Green Lake Library, Saturday June 16 2012  11:00 am - 2:30 pm

The art of basketry exists everywhere, and goes back thousands of years.  It is something that almost every society has developed, using a huge variety of materials.  But curiously, there are only three basic basket weaving structures: plaiting, twining, and coiling.  There are only three basic structures, but there are dozens, maybe hundreds, of variations.  That is the joy of basketry.

Drawing basketry is another joy, as it lets you discover something about the mind and the hands of the weaver.  Different groups developed their own traditions, which show in the shapes and colors of their baskets, and different weavers sometimes inserted unique features, like a specific pattern or even a specific mistake, that have come down to us as signatures.

In this workshop we will study these three structures, and map them out to draw them.  I’ll bring in several baskets to work from, and anyone is welcome to bring in others to explore and draw.
 
Supplies are simple: 2B pencil, smooth paper like plate Bristol or another smooth drawing paper, a kneaded eraser, and a ruler of some kind.

Green Lake Branch of the Seattle Public Library
7364 E. Green Lake Dr. N.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-684-7547

Getting There:
The Green Lake Branch is located between 4th Avenue Northeast and Latona Avenue Northeast, directly across from the entrance to the parking lot for the Green Lake Community Center.

Driving from the south (heading north):

• Take I-5 exit 170 at N.E. 65th St. and Ravenna Blvd.
• Turn left on Ravenna.
• Stay on Ravenna for ½ mile. Continue straight through the stop light at 65th and the stop sign at Woodlawn Ave. to the stop sign at Green Lake Dr. N. Veer right and continue ahead three blocks to 4th Ave. N.E. The branch will be on your right.

Driving from the north (heading south):

• Take I-5 exit 171 at N.E. 71st St.
• Turn right onto 71st at the stop sign.
• Take 71st to Green Lake Dr. N.
• Turn right onto Green Lake Dr. N.
• Go two blocks to the branch.

Parking Parking is available for library patrons.
Metro Bus Information Served by Metro Bus Routes 16, 48, 316
Metro Bus Trip Planner



Mission Statement
The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators-Northwest (GNSI-NW) is a non-profit organization of artists in the Pacific Northwest that focus on illustrating the natural world.  GNSI-NW provides members with learning and networking opportunities through quarterly meetings, workshops, and exhibitions.

The training and interests of GNSI-NW members are in both science and art. They study sciences including biology, botany, zoology, archeology, medicine, marine life, and ecology. Their tools and techniques for visual communication include drawing, painting, and digital media. 

Applying scientific discipline to creativity, members strive to produce images rendered with scientific accuracy and artistic integrity, and to share those images with the public so that others may understand and appreciate both the science and the art. 

Founded in 1979, the Northwest chapter of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators was the first chapter formed following the creation of the national guild (http://www.gnsi.org/) in 1966 by a small group of artists based at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.  GNSI now has chapters worldwide.