Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

Growing, gathering, and weaving with plant fibers from the Pacific Northwest

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Farewell to 2012

December 31, 2012 By Melinda

2012-12-31 Farewell 2012

I ponder upon this past circle of seasons, trembling with gratitude for family, friends, and community, who contribute everyday to my development as human being and an artist.

“The community stagnates without the impluse of the individual…the impulse dies away without the sympathy of the community.”  William James

My take on this is:  The community stagnates without the impulse of the artist, and the artist dies away without the support of the community.

We all help each other more than we can know.  It’s nice to reserve some time to think about this as we say farewell to 2012. My heart is filled with gratitude for all of you who have taken my classes over the years, and for all who have purchased my art and basketry. I especially thank the many wonderful teachers who have shared generously with me over the years, as well as fellow artists everywhere who are a constant inspiration.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: greetings, new work, new year, winter

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About Melinda

Thirty years ago, while sitting on the beach playing with my young children, I made my first basket out of a pile of willow trimmings someone had tossed there. The experience of weaving with the materials at hand while being together with my sons on a beautiful Pacific Northwest shoreline, kindled a passion for creating art from natural plant materials. I thank my family, my community, and all my teachers for cultivating this gift in me.
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