Willow Basketry Platter with Hilary Burns
While nowadays it’s best recognized through the image of a picnic basket, it is hard to understate how historic Willow was as a material in European and American history.
Before the proliferation of cardboard boxes, before plastic containers took off in the postwar world, an enormous component of storage and the simple process of moving things from one place to another, were both done through willow.
Hilary Burns is one of the leading authorities in the make and history of Willow basketry. Having worked on her craft since 1985 and been consistently involved in trades people’s efforts to present and represent the understated legacy behind their work.
With locally grown, sustainable branches taken from her very own orchard in Devon, participants of the workshop will weave together small ornamented platters. Shaping and molding the wider non-boiled branches into the strong foundation that will become the platter they will take back home with them.
All the while, Hilary will pass on the history, process and techniques that go into the planting, harvesting, steeping, and preparation that creates the baskets and objects that were once so ubiquitous in the continent.
All materials needed will be provided for the duration of the workshop.
The workshop will encompass roughly 3 to 4 hours.
No prior experience is required.
The project made during the workshop is included and kept by the participants.
While nowadays it’s best recognized through the image of a picnic basket, it is hard to understate how historic Willow was as a material in European and American history.
Before the proliferation of cardboard boxes, before plastic containers took off in the postwar world, an enormous component of storage and the simple process of moving things from one place to another, were both done through willow.
Hilary Burns is one of the leading authorities in the make and history of Willow basketry. Having worked on her craft since 1985 and been consistently involved in trades people’s efforts to present and represent the understated legacy behind their work.
With locally grown, sustainable branches taken from her very own orchard in Devon, participants of the workshop will weave together small ornamented platters. Shaping and molding the wider non-boiled branches into the strong foundation that will become the platter they will take back home with them.
All the while, Hilary will pass on the history, process and techniques that go into the planting, harvesting, steeping, and preparation that creates the baskets and objects that were once so ubiquitous in the continent.
All materials needed will be provided for the duration of the workshop.
The workshop will encompass roughly 3 to 4 hours.
No prior experience is required.
The project made during the workshop is included and kept by the participants.