It’s always interesting to see what happens when the world of film and television turns its attention to a traditional craft. Some screen time can introduce an old skill to a whole new audience, which is just what the craft world needs!
The latest example is Wicker, a film about a fisherwoman who, after many years of being single, decides to have herself a husband made from wicker by the local basketmaker.
Black Bear UK got in touch to arrange a willow-weaving workshop at the Depot Cinema in Lewes on the 1st November, following one of the film’s screenings. The idea was simple: bring people together to make a willow heart of their own, so my aim was to give them a little taste of working with this wonderfully tactile material.
For me, it was also a lovely opportunity to meet people who might not otherwise have come across Marianne van Niekerken as a basketmaker, or Crafty Basketry. I already teach in Lewes, but there are always new people to meet, new connections to make, and perhaps a few future basketmakers waiting to discover what they enjoy making with their hands.
We hear so much about social media these days, and some people are choosing to spend less time on it. So it’s particularly rewarding when opportunities like this come along; meeting people face to face, sharing a craft, and letting a little willow weaving speak for itself.
