Basketry and sculpture using natural materials: Classes for beginners

If you’ve always felt inspired by the natural world, but don’t know where to start, these two classes from Desert Fiber Arts may suit you well. DFA began in 1974 and is a nonprofit organization in Kennewick dedicated to promoting creative expression and craftsmanship in fiber arts. Instructor Rose Covert has a background in a wide range of weaving techniques and practices, and offers two classes to get beginners started in shaping artistic creations from natural materials.

No weaving or sculpture experience is necessary. Intermediate weavers are also welcome and will be challenged to focus on the design, hand positions, and shaping of their basket or sculpture.

Please bring hydration and a sack lunch with you. See course listings below for fees and locations. Register using the links provided.

Beginning Sculpture Using Natural Materials

Date: October 25, 2024Time: 9am – 5pm

Location: Local private residence with significant outside workspace suitable for the course. Registrants will receive the address and directions upon registration.

Learn to create sculptures made from natural harvested materials using various vines, branches, and bark to create unique pieces of art. Students will design and create a prototype for a figure, and practice the techniques and skills needed to create a larger sculpture through hands-on assistance in setting up their workspace, meshing techniques and materials, and working with a variety of materials with different properties. Experienced educator and weaver Rose Covert will guide students through the basic techniques and processes required. Each student will finish class with a unique handmade sculpture to use as a guide for bigger and more varied projects.

Class fee $275.00Material fee $40.00 cash (Pay instructor the day of class)

Class Limited to 12 participants.

Beginning Basketry Class Using Natural Materials

Date: October 26, 2024Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: REACH Museum, Multi-purpose Room 1943 Columbia Park Trail, Richland, WA 99352

Learn to weave a basket using natural materials foraged from nature. Students will work with a seasonal mix of plants including iris leaf, willow bark, cedar bark, and crocosmia while learning about harvesting and preparing these materials. Experienced educator and weaver Rose Covert will guide students through the basic techniques of plaiting and twining in bark and leaf basketry, using simple tools such as needles and clips. Each student will finish class with a small, elegant, unique handmade basket.

Class Fee $120Material Fee $30.00 cash (Pay instructor the day of class)

Class limited to 14 participants.

About the Instructor

Rose Covert uses natural materials to weave sculptural forms. Using reimagined basketry techniques, Rose creates woven landscapes that twist and travel around themselves. She finds inspiration in the natural world and the exquisiteness of elemental forms and landscapes, as well as the habitats the plants grow in. Rose has been a member and board member of the Columbia Basin Basketry Guild since 2014. Visit The DFA website for more information: https://www.desertfiberarts.org