NEWS for the New Year

On the first day of the year 2018 I want to wish you all a WONDERFUL, HEALTHY, HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR!

Always lots of thoughts, plans and expectations for the new year. On this day we also have some for sure great news for everybody who loves working with willow.

I believe that we - when we teach willow basketry - need to make sure that our followers also are able to purchase dried willow to work with on their own. That has been very limited in North America. Some of you are able to grow basketry willow for your own use. That is wonderful and I am excited to be able to provide you with dormant willow cuttings of some great basketry willow for planting.

For those of you who are not able to - or don't want to - grow your own basketry willow this is the good news:

After two years with less than desired harvests due to drought and unusual high temperatures during the summer, we finally have a normal harvest in sight. This means that we are able to take orders for our own dried basketry willow again. 

Our willow is grown without use of any pesticides, harvested, sorted and dried WITH the bark on. That is how I get the natural colours and shine on my baskets which is not treated with anything - but loving thoughts while being created! No dyeing, wax or lacquer!

Note that the colours you see on just harvested willow (or willow cuttings for planting) is not the same as you get in your basket. The willow changes colours several times. In winter, when it is dormant around harvest time, the colours have intensified. Then the colours will change dramatically during the drying process. Then they change again during the re-soaking process and finally they change when they dry again. In addition to that the growing conditions make a difference and sometimes you will see that one variety doesn't look like it did from other years' harvests. Or like the same variety growing on your friend's property!

A few examples of natural willow colours. 

SO THIS IS EXCITING NEWS, BUT THERE IS MORE!
We now have imported BUFF AND WHITE willow for sale!

 

Although I love my natural willow with the bark on, I do realize that debarked willow - BUFF AND WHITE - do have advantages in some ways and that that will appeal to many basket makers.

Here are a few comparisons:
SOAKING TIME:
NATURAL WILLOW: days or weeks depending on a few factors.
BUFF AND WHITE: less than an hour
LEFT OVER WILLOW AFTER BASKET IS MADE:
NATURAL WILLOW: you don't want to re-soak as there is a big risk that the bark will get loose. If you have room in your freezer, you can keep it there.
BUFF AND WHITE: you can re-soak the willow with no risk.
UNFINISHED BASKET:
NATURAL WILLOW: if you cannot finish your (stake and strand) basket and don't have room in your freezer for it until you have time, it is impossible to finish it later. If you try to re-soak the whole basket, bark may come off and then it is not so beautiful anymore.
BUFF AND WHITE: you can just put it aside and re-soak the top or the whole thing when you are ready to finish it.
COLOURS:
NATURAL WILLOW: you have a variety of the most beautiful natural colours.
BUFF AND WHITE: the golden brown of the buff willow. The white willow can be dyed with natural or commercial dyes.
PREPARATION/WAIT TIME:
NATURAL WILLOW: when you decide to make a basket, you have to wait several days before the willow is soaked.
BUFF AND WHITE: you want to make a basket, put some willow in water for less than an hour, and you are ready to weave.

For more information about dried willow for sale, take a look at my website here.







Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

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.

A NEW YEAR - NEW WILLOW EXPERIENCES TO EXPLORE

No New Year resolutions, but of course lots of plans!

During 2016 my "new" studio proved to be perfect for workshops taught by me and classes with visiting willow teachers as well as a wonderful home for my own willow creativity.
The PLAN is to give it a "face-lift" this year - as in new eyes and some make up - but it will still in the meantime be perfect for our use.

Keeping you all informed about what is happening at Lakeshore Willows IS a priority, but sometimes "life happens" and planned time for newsletter, blog, website and facebook slips away.
The PLAN is to connect in a more efficient and frequent way at all those venues to share with you exciting planned workshops and other activities.

Selected pics from Hjornholm November 2016 classes

In 2016 I was very happy to have the opportunity to get to know some very talented basket makers whom I had only heard about until then.

Ankaret Dean

One of Canada's "Grand Old Ladies" of willow!

Many people who attended workshops here would tell me that they made one or a few willow baskets many years ago - with Ankaret Dean.

She is an amazing person, still very much involved in her community in McDonald's Corners, Ontario where she had invited me to teach 3 days of classes this summer.

Staying at her home I had the opportunity to learn about some of all the activities she has initiated and/or been involved in and I am looking forward to next time.

Joan Carrigan

One of the people who actually made her first basket with Ankaret Dean, Joan is a fantastic artist/basket maker living in BC.

I knew about Joan from my friend, Danish willow artist and basket maker Eva Seidenfaden who have visited Joan in BC many times to teach classes. So when the basketry guild that I am a member of, Southwestern Ontario Basketry Guild, planned a willow retreat with Joan teaching one of the classes, I was excited to be able to participate.

A wonderful person and inspirational artist I really look forward to meeting again. AND she taught me my first basket weaving with other natural materials incl cedar bark.

Joe Hogan

Irish basket maker known by everybody who loves willow.

Joe was high up on my wish list of teachers to learn from and I was lucky to spend 6 days of willow weaving with him at the Willow Gathering in Decorah, Iowa last summer.

A fantastic week learning from one of the best.

And a few more pics from workshops here during 2016:

     

So now 2017 has arrived and I wish for all that it will be a healthy, happy year filled with positive energy.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

Repairing an antique doll's carriage

A basketry guild that I am a member of forwarded a mail to all members from the owner of an antique doll's carriage.
She was looking for someone to help repair the buggy as her 3 year old daughter unsuccessfully had tried to enter it and thus put her foot through it a couple of places.

