Throughout millennia, the tradition of basket making has always been closely tied to the natural world around us. Nature offers an abundance of beautiful materials as well as inspiration for the basket maker.

On day one of this course, we will begin with a hands-on discussion and exploration of how to respectfully harvest and prepare a wide variety of plants including tree barks, rushes, vines, and plant leaves. Participants will have the chance to learn the process of preparing western red cedar and willow bark for their own basket.

On day two, we will cover the principles of how to design a basket in terms of shape, size, and pattern possibilities. A variety of weaving patterns will be presented for students to incorporate in their basket including plaiting, twill and twining variations.

Sample baskets will be on hand for inspiration.

This workshop is being offered through MISSA – Metchosin international Summer School of the Arts. The workshops take place at Shawnigan Lake School in the Cowichan Valley, on Southern Vancouver Island, close to Victoria, B.C.

For more information and to Register check this link: https://missa.ca/shop/basketmaking-with-local-natural-materials/