Classes I am Teaching at NCBA 2013: The Case for Baskets

I love teaching at NCBA Convention! This year, it is called "The Case for Baskets" (coordinated by Katie Lake,) and will run March 21-24.  I am teaching 3 classes...but only if someone signs up for them! Is it too late to sign up??? Not at all!
DEADLINE EXTENSION >>>>Sign up for classes until December 28!  
Yay!
Find the full course offerings and register online on the NCBA Website for the greatest ease of class selection!

Here are some more photos and descriptions of the classes I am offering!  Hope to see you there!

Random Weave Garden Basket

Class #1  Random Weave Garden Basket 
 I have taught this basket for the past two years at convention, and my class has been full both times. We have so much fun in this class, i am so looking forward to teaching it again!  

Random Weave Garden Basket

 See some of the photos posted last year on Facebook of weavers and their work in this class!

Random Weave Garden Basket

 As you can see, there are LOTS Of variations in this free form weaving class. And for most people, here is an opportunity to work with a completely new material!  Fun for all!

Random Weave Garden Basket

Page 19 (Low-Odd Pages)
Friday 8-12am
FR464
Random Weave Garden Basket 
4 hours
All levels
$30
13” x 16” x 13” w/o handle varies

Random weave is so much fun! Make a great wall pocket for a plant, or a handled basket, or use your imagination to make your own shape.  These baskets are fabulous accents in the garden or on a porch, and function beautifully as planters.  Lovely bamboo-like pullet vine is novel and wonderful to handle!  Some people weave more than one basket in this class.

Painted Tapestry Window

 Class #2  Painted Tapestry Window
 This is a beautiful wearable piece, completely one of a kind! Very personalizable and creative, can be made almost any color you like, as we will be painting it!

Painted Tapestry Window

  I can't wait for this one!  Additional weaving windows are available in my MakeABasket.etsy.com shop, and of course will be available in class.

Painted Tapestry Window

Page 27 (high-odd pages)
Saturday, 9am - 4pm
SA666
Painted Tapestry Window
6 hours
All Levels 
$35
approx. 2”, will vary

Weave a great tapestry style necklace, supported on a hand formed stoneware frame, using 4-ply waxed linen. Add variety to your weaving by painting the waxed linen, and choosing to add your own special pattern of stripes, checkers or tapestry sections.  Each person’s weaving will be unique, both in color and shape.   Recommended tools: personal light, magnifier, tiny clips and sharp scissors.

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Class #3 Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Here is a beautiful heart necklace that is both easy to learn and teaches a great skill - that of capturing an irregular object in free form weaving.  Yes, I will have additional pottery hearts for you, if you like them.  I make them myself!

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Page 33 (high-odd pages)
Sunday, 8am - 10 am
MB10 This is a mini-bonus class, so it does not count towards your 16 hours of class!
Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace
2 hours
Beginner
$20
1 ½” x 2 ¼” without neck cord

Elegantly Simple Heart Necklace

Weave beautifully understated waxed linen knotless netting over a hand crafted, wonderfully irregular pottery heart. Results in an exquisitely simple and elegant necklace, perfect for Valentine’s Day, bridal, and gift giving. Color choices.






So there you have it!  I would love to weave one (or all!) of these with you.  And, to other NCBA teachers: I am happy to publish your photos and descriptions of your classes in my blog, just send them to me at basketsbypamela@gmail.com .

See you there !  Pamela

Bug A Bug A Bug

When my youngest son was small, he loved bugs...and i used to say to him "bug a bug a bug" all the time...i don't know why. But this grew into a nickname, and bugs have never been the same around our house.

It is nice to know others like them too.

Here is testimonial to that. Another gorgeous basket by Geraldine Kiser.

She says, "This one went to another daughter, Ellen. Ellen has loved bugs of ALL kinds since before she could talk. I have NO idea why, it's just Ellen. When she was little I told her the house was sprayed for bugs so if she brought them in they would die. She happily transported bugs OUT of the house all the time! At age 27 she still LOVES bugs!"

The basket is so pretty, Geraldine, and how wonderful that you chose something she loves so much to combine with your talent for coiling.

Of course the base was purchased in my MakeABasket etsy shop. You might find a few bugs there still, if you are interested (or frogs, or lizards, etc.) To find a particular motif, to to the search box at the top of the page in my etsy shop and type in a search word. Make sure "this shop" is selected from the drop down menu before you search! I accept requests, as well!

Geraldine has started a new blog, you may find baskets there too! Check it out: http://gdinespicoftheday.blogspot.com/

Another Giveaway! For Basketmakers!

Here is another giveaway, just for you! This one will appeal to basketmakers. Now you can win a pottery basketry base, made for coiling pine needles, grasses, or other fibers. It is stoneware, fired to cone 6 (very hard) with multi colored glazes, browns and oranges, very Autumn themed. The design is a leaf, with a coordinating handmade bead that you can use to embellish the same basket, or use it on something else. I made this pottery base and bead myself.

Everyone is eligible for this giveaway, it does not matter where in the world you live!

1. To enter: Visit the page Pine Needle Basket Links on the Pine Needle Group.
Find a NEW LINK, one that fits the page theme (pine needle basketry) email the link to me. My email is basketsbypamela@gmail.com You can have FOUR ENTRIES this way. Please include your name, email address, and the URL (link) and the name of the link. If you win, i will contact you for your shipping address, there is no need to include it in your entry.

2.3.4. entries....If you want to send me additional pine needle basket links, that is fine, but only fOUr will qualify you for entries.
It is okay if you send me your own pine needle basket website (that would be great!)
But it HAS TO BE NEW, not already listed on the page.
Please DO NOT POST your link in a comment on this blog, that means someone else can share your link...and i want lots of different links!

