Heartland Harmony
Heartland Harmony
welcome!
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Anni is a traditional stake and strand willow basketmaker, willow grower, and crafts teacher living and working in Southwest so-called Wisconsin.
Anni creates lively and imaginative basketry work using traditional northern European techniques & both homegrown and wild coppiced plants. Their work is inspired by the bright, wild colors of the winter prairies and wetlands where they and the willow live, the functional everyday nature of baskets, and the sheer age of this craft which has never been industrialized and predates most other practical human artforms.
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Anni has been working with willow since 2017, and has studied with basketmakers on this continent and in England and Wales. They are a 2023-25 recipient of the Springboard for the Arts Rural Regenerator Fellowship for their community-rooted arts practice.
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offerings
Heirloom Quality Baskets
If you're interested in purchasing basketry work, kindly fill out the form below and you'll be notified when new work is available both in-person and online. You can find basket pricing information as well as indicate the type of work you're interested in in the form.
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Basketry Classes & Private Lessons
Anni offers seasonal group classes in beginner and intermediate level stake and strand willow basketry, as well as one-to-one private lessons from their studio on the farm. Learning to work with willow, whether it's to make one basket or a hundred, is incredibly rewarding, and Anni loves supporting learners as they acquaint with the willow. You can read more about winter basketry class offerings or how to book a lesson here!
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Heritage Willow Cuttings & Nursery
Anni is currently growing around 25 varieties of heritage basketry willows which will be in full production in 2025, so stay tuned for updates on how to purchase cuttings if you're looking to grow your own willow for weaving, teaching, land remediation, hedge-rowing, live fence, and more.
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Gratitude
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Though I have never had the opportunity for in depth basketry apprenticeship with any one teacher, the art of basketmaking with Willow as I know it has been shared me in precious pieces from teachers Clare Revera of Welsh Baskets, Jane Welsh, Sophia Campbell, Lee Zieke of Willowglen, Mo Walrath, as well as several excellent books including authors Sally Goymer, Jenny Crisp, & Sue Gabriel.
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And truthfully, I may always regard the willows themselves as one of the greatest teacher I've ever had. I spent so many hours in the early days of basketmaking consulting the willows in lieu of proper instruction, making mistakes and funny looking baskets that I still love so much. The willows taught me lasting lessons in resilience, flexibility, firmness, forgiveness, and so much more.
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I give thanks to these amazing plants, the waters and sandy soils where they grow on occupied Ho-Chunk / Oceti Sakowin lands - whose people have unique and beautiful basketry traditions of their own. I give thanks to my weaving ancestors, wherever they lived, whatever joy and toil of life they knew that led to me being alive and also weaving. May we all hold clear a vision in our hearts that all people, especially those with histories erased by colonization, might have access to the traditional crafts, lands, and cultural ways their people have known for generations.
