I have a sort of basket making wish list, those makers who I would love to be taught by. Fortunately I have just about made it through my UK list, and recently a course with Jenny Crisp took me quite a big step toward that end.
Westhope is a wonderful gem hidden away in the Shropshire countryside very close to Craven Arms. It was established by Anne Dyer, a local land owner and big arts and crafts aficionado, www.westhope.org.uk. The place is filled with examples of hand crafts and fine art going back decades and for those who stay there is the added delight of locally sourced and lovingly cooked food.
Jenny is famous for her behind 3 in front of 5 to 7 border and French style scallomed work. Her work screams perfection and proves that contemporary willow work does not have to be solely abstract. She was taught by David Drew, who always maintains he taught himself, an iconic basket maker currently residing in a cave in France. He instilled in her the importance of selecting material and learning how it responds. You can see this in her work, a real affinity with the willow knowing what will work and how it should be placed.
On our course the making seemed to be secondary, although Jenny said it was important always to keep the image of what you were aiming at in ones mind, it was material and technique that dominated the two days. Making hoops, learning effective knife work, cutting scalloms, selecting material, tools, boards and stools, they became our focus. Magical, a cosy world of busy hands and the hypnotic smell of soaked willow.
Two days, I made one basket, and I would have been just as happy if I had made none, what a course, not just a tick on my list probably top of it.
If you see a course advertised with Jenny Crisp, go on it, www.jennycrisp.co.uk
