Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

Lessons Learned Through Weaving

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Wooh! No way am I ever going to be a "mad"weaver. But what a great time I had sharing this learning time with IslandWood graduate-student Lucy. We so enjoyed the opportunity to learn from one of my favorite artists, Dawn Walden, who makes the kind of baskets that really do take my breath away.  I won't share any of the humbling moments of this … [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