5. if you want a fifth entry in the giveaway: visit my etsy shop at http://bazketmakr.etsy.com , and tell me what you like best in the shop and why.
Please leave your 5th entry as a comment on this blog, no fifth entries accepted by email.

3. If you want a sixth entry into the giveaway: visit my other etsy shop at http://PurpleToedGypsy.com and tell me what you like best in the shop and why. Please leave your 6th entry as a comment on this blog, no sixth entries accepted by email.

(If you do not want to participate with entries #1-4, you can do only entries #5 & 6, it is mix and match.)

Giveaway drawing will be done randomly, and results will be posted on Sunday, September 13, 2009.

Thanks for helping me update the Pine Needle Basket Links page! Watch this space for MORE Giveaways!

pamela

Peek at the Opening Last Night

For those of you (like me) who could not be at the Small Works exhibition opening last night, the Hollingsworth Gallery has very kindly posted images online.



Looks like it was a wonderful casual reception, with live guitar music!



Small Works is a collection of art pieces in many different mediums all under 12". On display through September 7th, my piece, "Interplay" (below, under scrutiny) is included.

Excited!

Well, i just opened my mail to find a very nice surprise...I have won an award.

Just last week, I posted about the Fiber Celebrated Exhibit in Durango, CO. I was so disappointed i was not able to attend. I had hoped to fly out to Colorado Springs and drive down to the opening with my mom, who lives out there. But it was not to be. I so wish i could have been there! My woven figure, "Naturally Endowed," which was shown on their postcard (at right,) was awarded the Functional 3-d Fiber Award! I am so pleased and proud.

Special Thanks to Elaine Bakkenson, who coordinated the exhibit, and made sure all the promotional materials and awards were distributed even though i was not there to recieve them in person!

The Fiber Celebrated Exhibit on line information also features my other piece that is in the exhibit, "Uprooted."

Your Invitation: Fiber Arts at Sixth Street Gallery!

Current Show at
Sixth Street Gallery

Fiber Arts 2009
Exhibition Dates: August 2009
Artist Reception: First Friday, August 7, 5:00-9:00pm

Exhibition through August 30, 2009

105 Sixth Street, Vancouver, Washington

I have three works in this exhibit, I would love to attend, but once again i cannot get to Vancouver, Washington in time!

I am very proud and pleased to see one of my works on the front of this postcard image, advertising the exhibit. (That's my "Squiggle" on the left.)

Please be invited, and have a lovely time!

pamela

Free Reception Exhibit Opening in Florida!

SMALL WORKS GROUP NATIONAL EXHIBITION
AT HOLLINGSWORTH GALLERY
IS OPENING THIS SATURDAY!!!
AUGUST 8th from 6:30pm - 9:30pm.
The Exhibition will run through September 7, 2009.

FEATURING THE WORKS OF OVER TWENTY FIVE ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. (Including work by Pamela Zimmerman!)


Works are no larger than 12 x 12 inches in size and range in mediums from metal,fiber, oil, acrylic, watercolor,photography, pen and ink, fiber, and found objects.

Live entertainment, catered hors d'oeuvres, and beverages will be provided.

Other local artists will be displaying work in the surrounding windows of the storefronts along the balcony walkway of Palm Coast's CityWalk located at 160 Cypress Point Parkway Suite 210B. in Palm Coast Florida.

This Event is Free and Open to the Public, please consider this your invitation to attend
(Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend this gallery opening.)

For more information about the exhibit, visit the Hollingsworth Gallery Online.

To read the Hollingsworth Gallery newsletter, the Canvas Thread, click on the image at right!

pamela

World Crafts Council of North America on the WWW

The World Crafts Council of North America's new website has gone live! The World Crafts Council was founded as an International non-profit, non-governmental organization with UNESCO(the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization .) They assist in international cultural exchanges about crafts and crafts people. Their main objective is to strengthen the status of crafts as a vital part of cultural and economic life, and to promote fellowship among craftspeople of the world. The new website includes Museums Featuring Crafts, Professional Schools of Crafts & Craft Centers, Professional Councils & Guilds, and a Photo Gallery of Crafts.

I am very pleased and proud to have been invited to be listed as a craftsperson on the World Crafts Council website in their Photo Gallery. You will find my listing under the heading Fiber Arts, in the United States.

Back from a Basket Vacation Retreat!

Well, just home from my annual trip to PA – my wild basket retreat each year. It is a family-owned farm, and my goal is to make baskets with what I find there. Yes, I bring a little other “stuff” just to make sure I have weaving material, but most of the time I weave whatever I can find in the woods.

Here I am the first day, collecting. This is just honeysuckle. By now, I have scoped out most of the open areas, but there is still woodland and a lot of tangled briars that I need to bushwhack through to say I really know what is there. That multiflora rose, mixed with black raspberries and smilax is a tough combination! Hence my surplus US Marine camophlage pants…they can take it pretty well. This is a pretty dramatic contrast to the dresses and skirts i wear at home every day. I wear pants so infrequently, the dogs get excited when they see me wearing them - they know it means i am going collecting!

And here are some honeysuckle baskets that I made throughout the week. Since I am working the honeysuckle green, it has a lot of shedding bark, and is somewhat brittle. But it makes a lovely little rustic basket. Traditionally, honeysuckle is dried, then boiled and “skinned” to make it very white and flexible. No time for that, though.



I generally average about a basket a day. This year, I gave one small one away, not shown here. Otherwise, this is my yield for the week. Some are started with cordage made from honeysuckle bark and grasses. (Actually, the big one is back is Autumn Olive, but I will tell you about that in another post!)

In this last pic you can see the pond below the farmhouse and the swing...what a lovely, peaceful place! Come back to read more about my vacation later!