Austrian Delight
Peeled and Dyed Willow (twining, randing, wailing)
Stowe Basketry Festival 2025
Stowe, VT
Design by Bonnie Gale.
This is an advanced willow basket distinguished by its intricate structure and flowing form. Built on an oval split-stick base, it features waling and French randing along the sides, and two additional rods form a raised border that creates a woven foot. Contrasting willow adds visual rhythm, while a wrapped handle completes this elegant, technically complex piece.
I made this piece in a class with Bonnie Gale. Bonnie is an acclaimed master willow artist, traditional basketmaker, and educator based in Norwich, New York. With over four decades of experience, she is widely recognized for pioneering large-scale living willow structures—functional, growing architectural installations such as domes, tunnels, and arches woven from live plant material. She holds degrees in City Planning and Landscape Architecture, which she integrates into her uniquely complex construction and weaving patterns.
