Cathie Harper

Available at the Alberta Craft Gallery - Edmonton

“My focus started using wild northern willow to create functional baskets and non-traditional woven forms. The wild willow experience has been expanded through the use of reed, bead, various barks, cattail and other natural embellishments to the willow, the use of white and cultivated willow with wild willow, and using different varieties and weaves to accentuate the northern varieties of willow.

My own personality makes it very difficult to follow a pre-defined pattern in anything that I create. When I start a basket, I may have a general concept of the type and shape of basket and ideas as to the materials and weaves that I plan to use. But once started, who knows what the final creation will actually look like. Forcing wild materials into precise shapes is not what I want but I choose to let the material tell me how it wants to go.”

Learn more about Cathie Harper