Hanna Van Aelst

Basketweaver

©Melanie Mullan

©Hanna Van Aelst

Connected to the land

Hanna grows her own willow for weaving
She embraces environmentally conscious making
She creates sculptures and traditional utilitarian baskets

Hanna Van Aelst’s first encounter with basket weaving was by chance. She was staying with a friend in Ireland who worked with willow and had willow growing on their land. After an initial introduction to the craft, Hanna felt herself pulled into a vortex of ideas and possibilities. The holistic approach to growing, harvesting, treating and finally weaving the willow really appealed to her need to be connected to the land. She has since created her own ‘wild place’ in Tipperary where she lives and works. She has been working with willow since the early 2010s. Hanna creates functional objects and large-scale flowing sculptures, combining technical skill and a real understanding of the nature of her material. She also regularly teaches her craft to others.

Interview

©Melanie Mullan

©Hanna Van Aelst

What is special about working with willow?: It is hard to put my finger on exactly what it is that makes it special, there is no one thing. I think it is the whole process, it is very sustainable and I enjoy being linked to the materials from planting in the ground to creating the finished piece. The direct connection to the land is important to me.
How does the land shape your pieces?: Where the willow is planted will affect the colour of the rods, so the soil directly affects my colour palette. The land shapes the rhythms of the work too, timing harvest, soaking and drying of materials. All this affects the final forms I can create.
Do you have a preference towards making sculptural or functional works?: I seesaw between the two. The functional work offers structure and repetition which hones my technique. This feeds into the easy flow of making sculptural work. The technical pieces offer a framework to allow for the sculptural forms to happen naturally.
Could your craft be considered endangered?: Although there are no formal internships in the craft, I have seen an increase in interest in courses. There seems to be renewed interest in basket weaving and teaching is a key part of my practice. It is so important to pass on skills to the next generation.

Hanna Van Aelst is a master artisan: she began her career in 2013 and she started teaching in 2015