Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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Suquamish Elementary Students

June 4, 2016 By Melinda

In 1985, our eldest son, Spence, began kindergarden at Suquamish Elementary, the first year of his public school experience.  Our youngest son, Jeff, was three years old then, and I  had recently transitioned away from my nursing job in Seattle, to become a full-time "Home-Maker". By a gift of good fortune, I was then able to begin studying Art, in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Students, Weaving Nature, Workshops Tagged With: 5th graders, Camp Indianola, cedar mat wall hangings, cultural art, environmental education, Stillwaters, Suquamish Elementary, Suquamish tribe, Western red cedar

Clam Shell Rattle Necklaces

May 24, 2014 By Melinda

2014Odyssey

I was delighted to be invited by teacher, Peggy Koivu, to share the cultural art and science story that my practice of art imparts, with her first and second graders at their Environmental Education Camp retreat. Part of the Bainbridge Island Public School system, this was a class from their Odyssey Program, an alternative program involving lots of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Students, Weaving Nature, Workshops Tagged With: Bainbridge Island, clam basket, clam shell rattle necklace, cultural art, Ed Carriere, Environmental Science, first and second graders, First Peoples, Katie Jennings, Media Alley, Odyessy Program, Pacific Northwest, Peggy Koivu, public schools, Small Plant Fiber Projects, spring, Suquamish elder

Images – 2011 Workshop At NCI

July 16, 2012 By Melinda

8-6-11 Linda and Nicole hard at work

I'm embarrassed it has taken me a full year to find these pictures in my computer.  Sometimes I do dream of having a personal secretary, but since that isn't likely, I hope you will stay tuned for upcoming entries with pictures from the North Cascades Institute 2011 workshop.  I still remember clearly how hard everyone worked, taking the natural … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, Students, Workshops Tagged With: 2011 Class, Artistic Weaving With Western Red Cedar, cedar bark, cultural art, inspiring, Lake Diablo, North Cascades Institute, preparation of Western Red Cedar, retreat, students, weaving, workshop

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  • Bare Bones Abstracts
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  • October 2020 London Craft Week at J&M Davidson
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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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