by Stephanie Staples | photos by Kathryn Alvarez Photography –
I will never look at another basket the same way.
It was my first time at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific (HCP) and since I was early for my day-long course, I decided to putter around the grounds and explore. While it wasn’t prime time for gardens, I strolled the grounds and found art, a bustling café, a well-stocked library of gardening books for both adults and children, and a lovely little gift shop which made it quite easy to part with some money. I could imagine how this unique place could attract volunteers, tourists and locals who love getting their hands dirty.
But getting my hands dirty was not on the menu for me today: I had signed up for Basketry! It was one of the many workshops that HCP hosts and this one, led by basket-maven Joan Carrigan, fills up quickly! Joan, a gifted artist who resides on Salt Spring, has been teaching her craft for over 30 years. Participants have come from a long way to learn from her and you can tell she is in her glory as she is smiling almost the entire time she is teaching.
There were first timers in the room (moi) and other experienced weavers of every type and level. I couldn’t quite imagine how basket weaving would take an entire day but in fact the day flew by.
We started off with some history of basket making – no, I had no idea that this was an ancient art and every culture in the world has their own form of basketry, and I sure didn’t know (or ever think about) the fact that every basket we have ever seen has been handmade. Every basket! Nor did I appreciate all the natural fibres that baskets are made of.
Armed, as instructed, with a pair of trusty scissors, an old towel and a spray bottle, I had absolutely no idea how I am going to leave with a basket like what Joan has on display.
But there was no need to worry: Joan had not only a plethora of beautiful, colourful and natural materials to utilize, but also the knowledge of how to teach so that, even non-crafty I, could figure it out.
It’s slow, exacting work but Joan warned us early on that this experience should come with an “addiction warning;” the more seasoned people in the room agreed. It seems that she may have been right because after we chose our colours, soaked our materials and followed her step-by-step guidance (complete with take-home written instructions) we were so engrossed with “in, up, over, around, cross, repeat” – most of us “worked” right through our lunch hour.
I can 100% see why they recommend basket weaving in treatment for, among other things, PTSD. The tactile benefits of the natural fibres, the repetition, the level of concentration (focused but not overly demanding) already feels so good for reducing stress and anxiety and stepping out of the world for a bit. I found it quite easy to get into an almost meditative state while weaving. Additionally, abilities like eye-hand coordination, gross motor skills, creativity and following directions all make for a really great brain-health activity, not to mention connecting with nature and the social aspect when done in a group.
It was quite interesting to watch the perfectionist Type As in the room make their baskets, as opposed to me, a high Type B. My expectations are low and as long as someone can look at my finished product and tell that it was supposed to be a basket, that’s pretty much all I’m going for.
But watching these loops and fibres turn into something that was beginning to look like a real, functional basket was so exciting that upon completion I went directly to Red Barn and filled it up with groceries to ensure it worked! I felt very Red Riding Hood-ish, practically skipping along with pride!
Joan is a full-time basket weaver creating extraordinary pieces that go well beyond baskets. You can tell teaching and educating people on the art jazzes her up just as much as selling her one-of-a-kind pieces. Her joy is palpable when she sees her students learning. She estimates one can get into the craft for a relatively low investment of about $150. You can find more about Joan and her offerings at
www.joancarrigan.com.
If basketry is not your thing, HCP is a great little day trip and has may other learning opportunities available. Find out more about them at www.hcp.ca.
And it’s true: I will never under-value, under-appreciate or look at a basket in the same way again!
