The roots of wickerwork date back to ancient times. This handicraft, practiced all over the world, accompanies me from 1975 year, when I started to learn the profession of a basketball player-braider, This handicraft, practiced all over the world, accompanies me from 1975 year, when I started to learn the profession of a basketball player-braider, and over time I gained master's licenses.
In braiding, I am fascinated by the combination of archaic hand work, accompanying meditative gestures and tricks and modern design with its diversity and possibilities, as well as techniques for combining different materials.
Braided objects are a bridge between nature and civilization. Although nowadays life goes fast, and the world is constantly changing, this braiding remains a living element of our culture and history..
Working with natural materials stimulates our senses and unleashes the potential for creativity. Communing with wicker can enrich everyone internally: children, students, students, Artists, Housewives, Florists, Gardeners, Architects, wicker makers, Designers, Educators, teachers and gardeners, women and men.
Wicker gives us the opportunity to deal with art in the form of fun in practice. Challenges us and supports us. It offers us a few hours or a few days of braiding and creating in the garden. Over the years, it engages our senses and manual talents, reveals to us its special properties as plants, tree, as well as parts of nature.
My works, Seminars, as well as this book, draw on the positive power of wicker. They are also aimed at providing professional support and sharing the joy that arises during staying in the garden., where wicker elements allow better contact with nature.
Wicker in the world
For several decades, wicker and braiding products made of it have again enjoyed increased demand in many countries.. Therefore, in our book we want to present the basic techniques of wickerwork and braiding. We will present here a few selected possibilities of creative use of wicker in the home garden.
In our gardens there are now more and more diverse, fascinating species of willow, Which one – in the form of ornamental shrubs and trees – play the role of decoration in them. We will also take a look beyond the garden fence, to provide as much practical information as possible, concerning willow as a plant and as braiding material and the means of its use.
Willows are characterized by a large variety of species and forms, covering almost the entire globe. They grow in different places – from the Arctic tundra to temperate climate zones to the tropics, from sea quays to high-altitude areas. Willow has spread so much thanks to its good assimilation capacity, frost resistance and tolerance of stagnant water. Almond willow is particularly widespread, also known as the three-pin, which grows in Asia, North Africa, in the Caucasus and in Southern and Central Europe. Although originally willow was not found in Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, it eventually wandered to these areas and took root there.. This expansion in recent centuries has occurred not only due to the natural spread through seedlings and seeds.. Man also contributed to this, who travels, took with him special species of this plant. Weeping willow from China, well enduring cold winters, settled with us a long time ago. Currently, it would be difficult to imagine its absence in our parks and gardens. Recently, we have seen willows from North America, for example. prairie willow (A low willow), kojo-cia willow (Salt* a little), Himalayan willow from the Himalayan region (Salix himalayas) resistant to extreme frosts. Added to this are the Scandinavian willow (Willow bushes) and Swiss willow (Salix hehetica), as well as a little-known fetid willow (Salix foetida) from areas in the German Alps.
The most characteristic forms come from Japan, for example. specific Sakhalin willow, called dragon (Salix udensis Sekka) or black-tick willow (Satix melanostachys), whose kittens are almost completely black.
However, Europe is a global hub for species diversity and exploitation.. Many European countries , where similar species of willow grow, however, it has its own history of braiding and traditions associated with it, which have survived to this day in some areas.
In ancient times, wicker was used by the Celts and Germans. The ancient Romans created the first large structures from it, and also made many other products. Willow rods, bark and wood have been used multilaterally over millennia.. They were used for medical purposes, production of baskets, objects of worship, Weapons, Flutes, tench, Fences, furniture up to dentures, drawing boards, tennis rackets and cricket sticks. In addition, dowsers used willow twigs to search for water..
The latter application indicates the relationship of willow with water – this plant prefers places located above water bodies.