2021 Wild Basketry Workshop Series with Katie Grove

2021 Wild Basketry Workshop Series

A 9 Class Exploration of Natural Basketry with Katie Grove from May - Dec 2021

Knotless Netted Bags With Dogbane, Basswood, And Milkweed Fiber

Demonstrating The Processing Of Dogbane Stalks

04207 291A1724 Stefan.lisowski@warui.com

Gathering Grapevine For Basket Weaving Tree 03

Folded Birch Bark Baskets With Katie Grove

Harvesting Dogbane And Milkweed In The Field

Are you inspired to develop a deep connection to the art of basketry and the abundant plant materials in our natural landscape? Do you want to learn how to go out into the forests and fields, identify and gather materials, and weave baskets? Join this 9 class program to connect to your creative self and the natural world while learning the ancient skill of basketry.

COVID ADJUSTMENTS

In the wake of Covid 19 I am making some adjustments to the 2021 class schedule and to the registration process which will hopefully be supportive to you all in still uncertain times. This includes starting the program later than usual (may instead of april) and holding the class exclusively outdoors. I am also in an MFA program that is meeting the entire month of June so we are unable to have a class that month. This means classes will be closer together- but the more basketry the better! I am also asking for a reduced deposit and extending the timeframe for refunds if you decide you don’t feel comfortable participating (due to covid concerns) even after signing up for a spot. The 2020 class was amazingly supportive and flexible and we had an wonderful series, despite the uncertainty of the times. In fact it was a resounding consensus that it was incredibly nourishing to be gathering in community (albeit 6 feet apart) and sharing in the connective experience of learning to make baskets with the plants that grow all around us. I look forward to continuing to share the experience with a whole new group in 2021.

If you have any questions at all please email me at katiegroveart@gmail.com

– Katie

THURSDAY CLASS - Wild Basketry 1 2021

Location: Stone Ridge, NY, 12484 and various harvesting locations in the area. Addresses upon registration.

Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Cost: $725.00 – $900.00 sliding scale.

Dates: 9 THURSDAY workshops from May to December 2021

May 27th

July 8th

July 29th

August 19th

September 9th

September 30th

October 21st

November 11th

December 2nd

CLASS IS FULL– Email me at Katiegroveart@gmail.com if you want to get on a wait list.

SATURDAY CLASS - Wild Basketry 1 2021

Location: Private residences in Stone Ridge NY 12484. and surrounding locations. Addresses upon registration.

Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Cost: $725.00 – $900.00 sliding scale.

Dates: 9 SATURDAY workshops from May to December 2021

May 29th

July 10th

July 31st

August 21st

September 11th

October 2nd

October 23rd

November 13th

December 4th

CLASS IS FULL– Email me at Katiegroveart@gmail.com if you want to get on a wait list. If the waitlist gets big enough I may add another Saturday class series so don’t hesitate to reach out.

2021 Payment Information and Policies

Payment:

$725.00 – $900.00 sliding scale. ($80 – $100 per workshop day).

– Includes 9 full day workshops, materials, handouts on the techniques covered, and guidance on projects outside of workshops.

– Payment is offered as a sliding scale system to continue to make this program accessible. Please feel comfortable choosing a price that is within your financial means. As a comparison, almost all single day workshops I teach in collaboration with other venues are $85-$135 including materials fees.

Details on payment dates and deposits will be in the welcome email you will receive after registering.

Payment Schedule

Teaching basketry is the way that I make a living. I do my best to be supportive on payment policies and refunds if someone decides to drop out, but also need to be sure that I am able to continue to do this work. The policies below are what I have settled on to maintain a balance. In the spirit of transparency I want to say that it is difficult for me to write these- my instinct is to do whatever it takes to support someone in coming to my classes, but it is important that I have policies in place in case anything comes up. I really do try to be flexible so please reach out if you have any concerns about signing up or if anything comes up, such as a family emergency or illness, that is going to impact your ability to participate after you sign up.

January 30th – Due date for $ 150 -$200 deposit or full payment if you are able

April 15th – Due date for remainder of class fee

May 1st- Last day for refunds of deposit or full class fee if you decide to drop out

Cancellation Policies

If you decide you are not able to attend the class before May 1st you will receive a full refund.

If you decide you are not able to attend the class after May 1st and before May 22nd ( 1 week before the start of the series) please check in with me. If there is someone on the waitlist that wants your spot or if you are able to find someone to replace you then you will receive a full refund. If there is not I am not able to provide a refund, but if there are open spots in the next year’s class you would be eligible to attend that year instead (in 2022 in this case.) However, I am not able to guarantee that there will be an open spot the next year. You will have to wait until the normal signup period for that year is up.

