Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

Warning – Pealing Fig Bark Can Cause a Phototoxic Skin Reaction

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Last summer our fig trees needed pruning. So these workers pealed the trimmings last July, using metal butter knives and their nimble fingers. They created some very inventive pouches which smell like the sweetness of figs to this day. But one word of warning!  After working with the fresh bark, please wash your hands very well and … [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