One of the more impressive willow baskets that Katherine weaves is the bassinet. These are sometimes called Moses baskets. There is real satisfaction in weaving a basket that will hold someone’s child and become an integral part of their family life. Here are a few images of some willow bassinets made by Katherine Lewis.
Katherine Lewis willow baskets, Anacortes Best of the Fest April 4-12, 2014
The Anacortes Arts Festival introduces the new “Best of the Fest” art exhibition April 4-12, 2014. The new show is an official event of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, and features artwork from 25 of the artists that participate in the annual Anacortes Arts Festival (August 1-3, 2014). Katherine has participated in the ‘Experience Art’ area as well as the ‘Arts at the Port’ exhibitions at the festival several years. Thanks to Fine Art Coordinator Rita James for inviting Katherine to submit works to be juried for the exhibition. She will have four baskets on display. It is an outstanding group of artists and Katherine is looking forward to having her baskets along side work by friends and fellow artists like Ann Chadwick Reid, Kathleen Faulkner and Lanny Bergner.
Katherine Lewis basket woven from willow and rubber
The show will open on Friday April 4 from 5-9 pm as part of the Anacortes First Friday Art Walk. The exhibition will be open daily 11am – 4pm from April 5 through April 12 at The Depot Arts Center at 611 R Avenue in Anacortes, Washington.
hands on gallery at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
When Nicholas Bell asked Katherine to donate the use of one of her willow baskets for a hands on gallery at the exhibition “A Measure of the Earth: The Cole-Ware Collection of American Baskets”, she was happy to participate. Katherine took the photo above when she visited the museum back in November, 2013, and you can see Katherine’s basket on the far right. It’s a well made panier à jour with slat willow base, one of Katherine’s ‘signature’ baskets. It was one of eight baskets displayed in this area where museum visitors had the opportunity to pick up the baskets and examine them.
Since the public would be handling the basket, the Renwick Gallery would not insure its value or final condition. It was an understandable and reasonable risk to take for the opportunity to present Katherine’s work to the many visitors. The Smithsonian did agree to return the basket after the exhibition closed on December 8, 2013.
A Measure of the Earth hands on basket
When the exhibition closed we were notified that the basket loan would be returned later that week. December went by so we contacted the Renwick Gallery in early January and were told that we would receive it by the end of the month. In February we contacted the Art Registrar who handles all the shipments of artwork for the Smithsonian. After a couple of emails they replied that the basket was still in the process of being returned. Now it is March, three months after the exhibition closed, and we are still waiting. We already had to deal with a government shutdown that delayed the opening of the exhibition so we figure another delay is just the way things are done in the “other Washington”. “Thank you for your patience.”
P.S.
The basket was returned March 6 three days after making this post. The basket was double boxed with loads of padding. By the date of 12/11/13 marked on the inner box it is clear that the Renwick Gallery staff did a timely job the week after the exhibit closed. It’s also amazing how little wear the basket shows after spending a couple of months in the gallery for many people to touch it. I thought I heard a ‘sigh’ when I opened the box, like the basket was happy to see the light after spending three months boxed up in a Smithsonian warehouse
Dunbar Gardens willow cuttings for sale
Searching for willow cuttings in the United States? Dunbar Gardens has a nice selection of willow cuttings for sale that can be used for basketry, living willow structures, hedgerows and other garden use. You can find the list, prices and details on our website page: willow cuttings. Our interest in willows started with Katherine Lewis’ basket making. She wanted to work with a material that we could grow on our farm. Since the early 1990’s we have sourced willows from growers in the UK and the US as well as friends and fellow basket makers. Along the way we have collected varieties that both grow and weave well.
Because we are growing willows for Katherine’s basket weaving we have an ample supply of fresh willow rods to use for making cuttings. Our goal is to provide good sized cuttings at a reasonable price. There are a huge number of willows available and we don’t try to fulfill every gardener’s needs. Although the number of sources in the United States are limited, there are nurseries on-line to order from and get information. Here are some other sources to compare varieties and prices with what we have for sale.
Vermont Willow Nursery is located in northern Vermont. If you are looking for ornamental varieties their website is a great place to start with all of the great images. They are very conscientious about accurate descriptions and taxonomy. A recent order of cuttings had some curved and small cuttings but still good rooting.
Willowglen Nursery has been growing willows since 1988. They sell willows, baskets and offer a variety of classes. They sell a limited selection of cuttings as well as live and dried rods. There are not many images on their website but they are easy to correspond with and knowledgeable. Their cuttings are small.
Living Willow Farm is located in Ohio. Good selection of willows for basketry. Unfortunately the owner is selling cuttings by color and has also changed some of the names of the willow varieties. Make sure you ask for your cuttings to be labeled by species and common name.
Double A Willow is the licensed commercial nursery to grow and distribute patented varieties developed by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Most of these willows were developed for large scale biofuels projects. Since they have bred these willows, you won’t see any of the common heirloom varieties that most of us are growing; though they do sell cuttings for other uses like living willows, privacy fencing and basketry. They do not sell cuttings to Washington, Oregon, Idaho or California.
Gardeners in the US can also consider buying cuttings from Canada. Shipping across the border requires a phytosanitary certificate which the nursery will provide but charge you for it. Nurseries in Canada are obviously interested in selling to the large number of potential US customers. There are a couple that are worth checking out.
Lakeshore Willows is located in Wainfleet, Ontario. They grow about 30 varieties of willow which they offer as cuttings, living rods, and dried willow for basketry. Lene Rasmussen is a native of Denmark and she has been inspired by many of the willow growers and basket makers in Denmark. Lene is another grower that brings the experience of basketry and working with willows to her business. Great website with lots of photos and information.
If you do buy from one of these other mail order willow nurseries, let them know how you found them!
willow cuttings approved by Spike