I wasn't sure that I would be able to do the job, but was willing to take a look at it and responded to the mail. It turned out that the owner lived just about 30 minutes drive from here and she came to see me with the buggy.

My first impression was that it was made using flat reed. As I only do work with natural willow I showed the owner examples of baskets the weave of which would be similar on the buggy if I did the job, and she was excited to have me try to not fix or repair, but replace the weave.

So after a few days I contacted her with a quote as I had decided what/how to do.

The original cover had been cut to fit from a woven sheet and attached to the frame with multiple nails. Then another strip was attached to cover the nails and ends of the weave - using nails. As can be seen on the first of these images, the weave had been painted at least 3 times: pink, blue and the last cote white.

Removing the original cover was a much bigger job than I had anticipated, but I got it off. Interestingly enough it turned out that the material used for the weave was PAPER. Fairly heavy paper folded twice and the stakes were paper that was rolled so that it resembled round reed.

The owner had chosen Salix x 'Americana' for the weave and we decided to paint the frame black which would suit the darker green colour of the willow.

For the basket part of the buggy I drilled holes under the bottom of the frame for my stakes.

Turning the stakes out and around the frame and tying them made it possible for me to weave the sides of the buggy so that the "basket" fit snug around the frame all the way around. 

For further stability and a bit of interest I tied willow around the edge at a point on both sides.

Now to the canopy!

The owner had given me permission to make changes and the two "windows" in the canopy weren't going to be incorporated in the new design.

A square, cracked peg inserted to hold the top frame in place - and to which the original weave was nailed - was replaced with a piece of a willow rod that was naturally black.

To make it all come together I turned the weave around (in the original it appeared that the "stakes" would run from front to back) and wove the canopy as a "frame basket" starting in the middle of the inserted willow piece. 

And the final appearance.

Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.

Willow basketry classes in Wainfleet, Ontario taught by Danish Anne Mette Hjornholm

Once again the talented Danish willow artist and basket maker Anne Mette Hjornholm will visit Lakeshore Willows in Wainfleet, Ontario to teach.

Anne Mette is a professional basket maker, and her beautiful work has landed her contracts for making baskets for TV shows and movies in addition to teaching engagements in several countries. For more information about Anne Mette, check out her website here where you can also find links to her blog and facebook page.

This year we have scheduled 6 days of weaving fun in September. 3 classes of 2 days each where you choose your project within a preset theme. 

September 15-16th the theme is "SCULPTURAL WEAVE" which can be for example a small animal sculpture as the swan above or it can be something abstract as the forms in the picture below.

You can find more examples of sculptural weave and inspiration on Anne Mette's website and on her blog.

September 17-18th and September 19-20th the theme is frame baskets (rib baskets) 

You can register for 2 days of frame baskets or for all 4 days. When you register for all 4 days you will be able to work across those 4 days to create as many or as few baskets as you choose to.

Frame baskets can take many different shapes and willow bark and other weaving materials can be added to the willow frame and weave.

The gallery at Anne Mette's website has a lot of frame baskets for inspiration and ideas about what you would like to make during the classes.
For more information about the classes and to register, go to Lakeshore Willow's website.
Book early as classes WILL fill fast.


Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.I

Exceptional willow basketry classes at Lakeshore Willows, Wainfleet, Ontario

Some things have to be scheduled early, far in advance of the actual event.
One such thing is the willow basketry classes taught by renowned Danish basket makers Ane Lyngsgaard and Eva Seidenfaden.
If you made it here for the classes last summer, you certainly want to come back for more - and if you didn't make it, you wish that you had. In both cases you have to be quick to be sure to get a spot this June.

2-day classes are offered June 15-16th:

Ane has a passion for working with bark (willow and other), creating beautiful bowls, purses, vases and much more.


During this 2-day class you will create your own bark container using willow bark and other natural materials. For more examples of Ane's bark work, see the class information on our website. 
This class is for weavers of all levels of experience.


Eva describes herself as a "non-traditional" basket maker with a thirst for exploring and experimenting.

During this 2-day class you will work with the frame of a traditional round willow basket - with the added benefit that you can make the side weave, handle, border etc your own design guided by Eva. 

If you are a beginner you will learn all the basic techniques in willow basket making and if you are more advanced, you have an opportunity to learn new techniques and details.
This class is for weavers of all levels of experience.


3-day classes are offered June 17-19th

Ane is well known for her beautiful asymmetrical, sculptural/functional organic baskets.

You will learn new techniques to accomplish this beautiful, flowing, organic shape in a tight weave. You choose if you want to make a more sculptural basket or a functional basket with a handle.
You can see more examples of this type of basket on Ane's website.
Some experience working with willow would be helpful.

Eva  and the French Perigord basket go hand in hand. She has studied this basket on numerous trips to France, visiting and learning from some of the "old" basket makers who made this market basket for practical use - and she even wrote a book about it! The book is in English and in addition to the stories and history of the Perigord basket it has detailed instructions and comes with a DVD.

The basket can be made with many variations and I think that everyone will agree that it is very beautiful in its clean, open look.
During this class you will study the basket learning the unique technique to create it.
For more images of the perigord basket visit Eva's website. Check out her gallery - you will find an abundance of beautiful images of her work.
Some experience working with willow would be helpful.

For more information about the classes and to register, please go to the event's page on Lakeshore Willows' website.












Words and photos by Lene Rasmussen,Willows.