I started paying attention to baskets in high school when I needed to carry books to class. I took my first basketry class in England in 1979 and have been making baskets ever since. The English class was part of the London City and Guilds course and it gave me a strong foundation in traditional European willow basketry.
I also enjoy using techniques and materials from other cultures. The use of cedar bark and the technique of wrapped twining are found in Native American traditions. I gather my own cedar bark and have the satisfaction of doing the whole process of collecting, preparing, and weaving the material. New Zealand Flax is a traditional Maori material but which is grown locally so I can go “urban foraging” to gather what I need. When I retired, I was determined to learn Mad Weave, a complicated technique from Malacca. The technique lends itself to a variety of materials, and I enjoy playing with color to achieve a variety of patterns. Wrapped rocks are used as markers in Japanese gardens. I use basketry material along with Japanese basketry techniques to decorate the rocks.
I have been teaching basketry since 1983. I worked for many years at The Basketry School in Seattle teaching willow baskets and also baskets made from cedar bark, bulrush, rattan, and even seaweed.