is now full. At this time Katherine doesn’t have any plans to schedule more classes for 2017. For people in the northwest, we would suggest checking out the Northwest Basket Weavers Guild and/or the Columbia Basin Basketry Guild to find out about classes and events with other basket makers. There is also a list of basketry guilds across the country on the National Basketry Organization website.

Dunbar Gardens farmstandFarm

You are welcome to stop by the farm to check out Katherine’s baskets when the April shows are over. You can find out more about what we’re up to by visiting our website at dunbargardens.com. We are also on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.
Thanks for your interest!

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Rexville Grange Art Show

willow baskets by Katherine Lewis

Katherine Lewis willow baskets at the Rexville Grange Art Show

The Rexville Grange Art Show is an arts and crafts show held twice each year in the Skagit Valley. The show features some outstanding artisans working in wood, weaving, glass, pottery, painting, photography and jewelry. This year the November edition of the show is extended to two weekends – Nov. 14-16 and Nov. 22-23. The Grange Hall is located at 19299 Rexville Grange Road, just off Best Road a block from the Rexville Grocery.

Campbell Road, celtic musicThe opening was Friday evening November 14 with live music and refreshments. Campbell Road provided some lively Celtic tunes while folks mingled, met the artists and shopped. You can find images and website links to all the local artists on the show’s website here.

 

Katherine Lewis, willow basket maker

Katherine Lewis, willow basketmaker

Katherine had a fun time chatting with customers and friends. It is always gratifying to not only sell some work, but also hear the appreciative comments. Although she sold several of her willow baskets at the opening, there are still quite a few willow baskets for the coming weekend. Below is a gallery of some of the Katherine Lewis willow baskets available at the art show. Can’t make it to the show this weekend? You can always check our website to see the baskets in stock page or the willow basket gallery for info on what you can order.

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February 2013 Newsletter

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.

Spike inspects willow baskets

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.

fitched willow basket by Katherine Lewis

MoNA Style 2012: Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, WA, March 16, 2013, 10-5. willow magazine basketThis 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 Lewis willow basketmakerKatherine 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 Lewis baskets in Cole-Ware CollectionKatherine 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.

Irish potato basket by Katherine LewisKatherine 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 Lewis class willow basketsKatherine 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.

cutting basketry willow at Dunbar Gardens

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.

Dunbar Gardens willow cuttings

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.

Dunbar Gardens farmstand willow baskets

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

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SAT artist of the month

Skagit Artists Together website screenshotKatherine 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.

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