Willow

Basketry — Sculpture — Living Willow

Basket making is one of the ancient crafts which seriously declined in popularity with the advent of plastic. Every village would have had its 'withy beds' and one or two basket makers.

Baskets were used for centuries to move goods around, especially in horticulture and industry. Baskets are strong, lightweight and flexible, so were ideal for being thrown around in the loading and unloading of goods and keeping the contents inside safe.

I was taught basket making by Sheila Winter in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, in the mid-1970s and was immediately hooked. I also went on to learn rush weaving with Sheila the following year, the rush having been collected from the River Avon, north of Tewkesbury.

Below are examples of my work with willow. With 40 years of experience in basket making, I have created and sold hundreds of baskets and work with UK willow grown in Somerset, the willow-growing capital of the UK. Commissions are undertaken.

20 years ago I worked alongside Steve Pickup of The Willow Bank and we created many living willow structures throughout the UK, assisting on some of the first courses on 'Living Willow' in the UK. Building structures at organisations including Ryton Organic Gardens near Coventry, the Bromley by Bow Centre in London, and the Bishops Wood Environmental/Sustainable Centre, Stourport, to name a few, plus numerous outdoor classrooms for city schools and community projects.

Willow sculpture is something I have developed, and I have created some stunning large installations for various community and environmental groups and projects, as you can see below. Commissions are undertaken, and I also run workshops in willow sculpture.

Baskets

Round flat willow basket — Round flat basket made from brown and steamed willow, approx. 14" across and 2" high with border, using the stake and strand technique. Ideal for a bread basket or similar use.

Frame willow basket — Frame basket using brown and steamed willow — this technique uses ribs to form the body of the basket and is woven from both ends.

Medium willow shopping basket — Medium shopping basket from buff and steamed willow, stake and strand technique, approx. 14" diameter and 12" high to top of border.

Willow log basket commission — Log basket made from brown, steamed and Flanders red willow. Commission.

Large willow tub basket for theatre — Large tub basket made for a theatre company, with only half a floor so the actor could hide inside it and escape through the bottom.

Small willow shopper basket — Small shopper made from brown and steamed willow, approx. 12" high to border and 14" diameter, stake and strand technique.

Willow gathering basket — Gathering basket made with brown and buff willow, stake and strand technique, approx. 10" diameter and 8" high to the border. Ideal for blackberry picking or apple gathering.

Willow log basket — Log basket from brown and steamed willow. Sold.

Living Willow

By planting live willow and manipulating it, structures can be built into arches and fences. Living willow community builds happen around the UK — every project is different and can be tailored to your needs. I'm happy to advise, design and cost your project, including arches, fedges, tunnels, amphitheatres, domes and arbours. Please enquire.

Living willow, Millennium Garden, Llanidloes

Sculpture

The Howling Wolf — Forestry Commission

The 7ft tall 'Howling Wolf' was commissioned in 2006 by the Forestry Commission as part of the Meirionydd Oak Woods Project, to help promote the beautiful Coed-y-Beiddiau Oak woods (Welsh for "Wolf's Wood"), through which the Blaenau Ffestiniog railway cuts, and believed to be the last place wolves were seen in Wales.

Tree of Life — Age Concern

The 'Tree of Life' was commissioned in 2008 for Age Concern's Gwanwyn Festival ("Gwanwyn" meaning "Spring time"), held each year to encourage older people to get involved with the arts.

The design was inspired by the Gwanwyn Festival logo, and, wanting it to be interactive, I added a seat around it for people to enjoy a moment of reflection. It was sited in Margam Park near Port Talbot for all to enjoy.

Ancient Oak Tree — Woodland Trust

Created for the Woodland Trust in 2007 as part of the Ancient Tree Project, launched at the Royal Welsh Show. The Ancient Oak then toured many festivals and events throughout England and Wales during 2007/8, including a week at the Senedd in Cardiff, the National Eisteddfod and Hay Festival.

The design was inspired by wanting something interactive — being able to get inside the tree was a great success for children and adults alike.

Ancient Oak willow sculpture at Royal Welsh Show

Willow Stag — Forestry Commission

This larger-than-life-size stag was created for the Meirionydd Oakwoods Habitat Management Project in 2008, to help promote oak woods in Meirionydd.

Blodeuwedd — Woodland Trust

Blodeuwedd, also known as the Ninefold Goddess of the Western Isles of Paradise, was a goddess like no other in the manner of her birth. She is one of the main figures in the Mabinogion, the Welsh cycle of stories of the early Celtic goddesses and gods.

Commissioned for a story-telling festival in Maentwrog woods, near Blaenau Ffestiniog, in June 2008.

Dancing Lady — Private Commission

A beautiful, graceful dancing lady sculpture, created as a private commission in 2008.

National Trust

Top left: a cornucopia made for Powys Castle, as a table centrepiece Christmas decoration within the castle.

Top right and bottom: willow balls, arch and panels for "A Plant in Time", National Trust, Devon, 2010.

Theatr na nÓg

A theatre company from Neath, South Wales, who produced and toured the Native American story of Gluscabi to schools around Wales. I produced most of the scenery for this production, including 12 large woven willow panels depicting rolling hills and mountains, and a large willow tree with detachable branches so it could be transported from venue to venue, with trap doors for the actors to burst out from inside the tree.