Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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The Community Completes the Artist

November 14, 2025 By Melinda

There are lots of reasons artists create their work…necessity (pay the bills), compulsion, yearning, expression, exploration, joy, invention, obligation….but many of us do our work alone. One of the beautiful things that happens when artists open up their studios to the outside world…is the interaction and exchange of ideas with friends, neighbors, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, Community, News, Upcoming Tagged With: Art in the Woods 2025, Art in the Woods Studio Tour, cafnw, community, Community partnership, Cultural Arts Foundation NW, fiber art, painting, Sydni Sterling painter, Sydni Sterling Studio

Grateful for a Community That Supports Local Artists

November 14, 2024 By Melinda

On the second weekend each November, Cultural Arts Foundation Northwest presents the Art in the Woods Studio Tour. Many talented artists who mostly work in isolation throughout the year come out of the “woods” to share their work. The studios are open Friday through Sunday from 10-5 each day. This is a fun event for those who like to see art, be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, Community, My Teachers, News, Upcoming Tagged With: AIW, Art in the Woods, Art in the Woods Studio Tour, Art in the Woods Studio Tour 2024, Art sale, community, community support, Cultural Arts Foundation NW, Sydni Sterling, Sydni Sterling painter, Sydni Sterling Studio, Sydni Sterling's Studio, Veterans Day Weekend

Cedar Pouch Class at BARN – June 2017 Recap

July 14, 2017 By Melinda

Folded Cedar Bark Baskets by Melinda West

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...]

Filed Under: Community, News, Resources, Students, Weaving with Cedar, Workshops Tagged With: Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network, BARN, BARN workshops, Berry Pouch, Cedar Pouch, community, Island Wood, students

Sydni Sterling’s Studio

February 14, 2017 By Melinda

Painter, Sydni Sterling, in the doorway of her garden studio.

I'm fortunate to live in a community filled with artists and skilled artisans, people who work incredibly hard to create a nurturing place, who generously share their knowledge, tools, encouragement, advice, and in this case, also their studio space. For countless years, Sydni has cleared out her painting studio, transformed it into … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, Community Tagged With: art, community

A Fun Weekend – Many Thanks

August 15, 2014 By Melinda

I'd like to shout out a big thank you to Sydni Sterling and Mike Dillon, who opened up their garden and studio for a twice annual exhibit of new work. Thanks to all the guests, friends, and visitors who stopped in. It was wonderful to see everyone! One of my grandson's, Asha, shared his origami.  His work definitely brightened up the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, News Tagged With: community, Indianola Days Art Sale, Mike Dillon, summer, Sydni Sterling, Sydni Sterling Studio

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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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