Tess began working with willow over 10 years ago. Her basketry work encompasses lighting, woven bags, sculpture and installation projects. Working with materials harvested and foraged from the land opens up a much more connected relationship with her craft. She loves to explore the places where structured and precise meets wild and untamed.

During her studies on a City and Guilds Basketry qualification she became hooked in exploring the endless ways that pattern and texture can be woven into vessels. She now works mainly in willow, a material which connects her to the land and to a craft that is functional as well as beautiful.

Alongside her practise she teaches basketmaking, both to the public and as a therapeutic craft for young people with special educational needs at Ruskin Mill College. She loves to pass on this ancient skill to others and witness the healing potential of working with natural materials.