Helen uses traditional basket making techniques to produce mostly functional baskets whilst exploring new forms. All the materials she uses for her work is outside her front door. The willow harvest starts in late winter when the leaves have fallen and the sap is down. Plant fibres are gathered over the course of the year with the changing seasons.
Baskets are deeply rooted in human existence, our oldest craft, upon which life once depended. Weaving with willow and plant fibres is an intuitive practice to Helen, reflecting a fundamental human connection to nature.
Helen is a member of the Basketmakers’ Association, the Scottish Basketmakers’ Circle and a Yeoman member of the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers.