Basket Making at the Medieval Faire

 I will be Thetford Hill's resident basketmaker for the day. Come visit me and take a step back in time as you enjoy the food, fun and festivities of the Medieval Faire!

Autumn in Vermont and My Wonderful World of Willow Weaving

 Yes, Autumn has settled in here in the Green Mountain State, making the mountains not so much green as gorgeous shades of yellow, orange and red. I have been driving very slowly these past few weeks so that I can look at the foliage around me, and still stay on the road and in my own lane even...

But this post is not about how beautiful it is here in Vermont this time of year.

It is about the three events I have recently participated in...

Basket making on Antique Hill at the Tunbridge World's Fair then willow weaving sculptures at Sculptural Visions at St. Gaudens in Cornish, New Hampshire and then back to Tunbridge for the VT Sheep and Wool Festival.

At all of these I was blessed to meet some wonderful people... other basketmakers, artists and sculptors, Anglophiles and actual English natives, folks interested in the species Salix for it's sustainability and many uses and even the new owners, at the Vt. Willow Nursery stopped by for a chat.

From my heart, a huge thank you to the folks who invited me to participate in these events and to all the people who came to see me, to share in a conversation and maybe even to weave a little willow.

My heart is full.

A few pictures for you to enjoy...

from Antique Hill, at The Tunbridge World's Fair, Tunbridge, VT ❤ 15-18 September 2022

If you ask me to wear a costume and make a basket outside on a brisk Autumn day with the smell of wood smoke in the air AND spend the day talking to people too, well then, I am one happy camper!

presenting ... ... 'Susie Ingalls Wilder' weaving an 'Apple Basket'.

(go ahead... laugh if you want to :-)

                                               

Sculptural Visions at St. Gaudens in Cornish, NH  ❤ 24 September 2022

People had a fun time adding weeping willow branches to my willow sheep!

  

  

  

and last but not least, the VT Sheep and Wool Festival, Tunbridge, VT ❤ 1-2 October 2022

and that my friends is the end of a very, very happy month of activities! I loved every second of my time with each person who stopped by for a chat at all these events.

Now, to get a bit more willow weaving done before the water in my soaking tank freezes solid...

Wishing you all a very Happy Autumn wherever you are in the world and hoping you make time to do something you love to do as much as I love weaving willow.

love and hugs all around-

susie

Fall is in the air...

It has been almost 2 years since my last post here. Much has happened between then and now in the world at large, and in my life. Just here today to let you know there IS a light at the end of the tunnel! And that my usual fall demos and workshops are all expected to be happening this year. Here they are: 

Friday, August 12, 2022

League of NH Craftsmans Annual Fair

The event is open 10 AM – 5 PM daily, rain or shine.

Lake Sunapee Resort-Newbury NH.

Look for the Northeast Basketmakers Guild

 

 Thursday-Sunday, September 16-19, 2022

Tunbridge Worlds Fair

Tunbridge, Vermont

Look for basketmaking, and a slew of other traditional craft demonstrations up on Antique Hill.

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Sculptural Visions

Saint-Gaudens NHP

Cornish, New Hampshire

Saturday and Sunday, October 1-2, 2022

Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival

Tunbridge, Vermont

Let There Be Light!

This idea has been rolling around in my brain for a long, long time. And, I have made various attempts at starting, but ended up taking apart and starting over.

It was kind of  race against time and the weather for me this fall. The space I had at home for my willow soaking tank has not been available to me at all this year (plus I have been rather preoccupied with the whole downsizing selling and dispersing of stuff) but, I found a temporary alternative location to set the tank up in September and so set about making as many baskets, bases, wreaths etc as I could before the temperatures started to dip below freezing here in VT.

This was the last willow project before I... sold my willow soaking tank to a guy who makes maple syrup with his little boy. It has gone to a good home and in the spring they will have fun together collecting sap and making syrup. And, by then, I sincerely hope I will be heading towards something better too.

So here it is...

 

I love the shadows it casts on the walls and ceiling!

What do you think?

