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While baskets and twig furniture are the most common form of willow sculpture, there are artists using willow's flexible rods for purposes other than function. By annually coppicing the plants known as basketry willows, you can insure an abundant production of rods for magnificent sculptures such as shown and listed here.
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| This striking sculpture by Patrick Doherty is in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA |
Be careful not to confuse living willow sculpture (hence I refer to this as building living willow structures) with willow sculpture or willow weaving. The former uses live wood and inserts it in the ground and it grows. Willow sculpture may use green wood but the rods are not planted.
The picture on the right is of a willow sculpture by Patrick Dougherty. He does these amazing installations all over the world. His website has many more photos of his stunning work.
We have just discovered the work of a willow sculptor in our own backyard (400 miles qualifies as close, doesn't it?). He even includes the ocean in his work. Lots of photos:
Another sculptor is at work in the UK, creating huge magnificent human-like figures out of willow branches:
Deb Hart brought to my attention a sculptor who has done work at Kew Gardens in England. His blog has lots of pics of his spectacular work. Make sure that when you get to the bottom of each page of his blog, that you click on Older Posts to see more. You wouldn't want to miss any!
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Two or three years I found on the internet the picture of the two willow figures on the left. I believe it was stated that the picture came from an Italian magazine. I would love to give credit to the sculptor and the magazine, but despite extensive research online, I have not been able to find the picture again. If anyone can help me out with this I would be most appreciative.
Something this gorgeous deserves to be seen!!
Thanks to Judy, I have found out what site I got these from, but it turns out that Willowpool Designs had scanned it from an Italian magazine. However we still do not know who to credit as the maker of the gorgeous pair on the left. Check out the Willowpool site for lots more interesting pictures (they do workshops too).
Whoopee!! I think I have found out who to give credit to: Mike Smith, The Hannah Peschar Gallery Garden, Surrey, UK
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| willow figures |
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I have not been able to find any websites with instructions on the subject of willow scupture. However I have found a book called Willow Weaving .
More Willow Sculpture Websites
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"Mother Winter" at Granville Island
Vancouver, BC, Canada
by Nicole Dextras |
When I set up this webpage in about 2005, I could find very few examples of willow sculpture. Now there are lots! Check out these websites:
A new addition to our list (2012) is the amazing figures of:
Wishing well, cart, barge, animals, people. Lots to view on this site:
From the UK, she does fantastic sculpted animals and gives workshops:
Another sculptor in the UK. Her dancing trees are particularly interesting:
See more on our blog.
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hardy field grown plants
