Random Weave with Polly Pollock

Tuesday 24th, Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th June

Cost £320 suitable for all levels, beginners welcome, 9.30am-4.30pm (8 students)

This course would probably be most suited to students who’ve never done random weave before so could be interesting to students who’ve never done any basketry before and/or students with basketry experience but not random weave – it’s a pretty straightforward technique after the basic principles have been learned!   It’s a technique which gives a lot of scope for experimentation ….

Random Weave is a very versatile technique.  Its roots are in Japanese Ikebana basketry traditions, but it’s a relatively new approach to making basketry outside Japan, which over the past 10 years or so has become an increasingly popular technique to explore.

It has many similarities to the way weaver birds construct their beautiful and intricate nests.

The technique can be used to create very simple or far more complex work. When worked very small it can be used to make jewellery, for example beads, or scaled up it can be used to create large sculptural pieces and installations – and much in-between.

On this three day course you’ll make a minimum of two basketry pieces.  You’ll learn the essentials on your first piece, working with glossy lapping cane, then move on to working with paper yarn to learn more about the technique.  You’ll also be able to explore some of the following : weave density, texture, scale, colour and more.

Like many basketry techniques, Random Weave is slow and meditative allowing time for contemplation and experimentation, but once the basics are learned, ; it offers enormous potential for experimentation and innovation.