For an excellent showcase of the beauty and variety of colour and form that can be created in willow basketry, head for the Nourish exhibition at the Crafts Study Centre in Farnham.
The 16 exhibitors came together during the Basketmakers’ Professional Development Programme last year, run by Cockpit Arts and funded by the Basketmakers’ Association and Worshipful Company of Basketmakers.
The exhibition was curated by Lois Walpole, whose notices explain the cultural heritage of basketry in the UK, how makers learn their craft, the sustainability of working with willow, and how professional basketmakers are nourished by their work: “In both its traditional and contemporary forms, willow weaving is part of our cultural heritage. By preserving the knowledge and handing down the skills, basketry can be endlessly adapted to meet changing contexts and functions, be they practical or decorative. All of the Nourish makers are playing their part in sustaining this cultural heritage by learning, practising and teaching their craft.”
Nourish runs at the Crafts Study Centre, Farnham, until 29 October 2022.
