Marianne has been a basket-maker since 2006, creating traditional and contemporary baskets from natural materials for commissions or stock. Crafty Basketry was born in 2013, with the start of the sales of baskets at markets, galleries and fairs.

Working with both foraged hedgerow from the Sussex and Kent landscape and home-grown and Somerset basketry willow, Marianne can create a colourful, rustic, wild and textured style, or a very even, smooth and precise look. With over 300 basketry willow varieties in existence in all the colours of the rainbow, patterns can be developed, making each basket unique. The baskets are mostly functional and can make a real statement in your interior and set the scene. “I thoroughly enjoy being absorbed in the moment, completely focused on what I’m making, becoming one with the materials and the rhythm of the movements. Achieving this flow is a wonderful experience, when the love for the craft and the materials is poured into the making of a basket.

“I find creating with head, heart and hands is fulfilling, due to its holistic nature. It is like Yin and Yang; everything in nature needs to be in balance.”