Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

Cedar Pouch Class at BARN – June 2017 Recap

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This June, the Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network opened the doors to eleven artisans studios, with several common spaces for programs and intermingling. Located on Bainbridge Island, Washington, this center for artisans has been a dream in the making for many years. Not everyone is fortunate to have a studio space. Many of us have spent periods … [Read more...]

Basketry Workshops At Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network

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June has flown by, and with it, many wonderful experiences. One being that the Bainbridge Artisans Resource Network, or BARN, has opened the doors to a beautiful new building on Bainbridge Island, a place of community and learning for makers of many disciplines.  Programs for all eleven studios are up and running, with a huge outpouring of response … [Read more...]

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