Wicker Basket Making

Summer 2022.

While visiting Poland with my family, i came across a local craftsman who was drying willow bark to be later used for making practical baskets. the willow grows plentifully in the part of Poland where my parents come from. It is harvested in the early spring, and prepared by boiling, drying, and stripping. One prepared, willow is flexible but strong, and can be bent and arranged into beautiful baskets by skilled artisans.

This practice goes back to 1700s in the part of Poland where my parents come from. The craft was passed through generations. It takes a lot of work to prepare the willow, but the end product is both stunning and practical. Nothing like this can be made by a machine.