H: 6.5" | W: 5.5" | D: 4.75"
Beginning as an exploration of folding and stitching willow bark in Spring 2020, this piece soon showed it’s true meaning as restaurants closed across the globe and “take out” food took hold. Inspired by the ubiquitous traditional white paper folded take out box, the outer basket is folded and stitched using a very thick, wide piece of bark. This is a “double wall “ basket; inside is a separately woven willow bark basket, the two are attached at the stitched upper border. The lid is stitched with waxed linen, with willow rods sewn onto the edges. A four strand round braid of bark creates the hoop for the willow rod latch.
Your Name:
Katherine Lewis
City:
Mount Vernon
State:
WA
Artist Statement:
I weave baskets on my Pacific Northwest farm where my husband and I grow basketry willows. Growing the willow provides an array of natural colors and qualities, allowing me to weave baskets that are functional, durable and reflect the natural beauty of the material.
Willows for weaving are cut annually. Some are allowed to grow larger to produce wide strips of willow bark for my bark baskets. All the materials are dried after harvest, and re-soaked for weaving.
My baskets are included in the permanent collection of the Renwick Gallery at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. I am honored to have been included in the traveling exhibition, Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America.
www.DunbarGardens.com