Jonathon Carrie- Basket Maker
Growing up on a farm in South Norfolk I remember the old men sitting in the barn on rainy days repairing farm baskets using stuff they had cut from the hedgerows. As these old men retired and passed away so did many of their skills and a whole way of rural life.
It was a way of living that used locally available sustainable materials to create beautiful useful items for use around the house and farm.
Worried by this loss of heritage I spent a number of years visiting and learning from basket maker Adrian Charlton before receiving a bursary from the Worshipful Company of Basket Makers that allowed me to spend time over a year with another basket maker: Peter Dibble.
I learned a variety of basket designs local to Norfolk following the two main industries: fishing and agriculture.
I studied martial arts in my youth and became very interested in the spiritual and philosophical traditions of the Taoists and Buddhists which led me to a philosophy degree. I have worked to integrate these practises into my basketry to create a healthy, peaceful and mindful holistic lifestyle. I weave joy and compassion into my baskets.