Willow Weaving Reindeers

My name is Nav and I go by the name Broadbridge Willow. Based in the small Cotswold village of North Cerney I grow and weave willow to create functional and decorative works.

Most of my making takes place outside in my little workspace next to the River Churn where I feel most connected to nature and the seasons. My fascination with willow weaving began long before I wove my first basket. For as long as I can remember I have marvelled at the seamless beauty of basketry; the construction, myriad weaves, styles, textures and forms, all tailored to distinct functions, robust yet effortlessly comfortable to handle and invitingly tactile. To me the transformation of sticks to bespoke baskets was pure alchemy. With a passion for growing my own veg and sustainable living, I longed to collect and store my produce and foraged finds in baskets I could conjure myself out of homegrown willow, and for these to double as pieces of art in my home. My traditional basketry skills have been nurtured under the guidance of established basket makers over the past ten years. I make all manner of baskets from rounds, ovals, squares, framed and like to experiment with more decorative items. I combine my background in physics, product engineering and love of the natural world to create pieces with both utility and aesthetic appeal. I gain great satisfaction in exploring and understanding the properties of the willow as a sustainable, functional material and working within its natural limitations. In a world of perfection and perfectionism I find it liberating working with willow, exposing its natural beauty which wears its own history, flaws and all.

Each basket/item has its unique form and texture dictated by the willow, which in turn has been shaped by the environment in which it has grown. All aspects of growing, processing and weaving are highly tactile and require a responsive approach which I find to be immensely grounding. For me, there is an insatiable primeval draw to use my hands in unison with natural materials to create objects of simple necessity. It is this tactility and its inherent connectivity to nature that I endeavour to embody in the pieces that I create.

I love sharing the knowledge and skills I have gained along my willow weaving journey; a journey that has fused utility, heritage, and sustainability alongside joy and inner calmness. This fuels my passion for delivering workshops to small groups, and it’s the passing on of ‘the spark’ that invigorates me, inviting conversation and connection which I find mutually nourishing.