Judy Dominic

Check out Judy Dominic's blog for a daily journal of her installation of Orbs at the Indianapolis Art Center! Judy Dominic has created an outdoor installation of 85 willow orbs on the grounds of the Art Center. The orbs range in size and color. The poetically balance between trees, in trees, and next to other sculptures. The globular and pod like forms of randomly interwoven willow evoke worlds, moons, eggs, seeds, cocoons. I hope for more images of the finished installation. There are more images of the process on her Flickr site.

Willow artist from France

The gallery of Ateliers d'Art France site led me to French basket maker, Laurent Weiss. Some of the woven baskets appear to be covered with wattle. Perhaps it is just pigment or paint. Look for the pictures of his atelier. His portraits beam personality. He attended a landscape school and the National School of Wickerwork.

Growing Willow

My husband just planted basketry and furniture willow at our "farm" in Chippewa County. He ordered the willow cuttings from Bonnie Gale of English Basketry Willows in New York State. I met Bonnie Gale in the early 90's during a willow conference near Liverpool, England. The conference featured artists, biologists, craftsmen, urban planners, and business people. At Ness Gardens, we participated in making outdoor sculptures, learning about the great variety of willow types, the many ways of growing willow, and how willow can be used to create sound barrier fences in neighborhoods near busy motorways.

Bonnie has been growing willow since the early 80's and teaches traditional willow basketry skills. She founded the American Willow Growers Network to share information and exchange cuttings. Her page on living willow structures is interesting.

Some of my structures contain willow growing wild on our farm. I will be able to harvest a greater variety soon.