THE ULTIMATE WILLOW BASKETRY EXPERIENCE WITH DANISH BASKET MAKER STEEN H. MADSEN

What could be more exciting than to work with an internationally renowned expert in primitive crafts, learning the finer points of willow basketry? Even more so if you get to decide yourself which project you want to work on with him?

If you agree, you don't want to miss out on this opportunity at Lakeshore Willows, Wainfleet, Ontario in June 2017.

Danish willow basket maker SteenHedegaard Madsen is well known throughout the international willow basketry community for a variety of reasons.

He is indeed a master basket weaver and you will find many people who will claim that he is THE master. In his modest way he told me that he is not a genius in any way – he has just been around for many years.

I first met Steen in 2013 when I, during a visit to Denmark, had an opportunity to work with him for 2 days in his charming studio.

Here is Steen outside the house in which his studio is along with a kitchen, small dining area and sleeping area for visiting students.

Ever since he was a young boy Steen has been interested in history and antiquity. He would play “stone age” with his friends, hunting with their homemade flint arrowheads and cooking their catch over the open fire while making more arrowheads.

Later – for a total of 19-20 years he would work at a Danish Historical Archaeological Research Center.

Maybe as a natural consequence of his interest for old crafts and skills Steen fell in love with willow basket making and is today one of the foremost experts reconstructing baskets made during a time from which no written documentation exists.

Steen working in his studio

A collection of old and new fishing creels at the wall

But more than that today, for those of us who desire to learn the finer points in willow basket making, he travels the World to teach us classes. Historical baskets – if that is what you are interested in – but not just that. Steen will teach you almost any kind of willow basket and bark container; you just have to ask.

During a class Steen usually teaches whatever each student wants to learn! The topics for the class of the day are pretty much open – only limited by your previous weaving experience and skills.

Check out his information on facebook and his website.

And this is your chance for a new willow experience!

This basket maker whose skills are second to none will teach and guide you in creating the basket you are most interested in making.

The classes will fill up fast so if you want to participate, register NOW.

After you register, you want to spend time over the next couple of months exploring what you want to work on with Steen. Use books, the internet, pinterest, facebook etc for inspiration and bring photos or sketches for the class.

I will ask you a few weeks before the classes what you want to make so that I will be able to have the right sizes and amounts of willow prepared.

Some baskets (for example square baskets with or without a lid) are not for a total beginner and for oval baskets it is also recommendable that you have some experience with willow.

If you have any questions about that you can either ask me when you register or send me a mail.

Here are some pics from Steen that may help you to get started on your search for the perfect project!

 Go here for info about the classes and to register.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

From 2014 Willow Basketry events to new adventures in 2015

2014 started very slowly as we had a very cold and long winter. 

This photo is from March 30th and some of the willow field still has snow drifts more than 1 meter (3-4 feet) deep. We were getting anxious to harvest the willow before it all started to grow again.

March and April are usually the time for workshops creating living willow structures in pots. Because of the winter dragging on and on we only managed to have a few sessions, but we had a lot of fun.

I haven't been good at remembering to take photos during workshops. I have to get better at that to save the memories of some wonderful hours with great people eager to learn and excited about their creations.

Several workshops took place here during the year where I had the opportunity to share some of the basket making techniques that I have learned.

For the third year in a row we were fortunate to have Anne Mette Hjornholm here from Denmark to teach 4 wonderful days of classes.

Just three weeks later we had two more of Denmark's talented willow artists visiting.

 Ane Lyngsgaard and Eva Seidenfaden taught 3 days of exciting classes.

The Southwestern Ontario Basketry Guild (SOBG) of which I am a business member, held a wonderful "Willow Retreat" at the Michaelite House Retreat Centre in London, Ontario

I had a great group of students making baskets on a Catalan base.

In August I also had the pleasure to visit The Branch Ranch to teach a week of classes. A wonderful place with great people and lots of fun.

We always end the year with a few winter/Christmas workshops that are fun and relaxed with emphasis on making smaller decorative items. We did have 3 sessions, but these two ladies were tough. They made it here in a severe snowstorm - all the way from Wisconsin and New York - while the other participants registered for that class (from Ontario)  cancelled because of the snow. 

Just as last year at this time we are now waiting for the snow to melt so that we can start harvesting our willow. Hopefully that will happen within the next 4-6 weeks.

In the meantime we have the first workshops of the new year 2015 this week, Wednesday and Thursday and more will be scheduled for the next few months including a few Living Willow sessions in March and April.

In addition to a few speaking engagements, workshops off site, a week long  series of classes at Haliburton School of Art and participation in Port Colborne's first Art week I am looking forward to once again welcoming Ane Lyngsgaard and Eva Seidenfaden to teach classes here in June and Anne Mette Hjornholm to teach here for the forth year in September. 

Watch out for my next newsletter with information about the upcoming classes.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

My willow story

A month ago I was contacted by Jennifer Elliotson. She is the one many people know as the woman behind the HandMade Market here in Niagara which she produces along with her husband.
Or you may know her from her very successful years as a florist, owning Mimosa Flower Studio.
Jennifer contacted me because she - along with photographer Nataschia Wielink - has started "The Abstract Project" interviewing and photographing artists and wondered if I would participate. 
Of course. I was thrilled that they found my story interesting and one day in May they both came to Lakeshore Willows to talk and take some photos.
The first of two articles can be seen at Cherries in the Sun .
After Jennifer's first visit to Lakeshore Willows, she decided that she wanted to make a willow basket and she turned out to be a natural when she was here last week for a workshop.

Jennifer with her very first basket

She really loved my big log basket!

It was wonderful and very inspirational to get to know Jennifer. In Cherries in the Sun you get inspiration from this very (multi) talented, energetic and curious life-loving person.

Thank you Jennifer.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.