Seaside Basketry
Medium: Basketry
Location: Sooke, BC
Member Since: 1997
Patty Dowler has been living on the West Coast and making baskets for over three decades. Initially Patty was using imported reeds to craft her baskets, but now uses exclusively kelp and other found oceanic material.
Patty spends most of her time between March and October wandering the beach gathering materials. She is very particular about what she chooses and prefers to gather kelp that has already been dried by the air and sun. She then wets the material and begins weaving. Once finished weaving, the basket is allowed to dry again outside in the sunshine. It is then lightly oiled to bring out the colour. Patty uses sea palm for handles and a variety of shells and other found objects to enhance her baskets.
The process is natural from start to finish.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“I love the bull kelp for its unique quality and range of colours and textures. I spend many hours [walking] up and down the coast selecting material and constantly being inspired by the beauty of our West Coast environment. The range of colour and texture [of kelp] lends itself perfectly to basketry.”
