Joe Hogan

Basketweaver

©Michael Mac Laughlin

Living off the land

Joe has been making willow baskets since 1978
He grows around 15 types of willow on his land near a loch
His basketmaking was shortlisted for the Loewe Craft Prize in 2018

Joe Hogan has been a professional basketmaker for more than 40 years, since he and his wife, both keen gardeners, decided they wanted to live a rural life. He was attracted to basketmaking in part because it allowed him to be self-sufficient, growing willows on his land before harvesting and drying them to use for baskets. Largely self-taught, Joe initially made functional baskets, including many traditional Irish designs, before later turning to artistic work, creating sculptural pieces inspired by foraged wood and other natural materials he finds in the countryside. His work has helped raise the profile of Irish basketmaking, which, when he started in the 1970s, was on the verge of dying out.

Interview

©Peter Rowen, courtesy of Design and Crafts Council of Ireland

What drove you to learn a skill that was fading away?: Sometimes a very good time to get into things is when nobody else is interested in them. A lot of the designs that professional basketmakers were making at the time were imitating imported baskets, to make them as cheaply as possible. I had this vague sense that other designs were possible.
Why was it important to you to make traditional Irish baskets?: Initially it was about honouring the tradition and trying to keep it alive on some level. I really enjoy the journey of discovery, finding out about different indigenous baskets, ones used by fishermen and farmers. It was a very interesting process to find out about all of those.
Why do you grow so many types of willow?: There was a time when I had 30. Part of it was experimentation, what would this variety give me? Sometimes I planted willows just for their colour. It’s been very informative. Now I have it honed down to three or four favourite varieties, but I wouldn’t have known that without trying the others.
How would you define the concept of fine craftsmanship?: The thing about craftsmanship is that you can’t be in too much of a hurry. You have in the forefront of your mind that you are going to make work that you are proud of. It’s about honouring the material and the skill you have, and making something really worthwhile from that.

Joe Hogan is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1978