Sievers and willow have a long history. We begin by going back to 1980, our second year, when Char TerBeest-Kudla offered the first class in basketry at Sievers. Focusing on willow, the class description read in part, “You will use natural materials found right here on our rustic, beautiful Washington Island. What you learn you put to use wherever you are.” Four students that first year quickly grew to 12 in 1981. One of those 12 students was Jo Campbell-Amsler, who became the Beginning Willow basketry instructor in 1991 and has continued to offer classes in willow since then. In Jo Campbell-Amsler’s 1993 Beginning Willow class, two of her students were Donna Kallner and Jacki Bedworth. 1993 Beginning Willow Basketry […]
June news and views
Each day feels more and more like summer with all the leaves and flowers out, stirring in the warm sunshine. Early this spring, a maple tree was transplanted just outside the Walter Studio. It seems to have taken to its new home quite well. We’ve had plenty of water to keep the new tree growing, but not as much as this tree has! Our new neighbors have opened as the Inn at Frog Hollow and are taking reservations. Welcome, Dan and Dawn Nelson! They join our next closest lodging neighbor, Jackson Harbor Inn, in our favorite part of the Island. The Washington Island Ferry Line will be expanding their schedule to eleven trips at day, starting June 11. In Sievers […]
Natural and Local Colors
The gathered botanicals and live plants were in place, the mordants were set out and the burners were ready when students in Donna Kallner’s Local Color from Natural Dye class entered the studio last week. Tree and plant leaves were used for ecoprinting on silk and more colors of nature were brought out and preserved in wool yarns through brewing plant dyebaths. Samples and skeins dyed with goldenrod, rhubarb, indigo, black walnut and more prompted exclamations of excitement and discovery during the dye process. Two indigo plants gave their leaves to create beautifully dyed yarns and fabrics. The last morning offered show and tell time and what a display after just four days of […]
