Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

Spring is Coming?

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For three weeks now, the Autumnalis cherry has been blooming, in spite of freezing temperatures and dustings of snow.  With only a few degrees of encouragement, the delicate rose and white helibores that lay prostrate just days ago, are today happily standing up again.  The 'Christmas Cheer' rhododendron in our hedgerow has been in full blossum … [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