During this two-day workshop, students will create a beautiful round basket from willow using traditional basketry techniques. Participants will learn to construct a basket with a circular base, a rounded or sharp-angled upsett, a choice of side weaves, and a woven border. Time permitting, students may also weave a complementary handle.
By the end of the workshop, each student will leave with a beautiful, sturdy willow basket. This class is open to all experience levels, and no prior basketry or weaving experience is required. Students who have previously taken a willow weaving class are welcome to revisit the same basket style or explore a different type of round basket.
Please note that willow can be physically demanding to work with. Those with hand injuries, arthritis, or limited hand strength may find some aspects of the weaving process challenging.
Date
Friday, January 30th, 2027
Saturday, January 31st, 2027
Time
10:00-5:00 pm ET
Location
TATTER Textile Library: 505 Carroll Street, #2B, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Cost
$450
Class Materials
All materials will be provided.
Our Teacher
Jes Clark (they/them) is the farmer and weaver at Willow Vale Farm in Stanfordville, NY. Jes weaves traditional and contemporary functional pieces, and the basket forms created are a result of their conversation with each stick of willow. Much of their work is custom-made to measure and reflects Jes’s math-loving sensibility colliding against their desire for organic textures and forms. All of their willow is grown without pesticides using regenerative practices and with loving care.
Jes has been teaching weaving since 2018 and has taught hundreds of students ranging from absolute beginners to experienced weavers looking to refine their craft. They have taught at the Stowe Basketry Festival, for the National Basketry Organization, and at the Met Cloisters, just to name a few, as well as privately in one-on-one tutorials. Jes has woven a set of three baskets entitled ‘i am made to hold’ for Our Fragile Moment, an exhibition of artists to address the climate crisis. You can discover more of their work at instagram.com/willowvalefarm and www.willowvale.farm