Whissender Pod, photo: Shannon Tofts
Flanders Pod, photo: Shannon Tofts
Nigricans Pod, photo: Shannon Tofts
Black Pods, photo: Shannon Tofts
Lise Bech
Lise Bech started training as a basket-maker during the mid-eighties through introductory courses and masterclasses from artists already established in the field; Lise who turned self-employed in 1994, is a successful artist, and who now returns and shares her knowledge of willow basketry.
Her initial motivation to become a basket-maker was due to her desire to make beautiful and functional organic objects that she could be involved with at every stage of production – from growing to harvesting the material, to designing and producing the piece.
Lise was awarded with a Creative Development Grant in 2004 that allowed her to develop a range of sensual, asymmetric forms; an aesthetic and tangible boundary pushed forward by Bech from the 'traditional' basket-weave skills.
Her pieces, highly spirited, through their correspondence with the natural world, in form (a correlation shared with dynamic and fluid landscape of Scotland), in the peaceful meditative act of weave shared between material and artist, and …
Lise has exhibited in the UK, Europe and USA, through selected shows, solo and group exhibitions; her most recent solo show was held at Hill House in Helensburgh in 2007, she has exhibited at 'Origin' in Somerset House, London in 2006, and the formerly known Chelsea Craft Fair in 2005. She has work held in private and public collections, two of which are South Ayrshire Council and in the National Museum of Scotland.
Her work has featured in magazine publications such as Elle Decoration, The Craftsman, Grand Design and Crafts; she has also been featured in book publications, 500 Baskets by Lark Books, 'Flora Celtica, Plants and People of Scotland' by Milliken & Bridgewater, 'Baskets, Tradition & Beyond' by Leier, Peters and Wallace.
I am passionate about basketmaking and get intense pleasure from using natural materials, which I hope comes across in my work.
Lise Bech, 2009