Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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Indigenous Beauty Exhibit at SAM

March 5, 2015 By Melinda

Anyone interested in the high art forms of our North American Indigenous Peoples will appreciate this rare exhibit of the Diker Collection at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). In conjunction with this exhibit, on February 28, SAM brought in professional storytellers, dancers and musicians from many native communities who shared throughout the day; … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Students, Weaving Nature, Workshops Tagged With: all ages community day, drop by art making, Nature Necklaces, SAM, Seattle Art Museum, Small Plant Fiber Projects, students, weaving projects table

Seattle Art Museum-Feb 28, 2015

February 14, 2015 By Melinda

Project examples by Melinda West

I'll be bringing in some of nature's winter gifts for a kid-friendly hands-on experience at the Seattle Art Museum, on Community Day, Feb 28, 2015.  I'll be there from 10 til 3.  There will be wonderful story-telling and dancing to celebrate the Indigenous Beauty exhibit. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Students, Weaving Nature, Workshops Tagged With: Indigenous Beauty, Nature necklace, SAM, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Art Museum Community Day, Small Plant Fiber Projects, The Diker Collection, weaving projects table

Salmon Return Festival Sept 7, 2013

August 30, 2013 By Melinda

Gathering Cattails at Suquamish Basket Marsh

For more information:  https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/calendar/eventDetail.asp?eventID=26281 I hope you can come to the upcming Salmon Return Festival, a Fall-FamilyFriendly-Free-Fun-Festival at Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle Washington, Saturday September 7, 2013, from 10 to 3 pm. Amoung many other fun free things to do and see at this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Students, Weaving Nature, Workshops Tagged With: cattail, drop-in art project, Fall, Family programs, Olympic Sculpture Park, Pacific Rim Peoples, Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, weaving, weaving cattail Salmon

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Recent Posts

  • Local History – Interview With Barbara Ann Lawrence – Suquamish Tribal Cultural Teacher and Storyteller
  • Porch Papermaking With Food Plants – Cardoon and Kale
  • Paper from the Ditch – Weathered Reed Canary Grass
  • Late Winter Papermaking – Mixing Siberian Iris Leaves and Lichens
  • More Spring Porch Papermaking – With Ivy Leaves

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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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Melinda West and basket, Indianola WA

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