As part of our Basketry Festival in Derry/Londonderry in May (more details see previous post) we are also organising a straw bee skeb course by Louise Mc Lean.
This is a fantastic opportunity to learn the skill of coiled work from an award-winning teacher. Louise was awarded 1st place for her skep at both the UK National Honey Show and County Dublin Honey Show in 2018 and has since exported her skeps worldwide.
The course is scheduled for Monday 11th from 10am until 4:30. Louise has very kindly offered to demonstrate the making of the skep over the weekend and anyone who has signed up for the course can get started on theirs during the weekend.
Price: €60 per person.
Location: St Columb’s Park House Derry/Londonderryfollowing on from the Basketry Festival weekend
Applications are now open to paid-up members. A deposit of €20 secures your place(s). Please pay online via our website or send a cheque to Trish Killalea, 16 Woodthorpe, Coolnevaun, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin A94 K284
Any queries please contact us on info@irishbasketmakers.com or call Trish on 087 6490074.
We, the Irish basketmakers Association, are organising an exciting springtime SCULPTURE COURSE with artist Lynn Kirkham.
Dates: 21st-23rd of February 2020
Cost: €150 for members, or €180 for non-members
Venue: Hosted by Barry Noyce, Rathcabbin Hall, Roscrea, Co. Offaly
Lynn will introduce sculpture and will get the creative mind thinking on Friday evening followed by two days full on weaving to creat your own masterpiece. If you don’t complete it you will still have the skills to finish it at home at your leisure. Willow used will be mixed rods of current season growth and will be charged for what you use. Accommodation is available locally if needed.
To book your place on the course please send a deposit of €50 to our treasurer Trish Killalea. Please state clearly it is for the sculpture course and make sure she has your contact details.
The Irish Basketmakers Association (IBA) are delighted to announce a Basketry Festival in Derry/Londonderry.
The festival will take place in St Columb’s Park House on May 8th/9th/10th 2020 and will include exhibitions, talks, a pop-up shop, demonstrations, workshops and sculpture in the park.
We are thrilled and honoured that some of our renowned makers (including Joe Hogan, Alison Fitzgerald and others) hope to attend the festival to talk to us about aspects of their own experience
Creel made by Joe Hogan, as part of the heritage collection
The IBA are custodians of the Irish Heritage Collection of baskets which was put together by Joe Hogan while writing his book “Basketmaking in Ireland”. Joe’s aim was to preserve traditional skills and techniques and the collection is now a resource available to basket makers interested in examining and making these indigenous baskets. This collection will be on display at the festival.
FLOW by Hanna Van Aelst
Basketmaking has evolved from the purely functional to include more artistic / non-functional, imaginative work. Some fine examples of woven work from our very talented makers will be on display in our contemporary exhibition.
Both functional and non-functional woven work will be on sale in our pop-up shop over the weekend with an opportunity to talk to some of the makers who will take on the role of shopkeeper.
Curlew sculptures by Brendan Farren
St Columb’s Park House is nestled in a beautiful historic park and we plan to enhance that beauty with the help of the public by creating some sculptures in the park. The creation of these sculptures will be led by some of our IBA members over the course of the weekend.
As well as the sculpture in the park we will have some of our makers holding free demonstrations of various weaving techniques throughout the weekend, an opportunity not to be missed if you want to learn the techniques involved in making a dragonfly / bird feeder / sunflower.
The schedule for the festival will be as follows:
Friday 8th May 2020 St Columb’s House Main Hall 17:00 – 20:00 Contemporary Exhibition of the work of Irish Basket Makers 19:00 – 20:00 Exhibition Opening with formal welcome by Chairperson and guest speaker. St Columb’s House Foyer 17:00 – 20:00 Exhibition of Heritage Collection of baskets.
Saturday 9th May 2020 St Columb’s House Main Hall 10:00 – 18:00 Contemporary Exhibition of the work of Irish Basket Makers. St Columb’s House Foyer 10:00 – 18:00 Exhibition of Heritage Collection of baskets. St Columb’s House Small Conference Room 10:00 – 18:00 Guest Spearkers / Short Demonstrations / talks about willow and weaving. Large Conference Room 10:00 – 18:00 Shop selling members produce.
St Columb’s Park 10:00 – 18:00 Sculpture in the Park with open invitation to the public to participate.
Sunday 10th May 2020 St Columb’s House Main Hall 10:00 – 18:00 Contemporary Exhibition of the work of Irish Basket Makers. St Columb’s House Foyer 10:00 – 18:00 Exhibition of Heritage Collection of baskets. St Columb’s House Small Conference Room 10:00 – 13:00 Guest Speakers / Short Demonstrations / talks about willow and weaving. Large Conference Room 10:00 – 13:00 Shop selling members produce. St Columb’s Park 10:00 – 13:00 Sculpture in the Park with open invitation to the public to participate. Large Conference Room 14:00 – 16:00 IBA AGM
Monday 11th May 2020 St Columb’s House large Conference Room 10:00 – 17:00 Bee Skep making with Louise McLean Note: This workshop is only available to paid up members. To book your place please email info@irishbasketmakers.com
Accomodation is available at the house from Thursday evening for £17.50 pppn with full board available for £35.45 (includes breakfast, lunch and dinner). Please email info@irishbasketmakers.com (priority will be given to organisers, exhibitors and members)
Cathy Hayden has kindly offered to host this years AGM at her workshop and home place in County Waterford this year, on Sunday May 6. Meeting at 12 noon. Kick off at 1 o’clock sharp.
Adress is Drumcannon, Tramore, co. Waterford.
Ring Cathy beforehand for more information ( 087 6379298)
We are looking forward to seeing all the old faces and hopefully many new too!
