Esmé Hofman

... Looking beyond the borders As a modern craftswoman I am prepared to look beyond the borders of this traditional handcraft. This gives me freedom to explore creative possibilities, and generates other ways of making. My techniques and materials now vary from the traditional to the contemporary using natural stems, leaves, bark, wire, plastics, vellum, paper and lots of colour. I’m working for designers, artists, museums and private costumers. Skeinwork Although fascinated by all the different possibilties my main focus is with the very time consuming willow skeinwork, an almost extinct basketry technique. This technique is extremly fine and almost like textile and it enables me to create fine objects and containers like exclusive bags and jewelry boxes. Besides skein work I restore basketwork en basket furniture.

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Skeinwork . The material for this work is obtained by cleaving a long willow rod in three or four with a special wooden cleave. The long strips of willow are shaved by hand on a special shaving bench. With this type of work it is very important to work precise. The skeins can be as small as one 10th of a millimetre. After shaving the last remains of the bark are cleaned away.

Every skeinwork object is worked around it’s own wooden mould. Skeinwork is very time consuming. Making a dish for instance can take up to 40 hours or more. The result is a very fragile looking piece which when touched is surprisingly strong.