My Journey: From Cedar-Canvas Canoe to Hand-Crafted Baskets
Welcome to Woven Hues, a journey that began not with a basket, but with a canoe. While restoring a beautiful cedar canvas canoe, I found a profound sense of purpose in the quiet, restorative process of working with my hands. Through re-caning the seats, I became instantly drawn to the art of weaving. I was captivated by the way I could create strength and tension from raw materials, and the beauty that emerged from each intricate weave. This introduction to weaving quickly led me to the world of basket making and the birth of Woven Hues.
The Gradient Collection: The One That Started It All
The Gradient Collection is more than just baskets; it's the very origin of Woven Hues and my deep dive into the art of weaving. Every piece is a testament to my artistic journey, meticulously hand-dyed to create softly blended hunter green gradients contrasted with bold plum accents. Crafted from natural reed, these hand-woven pieces showcase incredible depth and detail, brought to life through contrasting weaving techniques and textures. This collection marks the first full realization of my artistic vision—it's where I learned to hand-dye reed, discovered different weaving techniques, found my unique basket style, and fully embraced my craft.
About the Artist
I'm a self-taught basket weaver with a deep love for nature and craftsmanship. My artistic journey is profoundly shaped by my experiences canoeing, hiking, and camping, especially my deep connection to Algonquin Park. Each piece I create blends traditional techniques with a modern eye for colour, texture, and function, all inspired by the natural world I've come to know so well.
My artistic journey began long before basketry. As a stencil artist, I exhibited my work and was a multiple-time finalist in the Kutz Stencil Awards and Stencil Art Prize. This background in visual art was invaluable, teaching me the principles of layering, creating colour gradients, and developing complex designs. Today, these lessons are woven into every basket I create, blending my past and present creative passions.
My work is rooted in slow, intentional making, creating beautiful, functional pieces that feel timeless yet fresh. I hand-dye my materials, design original patterns, and build every basket from start to finish myself. What makes my work unique is this combination of organic forms, original patterns, and thoughtfully chosen hues that reflect the natural world and the landscapes I've explored.