Melinda West | West Gardens Basketry

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

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Gathering Cattail

September 13, 2015 By Melinda

I love how a person can take a humble leaf, or a handful of stems or grasses, and learn to manipulate them into vastly useful elements, or objects.  Recently, when two beautiful, handmade cherry wood frames arrived from New York state, in a large box at my door, I had an opportunity to become what in the British Isles is termed a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Plants and Places Tagged With: cattail, curing cattail, curing process, eating cattail, freshwater marsh, gathering, Gathering cattail, June, preparing materials, processing cattail, summer

Sterling Studio Art Sale 2015

August 2, 2015 By Melinda

Twice a year Sydni Sterling opens up her lovely self-built painting studio for an art sale. Each summer, 11 to 4, on the Friday and Saturday of Indianola Days, which is a community festival scheduled on one of the lowest tides in late July or early August, Sydni fills her courtyard garden and studio with her beautiful acrylic paintings. It … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, News Tagged With: Art sale, Indianola Days, new work, Sterling Studdio, summer

Sterling Studio Open 7/31-8/1, 11-4

July 18, 2015 By Melinda

It has been an amazing summer this year in Indianola.  Kids are swimming, jumping off the dock, with lots of extra visiting from friend and family. Sydni Sterling and I will once again spread our art out into her lovely courtyard garden and invite you all to come by and visit with us. We will each likely be working on some pieces in progress so you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, News Tagged With: Indianola Days, new work, open house, Sterling Studio, summer

Heat Spell-New Work

June 28, 2015 By Melinda

It has been unseasonably warm for our part of the world, so it has been a good time to clean out the studio.  Lots of my precious space is taken up by scraps of barks and grasses I save for making paper. Finally, time to cook up the cedar and make paper!  Also it has been a great time to lay out all my found materials, many that my arty friends … [Read more...]

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Bare Bones, cedar paper, maple poles, new work, summer

2015 Summer Art Sale 7/31-8/1

June 8, 2015 By Melinda

Sydni Sterling will have her beautiful paintings, and I'll have a new batch of cedar pouches, boxes, baskets, wall pieces, and jewelry.  We are showing during Indianola Days, from 11-4, Friday and Saturday.  If you like the 'festival experience' with a sand castle contest on the beach, and Salmon bake and dance in the evening, then come on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Artwork, News Tagged With: Indianola Days Art Sale, Indianola Days Exhibit of New Work, summer, Sydni Sterling

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Recent Posts

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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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