Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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Woven Cedar Bark Satchel or Purse

February 18, 2014 By Melinda

Cedar Satchels

Explore the generous nature of the Western Red Cedar tree as you learn the basics of weaving, twining, and cordage-making using the inner bark of cedar, along with other plant fibers held in high regard and used for thousands of years by the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest.  As you create your own small satchel or purse you will also learn … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, Students, Workshops Tagged With: artistic cedar weaving, Artistic Weaving With Western Red Cedar, fiber plants, First Peoples, North Cascades Institute, Pacific Northwest, preparating materials, respectful gathering, Twining, weaving, Weaving With Western Red Cedar

More Pictures From NCI Art Retreat

October 2, 2012 By Melinda

Kathy Puts It All Together

I am a hunter-gatherer of plant materials and I use them for specific fiber technologies.  Because of the rarity of some materials, the time put into the gathering of others, and the painstaking preparation of most of the materials once gathered, I have developed the habit of saving my scraps.  When I met Sue Smith in the late 1980's early 1990's, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, Students, Workshops Tagged With: armatures, cedar bark paper, creative, Creative Arts Retreat, Fall, mixed grass paper, North Cascades Institute, Northwest Landscape, Paper making, plant fibers, recycling materials, Sculptural Basketry and Paper Making, students, surface treatment

2012 Images from NCI Retreat

September 26, 2012 By Melinda

Inspriation Out Our Door

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ncascades/sets/72157631506760027/   Here is a link with the photos that Katie and Jessica took at NCI.   … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, Students, Workshops Tagged With: 2012 Artists Retreat, armature, cedar bark paper, creative, Fall, inspiring, Lake Diablo, mixed grass paper, North Cascades Institute, papermaking, sculptural basketry, students

Art Making in the North Cascades

September 26, 2012 By Melinda

View from Sourdough Falls

I was privileged to be part of a community of wonderful, artistic people this September, at North Cascades Institute, during their annual Art Retreat.  Kristen Gilje, Jocelyn Curry and I, each facilitated classes in our respective art-forms.  We were treated to the best food, all fresh from nearby Skagit Valley farms, prepared by the artisan-chefs. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, News, Workshops Tagged With: armature building, artist retreat, cedar bark paper, Fall, hiking, Jocelyn Curry, Kristen Gilje, mixed grass paper, North Cascades Institute, North Cascades Mountain Range, organic foods, restful, Sculptural Basketry and Papermaking with plants from the NW Landscape, students, surface treatment, workshop

North Cascades Institute 2012

August 28, 2012 By Melinda

A Class Example

http://ncascades.org/signup/programs/weaving-an-artistic-basket Fall is in the air, but it isn't too late to treat yourself to the North Cascades Institute Artist Retreat. Four days of focused creative time surrounded by the North Cascade Mountains as you sit at the edge of Lake Diablo, is an experience that can give inspiration to last you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artistic Uses of Plant Fibers, News, Workshops Tagged With: class, creative, Fall, inspiring, North Cascades Institute, retreat, Sculptural Basketry and Paper Making With Plants From the NW Landscape, students, workshop

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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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