November 2008 - Northwest Basket Weavers

New Retreat ’09 Teachers:
Danielle Bodine, Sheila Wray & Marcy Johnson
Our plans for an out-of-region Feature Teacher did not quite work out, but “no hay problema!” - three new teachers
from Washington came to us!
Danielle (pron. Dan-EEL) Bodine, a Tacoma native, had been plying her fiber arts career in Michigan for more than
20 years, but has recently returned to WA and resides on Whidbey Island. With an M.F.A. from University of Michigan,
she has worked in textiles for 30 years: weaving, quilting, needlecraft, silk-screen, and later, with the addition of basketry
techniques, she could literally add another dimension to her work. Currently she enjoys experimenting with paper cast onto
basketry form, and adds her personal flair with wood-burning accents, collage and more. It is not surprising that she and
Nancy Moore Bess are friends, and that this summer Nancy held a workshop at Danielle’s studio. Danielle has had her own
gallery, exhibits around the country, and is featured in 500 Baskets. On the faculty for 15 years at the Birmingham Bloomfield
Art Center in Michigan, she currently offers workshops at the Coupeville Art Center.
Danielle offers two classes at Retreat, both featuring contemporary experimentation with paper on basketry structures,
offering the students endless creative opportunities. Danielle will also give a slide presentation there where we will
learn more about her work, contemporary basketry, with some slides from her recent trip with Nancy Moore Bess in Japan.
Our own Sheila Wray whom many of you have met at Retreat selling Attire and, with Elaine Twogood, running the
Gallery Exhibit, teaches Carole’s Basket, a plaited market basket in ‘oceanic colors’ with fused glass embellishments. Students
even get to have painting fun on the handles! Sheila runs Beyond the Basic Basket in Tacoma, she and Elaine teach
basketry together, and they can be found at the Puyallup and many another craft fair selling their high-quality reed baskets.
Many Seattleites know Marcy Johnson as the owner and operator of the popular Seattle fiber shop Weaving Works.
What many of you don’t know is that Marcy is also a basket-weaver. Like Sheila, Marcy will be teaching another mustknow
basic technique basket - the ribbed Appalachian basket, also known as an egg or melon basket. At Weaving Works
Marcy also teaches wicker basketry, loom weaving, spinning, papermaking, bookbinding, printing, and knitting. She designs
and produces many fiber products and consults with Seattle designer Sara Anderson.
Check out all the other great teachers and classes in the registration packet you should be receiving soon. You have
a second chance to take Rae Hunter’s all-naturals lamp that awed so many of you last year after you saw the finished products.
Weave a Hawaiian lauhala pillow with Sheila Tasker, ply-split with Therese Fisher. So many techniques, materials,
and forms to try! Our other wonderful teachers at Retreat ’09 are Sally Anaya, Polly Adams Sutton, Margaret Mathewson,
Donna Sakamoto Crispin, Marilyn Moore, Vicky Nickelson, Jo Ann Hart, Katherine Lewis, and Kay Harradine.
DOLL IT UP!
Just a reminder to be working on your dolls for the “Doll It Up” competition at the Spring Retreat!! If you are
unable to attend, you may submit your entry by email with a digital photo attached.
And for those that haven’t heard about it: for a donation of $3, you may purchase a doll pin kit from the
Northwest Basket Weavers Guild (will be available at meetings). Dress it up, weave around it, be creative! Only rule is
that the doll is at least 25% of the finished product.
For questions or to purchase a doll, contact Massy or Sally Anaya, 425-271-0647, sallyanaya9@comcast.net.
ANOTHER UPCOMING EVENT!
Friday, January 8, 2009 - Mark your calendars and save this date for a fun-filled day visiting galleries featuring
basketry in correlation with the "Intertwined" exhibition and "A Passion for Baskets" Symposium at Bellevue
Arts Museum. Nancy Moore Bess has agreed to be our tour guide. We plan to visit five participating galleries featuring
basketry and an exhibit that includes members of the N.W. Basket Weavers and NWDC entitled "Containers,
Contained and Content" at the Arts Council of Snohomish County. Details about this tour and how to sign up will be
announced soon. Please check the website page listing all of the January events on www.nwbasketweavers.org/
jan09event.
Northwest Basket Weavers / Vi Phillips Basketry Guild
November 08
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