Details
- Maker•Mike Lilian
- Medium•Willow
- Origin•Aotearoa
- Dimensions •400 x 350 x 530mm Approx
Description
A striking hand-woven basket made by Mike Lilian, using a traditional willow weaving technique called fitching originating from the East Anglia region of England.
This technique has been used for centuries, characterized by its distinctive, and often decorative weaving pattern which involves using thin willow rods to create a strong and flexible basket to use for a lifetime.
Each basket is hand woven in natural willow in varying colours, and unique in its willow variety and style, no two are the same. A beautiful basket to use while market shopping, or picnicking.
Working from his own willow farm in Kakanui, Mike hand-harvests materials to create each basket with traditional tools and remarkable attention to detail. His dedication to rescuing and perfecting this craft has garnered him widespread recognition.
Shipping
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Reviving a Lost Craft, One Willow Basket at a Time.
Mike Lilian is a self-taught basketmaker whose work blends deep historical research with material mastery. Leaving behind his job as a postman, Mike devoted himself to reviving the endangered craft of willow basketry after discovering a single photograph in an encyclopaedia. He taught himself the techniques through books, trial and error, and time spent with Canterbury’s Cooperite community before refining his practice in France at the Coopérative de Vannerie.
Now based on his own willow farm in Kakanui, Mike grows, harvests, and hand-weaves every basket using traditional tools and heritage techniques like fitching. Each piece is a study in precision and patience, shaped by a genuine commitment to preserving this centuries-old craft.
