Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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Bloedel Reserve Residency Notes #2

July 5, 2023 By Melinda

I am grateful to be in the fellowship of writers, poets, scientists, culture keepers, composers and art-makers of all types, as a participant in the 2023 Bloedel Reserve’s Creative Residency Program. There I was able to completely loose track of all the usual markers of time in my life. For me, the gift of time for reflection and discovery is an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, Community, News, Plants and Places, Upcoming, Weaving Nature Tagged With: Appendix X Funds, artist residency, Bloedel Reserve, English ivy, grateful, gratitude, Nootka Rose, Pacific Northwest plant materials, Scholar in Residence, Scholar in Residence 2023, Suquamish Nation, Suquamish tribe

Greetings in 2012

February 20, 2012 By Melinda

I'm taking baby-steps to learn how to use this web-site.  I hope you'll be patient and check back now and again.  Early spring is upon us here in the Pacific Northwest.  The tiniest hazelnut blooms are appearing as their beautiful catkins dangle prominently below the blossoms.  I know it's cool and moist here, and can be quite gray, but January is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: eagles, gratitude, greetings, new work, new year, winter

December

December 7, 2011 By Melinda

As the solstice quietly approaches and the natural light diminishes, it seems quite natural to look inward.  I search those creative alcoves and journals, the spaces and places where ideas have been lingering.  Which of these embers will be born into the material world as the daylight returns?  I wonder. Here are some favorite pieces I made in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: gratitude, greetings, sunset, winter

2011 Greetings

January 3, 2011 By Melinda

Sunset

From dawn... to dusk....Greetings to you from Indianola - 2011.   Looking back on 2010, I am grateful to all those who have supported my work: by inviting me as an Artist-in-Residence to teach or give presentations; to those who have provided grants, technology and talent for filming my teacher Ed Carriere; to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Community, Plants and Places Tagged With: art patrons, community, gratitude, students, teachers, winter

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Recent Posts

  • Lissa Hunter’s Take Two Online Workshop
  • Ernestine Hayes – “Here We Are Together – Our Only Future Is a Future Together. As Humans.”
  • Healing Words – Human Values
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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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