Deborah Smith
Basketweaver
Winter Garden, FL, USA
Recommended by Jean & Irina Blanchaert & Focsaneanu Eschenazi
Weaving waves and wonder
- Deborah creates woven driftwood sculptures
- Her pieces feature bends, curves and a natural sense of movement
- She sources materials from the banks of rivers and coastal plains
As a child, Deborah Smith found creativity in nature, walking the woods and fields behind her Hudson Valley home. “One of my favourite activities was to embellish deer beds I found in the tall grass, enhancing their fascinating patterns with sticks, leaves and stones,” she says. Deborah’s passion for basketmaking came later and as a total surprise, when a class intended to entertain her children left her enthralled. Starting with plaited, then ribbed baskets, she moved on to her signature sculptural style after admiring the curve of a reed placed against a piece of driftwood. Deborah’s artworks celebrates water and wood in movement, recalling the waves, currents and tides that shepherd a branch of driftwood to its arrival on shore.
INTERVIEW
At first, I liked the simplicity and economy of Shaker baskets. Later, I began experimenting with freer, more sculptural designs by pairing round reed with ribbed weaving. This technique provides the flexibility needed for my fluid shapes and forms.
Driftwood carries a story. I have always loved trees and the way their branches stretch toward the light. In driftwood, I still see that gesture. There is also something deeply satisfying in the search itself, finding these fragments, on a beach or nestled between rocks, and giving them a new life in my work.
Once I envisage a basic form, I drill into the driftwood and insert round reeds to create a frame for the weaving. Colour is applied afterwards, using acrylic paint followed by a clear finish. A medium sized piece takes about three months to complete.
It is important that my pieces are honest and well-crafted while evoking a sense of movement, wonder and peace. Daily, open exposure to nature helps my creativity arise with ease, while weaving helps me stay focused and grounded.
Deborah Smith
Basketweaver
Winter Garden, FL, USA
Recommended by Jean & Irina Blanchaert & Focsaneanu Eschenazi
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Winter Garden, FL, USA
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
English
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