I am currently working on a tabletop version covered with paper that gives it a whole different effect and will post a pic when it is finished!

In the meantime, I have been wiring and glittering pine cones that I collected in the woods next to my studio, for decorations on my willow wreaths. A sticky, messy and time consuming job indeed. But, very satisfying too!

I definitely, definitely love glitter!!

For those of you here in the USA--wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

lots of love-

susie

Willow Basket Making

 

 everyone!

Yesterday, my friend Kalyn came to my studio and we had a fun day of basket making. We had made the basket base last week, so the sides and top were on the days agenda.

Getting started-the stakes are in and working on the upset

 

I split some willow and experimented with using that for weaving. I like the idea of it and love splitting willow; something I have only ever done in the springtime with freshly harvested willow. I found it to be just as easy with rehydrated willow. And just as enjoyable.

While I have the opportunity, I think I will split a bit more so I can experiment more with that over the winter. You can sort of see it the split willow (looks white) on my basket on the left.

  

Beginning the rim...

Kalyn was pretty pleased with her results! 

As always with anything willow related is for me, it was an enjoyable day.

Growing up I remember going to 'the dump' with my Dad. That was the terminology used for what we refer to as 'transfer stations' where I live now... a place to bring trash and recycling. Only, way back then we just dumped it all in one big pile, no sorting, nothing. This meant that if someone had 'dumped' something that my Dad imagined he could use, repurpose or that might come in handy 'some day' it would come back home with us, thus making my Mom sputter a bit. These treasures generally found a home in my Dad's workshop in the basement and yes, sometimes re-emerged in the future in their repurposed form.

I am my fathers daughter. After the basketmaking cleanup was finished yesterday I sorted thru the 'discard' pile and ended up with several small bundles of willow... some that can be used for lantern making, all the fine little tips that I will experiment with to make a coil basket this winter and some larger diameter pieces I have some ideas for. Then there was a small pile of various sized pieces that I could not imagine a use for, so into the trash they went. 

Awhile later as I sat drinking a cup of tea at my drafting table and thinking about writing this post I had an idea so dug some of those willow pieces out of the trash (they were just sitting there right on top after all) for this...

and the 'HI' at the beginning...

I cannot promise they will go back in the trash... I will let you know.

What creative stuff have you been up to lately? I would love to hear from you, leave me a comment!

be well-

susie

con·tem·po·ra·ne·ous

 /kənˌtempəˈrānēəs/

Learn to pronounce

adjective: contemporaneous

1. existing or occurring in the same period of time.
2. 
   

I am seeing light at the end of that downsizing tunnel I have been in these last 5 months or so. And, consequently have been spending less time trying to disperse belongings and more time in the studio with my creative cap on... finishing projects I had started, trying out some new things and in general, just taking a big deep breath in and letting it out slowly. Enjoying my moments. And. My contemporaneous activities.

Let me start with this. I stop at this sign practically every day if I leave home. I am not sure when the modification happened. It may very well have been there for a long while, but, if it has been, I have missed it in the addled brain state I have been in. So, I of course had to google Diana Ross and the Supremes when I got to my computer... This is a classic: Stop, in the Name of Love

On October 10th I spent the morning with a handful of others folks walking around Hartford, VT on a tree id walk with the Hartford Tree Board. It was just so, so nice to hang out with other human beings in real life for a change. It was sunny and warm. A perfect Autumn day. I got to brush up on my tree id skills and was reintroduced to Silver Maple, which I now realize I see often along my commute and never really new what it was! I remember Silver Maple getting a bad rap during my early days as a landscape designer, but the specimen we looked at on a historic property in the center of town was very impressive indeed. I picked up these leaves wandering around outside my studio. Can you identify what trees they came from?

Do you remember that I borrowed a loom back in March or April and was working on making place mats using my old gym t-shirts that no longer fit...Let's not talk about why the don't fit, ok? So, being my first time warping a real loom and not really knowing what I was doing I was about 1/2 way thru the first place mat when I realized I had things upside down and backwards. Maybe just upside down. Or, maybe just backwards. I'm not really sure. At any rate, this particular loom has little wood thingies on the sides that are meant to hold the heddle in place when its in the 'down' position. I think. Thereby making a gap (shed) in the strings (warp) to push the shuttle (holds the weaving yarn) through. Maybe go watch a YouTube video of weaving if this is not making sense to you, although, I will say I watched a YouTube video of loom setup and still got it wrong... so I don't know...

