Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

Lushootseed Speakers

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Last weekend I had the privilege of teaching Cordage-Making to participants of the fourth annual Lushootseed Speakers Conference, held at Seattle University. I don't know the words yet to describe what it was like to be in a room filled with with speakers of an ancient living language. My best attempt would be to imagine myself sitting near water, … [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