Hopewood Baskets

Edition Three Feature
Words by: Sarah Loughlin 
Location: Worcestershire, UK Photo
Credit: ©Marcus Wootton @marcus.wootton 

I’m a willow weaver, combining my love of colour with my love of natural materials. I work from home, filling all of the space with willow, branches from hazel, beech and sycamore trees, and of course – baskets! I make functional baskets with a modern twist, to make everyday tasks and activities a little bit more beautiful, inviting and colourful. 

Showcasing the materials of willow and wood, with all their natural colours, is what I love to do, while creating objects that will last and be of use. When I design and make my baskets, I like to imagine what they will be used for and the lives they will lead in their new homes Sculptural woven pieces using willow and twisted hazel have been the most recent development in my work, which someone recently described as “three-dimensional drawing”. That really appealed to me because of my background in fine art. 

I live in the beautiful Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, UK, where I was born and raised. Having only ‘flown the nest’ once, to study for a fine art degree in Canterbury, I have become very much at home in Worcestershire, particularly near its woodlands and forests, which inspired the name of my business: Hopewood Baskets. The name reflects the sense of hope that the woods give me; I have a great need to be outside, and I visit my local woods regularly, in all weathers. 

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