My first place mat turned out pretty good and I was anxious to use it, so, instead of weaving place mat #2, I CUT OFF place mat #1. Yes. This left all the warp threads dangling and in need of reattaching. (If I knew how to insert a little emoticon in blogspot I would insert here the one that has the big bug eyes and hair sticking straight up and is blue and looks like it is going to blow up.)

To make a long story, only slightly shorter. I did manage to get the warp reattached and the 2nd place mat woven with the last inch or so being very, very troublesome. (That emoticon again). But here they are. And it was time for a much needed cup of tea after tying all those strings to make that fringe. I did really enjoy the process of weaving; and found it relaxing despite the problems I created for myself along the way. Don't you love all the colorful fringe?!

You should know by now. I. Love. Willow. And, I am happy to report that I have a temporary relocation of my soaking tank so have been making up for lost time and weaving basket bases (they take up less storage space) and wreaths which I hope I might sell somewhere locally. I also have one student who is my guinea pig for me teaching basket making. We spent an afternoon last week for her to make a base and we will do the rest of the basket this week.

Also have been trying to use up some of my wool roving (dyed with kool aid with my after school kids last year!) felt, embroidery floss, beads and other embellishments. Here's some of my experimentation thus far.

 

And last but not least--in fact, saving the best for last. A thing of beauty. The Underwoodsman in England I was fortunate to spend some time with and learn from has been teaching courses on wood shingle making along with all the other traditional woodland crafts for 27 + years now. The last 10 years or so, he has been making and storing up wood shingles that are now beautifully displayed atop a roof!  A work of art. And, a testament to his traditional craft skills, perseverance and vision. Proper job John Waller. Hats off to you.

And that's all for now folks.

Love,

susie

(Recycled Plastic) ART IN THE PARK 'Something Fishy'

A few weeks back, on a beautiful Autumn day here in my corner of the world. I spent part of the morning with a few other artists installing sculptures on the South Royalton green.

The idea was to use recycled plastic, and while my piece is not entirely plastic, it is created from parts of previous sculptures that have been recycled. Multiple times.

In 2016 the Woodstock History Center hosted a community event where we gathered for an afternoon of willow hoop making and me sharing about the amazing plant species Salix (willow). I then created a sculpture “Spirit” for Sculpturefest 2016, in Woodstock.

That piece remained standing until I disassembled it in fall of 2018. By that time the willow hoops had weathered, but were still strong; the plastic ties had almost completely lost their integrity.

Then, I reused the same hoops, with new plastic ties to create another sculpture “Blobert Revisited” for Sculpturefest 2018.

And another reuse of that same sculpture last year for LandArt Lab 2019 at the King Farm in Woodstock “Blobert Revisited 2”. The balls are encapsulated in 100% wool netting, hand-made in the same way fisherman have created netting thru the centuries. 

Do you know about 'the great pacific garbage patch'? Here's a link to a national geopgraphic website about it...

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/

And another link about an innovative ongoing cleanup effort.

https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/wilson-update-tweaking-the-system/


I had originally, in my mind's eye the idea of a pod with the ball inside as the 'seed' (think GMO). But when all was said and done, and much to my surprise, there was no mistaking the shape that emerged was definitely animal not vegetable.

To create 'Something Fishy' I took apart the previous sculpture in large sections and then lashed them together using fresh willow withies to encapsulate the pink ball.

My intent, in this piece, and all the works before it is to provide an opportunity for people to think about their relationship with plastic vs. natural materials.

What words come to your mind about the plastic parts? What words come to mind about the willow? Are your thoughts based on the way they look? Their durability? Some other factor?

I would love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment!

I will close with some pics of the other Art in the Park...

'til next time. Love to you, susie