Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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Art in the Woods Studio Tour 2024

November 2, 2024 By Melinda

Art In the Woods Studio Tour It is wonderful to be back in Sydni Sterling’s light-filled studio once again for the 2024 Art in the Woods Studio Tour. 2019 was the last time I participated, but I’ve been making new art all along, as well as changing and altering pieces I started long ago. I’m grateful to all my teachers, to my family, and to this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, Community, My Teachers, News, Plants and Places, Upcoming Tagged With: Art in the Woods, Art in the Woods 2024, Art in the Woods Studio Tour, artistic cedar weaving, exhibits of new work, Indianola Country Store, Sydni Sterling, Sydni Sterling painter, Sydni Sterling Studio

Woven Cedar Bark Satchel or Purse

February 18, 2014 By Melinda

Cedar Satchels

Explore the generous nature of the Western Red Cedar tree as you learn the basics of weaving, twining, and cordage-making using the inner bark of cedar, along with other plant fibers held in high regard and used for thousands of years by the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest.  As you create your own small satchel or purse you will also learn … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, Students, Workshops Tagged With: artistic cedar weaving, Artistic Weaving With Western Red Cedar, fiber plants, First Peoples, North Cascades Institute, Pacific Northwest, preparating materials, respectful gathering, Twining, weaving, Weaving With Western Red Cedar

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Recent Posts

  • Local History – Interview With Barbara Ann Lawrence – Suquamish Tribal Cultural Teacher and Storyteller
  • Porch Papermaking With Food Plants – Cardoon and Kale
  • Paper from the Ditch – Weathered Reed Canary Grass
  • Late Winter Papermaking – Mixing Siberian Iris Leaves and Lichens
  • More Spring Porch Papermaking – With Ivy Leaves

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About Melinda

Forty 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. It looked wildly made like a crazy bird’s nest. While being together with my two sons on a beautiful Pacific Northwest shoreline, this simple experience of crafting with the natural materials at hand kindled a passion for creating forms using plant fibers. I thank my family, my community, and all my teachers for cultivating this gift in me.
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Melinda West and basket, Indianola WA

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