If you decide you are unable to participate after May 22nd (1 week before the series begins) I am not able to provide a refund and you will not be eligible to defer your attendance to the next year. This goes as well if you decide to drop out after the series begins. In this case you can still try to find a friend to take your spot.

Payment Plans

If you would like to request a payment plan please reach out to me and I am happy to accommodate. Typically people will do the deposit, an installment by the April due date, and then one or two more payments over the summer. We can discuss to decide what works for you.

Please note if you are on a payment plan and decide to drop out after 1 week before the series starts you will still be responsible for the remainder of payments.

In this 9 month journey you will...

Gain a well rounded understanding of the basic basketry techniques: twining, plaiting, coiling, ribbed basketry, twined bags, cordage, and more.

Work with a variety of materials, including grapevines, honeysuckle, wisteria, white pine bark, inner tree bark (ash, tulip tree, red maple, elm, etc.), cattails, grasses, iris leaves, dogbane, nettle, basswood fiber, willow, red osier dogwood, spruce root, and more depending on availability.

Get hands on experience identifying, finding, harvesting, preparing, and processing these local plant materials out in the field.

Receive expert guidance as you make a multitude of baskets.

Explore the deeper meanings of working with plants and basketry through readings and discussion

Be a part of a community as we walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and harvest gratefully from the earth to make one of the most culturally meaningful objects in history: the basket.

Example Course Schedule

Creating this program was a dream of mine for so long that it is hard to believe it is in its fifth year! Seeing the community of basket makers that has formed around it and blossomed has been absolutely incredible. It is clear to me at this point in my life that introducing people to the plants of my region and guiding them in making beautiful baskets with those plants is my soul’s work. I love teaching single day workshops and am always impressed with my student’s enthusiasm and desire to learn more about the plants and the process. I often leave those workshops with a longing to go deeper into the art of basketry with those students — to go out together and harvest plants, process materials, and really dedicate time to the process. That is the seed from which this program grew.

**One of the beautiful things about using natural materials is that we must follow the ebb and flow of the seasons and work with what is available. The below layout is tentative and subject to change depending on material availability and what our group is interested in working on. No matter what the exact schedule, participants can expect to complete 5 – 10 baskets in many different styles of baskets and techniques**

Day 1, April – Intro to Basketry and Pine Bark Baskets- Harvest red osier dogwood, process a white pine tree, make folded white pine bark baskets.

Day 2, May – Inner Bark Harvesting – Learn to remove inner bark from a respectfully harvested tree, process materials, learn cordage making, begin weaving a bark basket

Day 3, June – Woven Bark Basket – Cut and split bark strips from what we harvested on day 2, continue weaving our first project: a medium size bark basket using regular weave, twill and twining

Day 4, July – All About Vines and Weaving Ribbed Baskets- Harvest bittersweet, grapevine, and more to create a frame for ribbed baskets. Begin putting the basket together and weaving this two day project

Day 5, August – Continue Ribbed Baskets – Continue weaving ribbed baskets using the vines, bark, and other materials we have harvested so far.

Day 6, September – Coiled Basketry and Harvest – Harvest and process cattails, grasses, and other seasonally available materials. Make a coiled basket.

Day 7, October- Diagonal Plaited Cattail Basket – learn the versatile technique of diagonal plaiting using cattails.

Day 8, November – Individual Projects – Choose a technique you felt drawn to, or a new technique, and deepen your relationship to it through a guided individual project. You can also work on unfinished projects from days you may have missed.

Day 9, December – Wild Fibers and Celebration- Harvest dogbane, and other fiber and learn knotless netted bag making. Celebrate our time together with a potluck lunch.

Getting out in nature: hands on harvesting

During this workshop you will learn how to weave baskets. But equally as important and rewarding you will get experience actually harvesting and processing plants. Most of our focus will be on weaving, but on a few class days we will be taking half day field trips to gather materials together. This means we will be spending time out in nature pulling vines out of trees and walking in marshes to harvest cattails. Be prepared to get your hands dirty and have fun! If you have an physical restrictions or injuries or anticipate any difficulty in the physically demanding aspects of the experience then let me know before signing up. There are many aspect to harvesting and if you are unable to wrestle grapevines out of trees then it is equally as valuable to help coil and process them. However, you should be prepared to spend the entire day outside. Working together is the key. Feel free to contact me with any questions about this part of the workshop.

What does it look like to spend a day weaving?

To see some examples of baskets and student experiences from the 2017 and 2018 programs check out the blog posts below or visit my current/past workshops page. There is such an amazing array of students that take my classes and I’m always impressed with the creativity and individuality that comes out when a person sits down and allows themselves the time to make something beautiful with their hands.