Jeanette Gray – Weaving Wild

I began weaving in 2012 when I attended my first willow basketry course- it was love at first basket! Since then I have attended several short courses and recently completed a 2 year professional training in basketry from City Lit College in London.

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 Although I am originally from Scotland, I now live in Machynlleth Mid Wales, where I make baskets to sell and offer courses locally. I specialise in using wild materials gathered from the landscape.

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I use weaving as a way of engaging with individuals and various community groups who want to learn practical skills, connect to heritage and landscape and explore their relationship with the natural world.

I believe that weaving is a tactile way of approaching the issues facing our planet- by working with local materials, we come to experientially understand the value of our natural world. Hand skills and time outdoors also have huge therapeutic value and impact on our mental health. Basketry also opens up a way of connecting with our complex heritage- through the use of local materials combined with weaving techniques from all over the world I think we can explore ideas around home, place and land rights. I love the way in which skills are passed between cultures and have been for thousands of years.  Current political issues make these timely ideas worth exploring. 

With a basis in traditional skills, but with a mind to community involvement and innovation I feel passionately that basketry offers opportunities to create dynamic and socially engaged projects.

• Basketry
• Natural Fibres
• Rush (Basketry)
• Willow (Basketry)