Opened

Opened, a contemporary basketry piece, is composed of four copper pods and woven copper wire. I designed it as a wall piece with a loop for hanging.

This piece won third place in the 2018 Lewton-Brain Foldforming Competition and was published in both the "MJSA" and "Lapidary Jewelry Artist" magazines.

The concept for this piece started with the beautiful shapes and patinas of the four pods . They are brought together with a traditional basketry technique called twining. Each pod is sewn into a woven "petal." Each "petal" was shaped for a specific pod, since they vary in size and shape. The woven petals frame each pod and further emphasize the depth already heightened by the wonderfully deep patina within the pods. In designing this piece I wanted to allow both sides of each pod to be visible - the hammered texture and warm colors on the outside are just as wonderful as the bright to dark colors on the inside.

The pods have been sealed with a clear coat to preserve the patina. The woven elements are done with natural copper wire which will develop a warm patina over time. This vessel is signed with my initials "SLS" and the year completed.

I love the slow process of my basketry work – slow building. I wish I could show the process along with the finished piece, because for me it is a significant part of the whole.

Overall size: 15" wide x 15" high x 2 1/4" deep