Heartland Harmony
Heartland Harmony
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Basketry Lessons
I am scheduling one-to-one basketry lessons for 2025!
Read on and fill out the interest form to schedule!
I offer private lessons in traditional stake-and-strand willow basketry to those looking to begin their adventure with willow or sharpen up their basketry skills at my farm and home studio near Westby, Wisconsin.
Students taking one-to-one lessons receive high quality individual instruction with an emphasis on developing strong technique and attention to detail. Students can expect to complete beautiful basketry work, as well as depart with the foundations necessary to continue learning and weaving on their own.
Lessons take place at our small willow farm, giving students an opportunity to see where the materials they use in class are grown as well as get hands-on knowledge of material preparation. Growing and processing willow, wild-coppicing native varieties, learning how to sort, soak, and mellow materials are all essential skills, and lack of access to this knowledge is often one of the steepest barriers for beginner weavers.
Private lessons blocks take place during regular work hours: 9 - 5, Monday - Friday. Timing is more flexible for private group classes, so reach out if you'd like to schedule a group over a weekend.
We are very pleased to be able to offer simple, affordable accommodations to traveling students and visitors. You can find the full details about our on-site accommodations below.
Read what previous students are saying about lessons!
Tuition
My hourly rate for private lessons is $40/hour, depending on the course.
Rates include all prep, materials, and use of the studio for independent work in off-hours.
A standard day of lessons includes 6 hours of class with a one-hour lunch break (9-4).
It costs around $70 in materials to make a medium size basket, and if students would like to independently make more work than what is included in their lessons or take home willow for continued practice, they are welcome to do so for a per-pound material fee of $12/lb.
Learning to work with willow requires a significant investment of time, focus, and commitment. It's almost always more difficult than expected, and teaching this challenging skill to beginners is accordingly intensive. The minimum timeframe I recommend for beginner lessons is three full work days in order to get a solid understanding of the language, technique, and form needed for continued learning, including instruction in material preparation.
Lessons Options
Half, Single, and Double Day Lessons
Returning students are welcome to book from among these shorter lesson block options when there are specific goals or projects in mind suitable for shorter timeframes.
3-Day Course - $720
A 3-day course is the preferred block for a beginner-level lesson. Depending on skill level, students will complete one round-base stake and strand basket, and may have time for additional features and techniques. 3-day courses include 18 hours of instruction with a high level of attention to detail on technique building and material selection. Depending on the season, students may be able to coppice some of their own willow for their baskets.
Week-Long Lessons - $1200
Week-long courses involve 5 days of study, and are excellent for beginners as well as all more dedicated students looking to build a strong foundation in willow work. Whatever the skill level or goals, week-long students have the advantage of getting to explore the craft in a deeper way and are invited to co-create a learning curriculum suitable for individual learning goals & needs.
My current most highly recommended 5-day course looks like this:
Wednesday - Friday: 9-4 class, make at least one piece with supervision, set improvement goals.
Saturday - Sunday: Independent studio time: create a second piece on your own implementing skills from the first block of lessons.
Monday - Tuesday: 9-4 class, receive feedback on independent work and make a third supervised piece implementing all feedback and skills learned.
Split Lessons & Private Group Classes
Students may opt to share their lesson time with another student to receive a discounted rate from regular lessons tuition. A typical rate for a 3-day lesson for two is $500 per person, or around 30% off regular tuition.
Accessibility
Weaving the baskets, preparing the materials, and being on site all require a degree of able-bodiedness that is sadly exclusive to some. In many cases, folks with certain physical disabilities, movement disorders, arthritis, chronic pain, and small children or elderly people may not be able to make baskets with willow. Working with willow requires a surprising degree of physical strength and dexterity, and many able-bodied people with no chronic illness or pain issues leave an intensive period of weaving with some degree of bodily pain. Additionally, our current available teaching space requires climbing a steep flight of stairs for entry.
Financial Accessibility
Some ways students with fewer resources can make their learning more affordable are:
• Apply for funding to learn. I have taught several students learning with arts grants, tribal grants, craft council funding, and other sources. Traditional and folk arts grants apply.
• Split your class with another student.
• Stay on site to avoid expensive hotels, bnbs, and take-out costs during your stay.
• Use a payment plan to cover tuition in installments.
• Ask for lessons as a gift from family members who may have more financial stability.
• Design a course with shorter instruction days and more independent studio work.
• Opt for one of the group classes I teach every year rather than private lessons. Prices for group classes are always lower than tuition rates for private one-to-one lessons.
• Apply for a work exchange position
Cancellation Policy
You can read more about our cancellation and refund policy here.
Accommodations
We are so lucky to be able to share our beautiful riverside basketmaking workshop as well as Casita, our small guest cabin with visitors and students. Anyone staying on the land is welcome to use both spaces in tandem for the duration of their stay, utilizing the various amenities in both to craft a comfortable retreat-like experience during your time here.
On-site accommodations are $30/night in the warm months, $40/night in the cold months (to account for firewood). Students are also welcome to primitive camp on the land for $15/night.
The Studio
The studio has electricity, fiber-optic wifi, a mini fridge, an electric kettle and tea, heating and air conditioning. As mentioned above, accessing the studio does require climbing a steep flight of stairs.
The Cabin
Our sweet one-room cabin has no electricity or running water, but has a small kitchen with a camp cookstove, sink, and all cookware you need to make homemade meals during your stay. The bed is in low-ceilinged loft accessible with a ladder, and there is a small bathroom with a compost bucket toilet. There is also a small sofa bed on the main floor for those who can't to climb a ladder, though sleeping on the main level will reduce your living space. Visitors staying in the cabin must be comfortable walking uphill and on uneven terrain, carrying water, using a composting bucket toilet, and spending a few days without easily accessible running water or electricity.
Words from Past Students
"If you want to gain a truly solid basis in technique and to continue working on your own, these lessons are more than worth the time, trip, and resource investment. I've taken a variety of basket courses over the years with several instructors, and had no idea until working with Anni how many core and subtle details had been missing in the process. The teaching is somehow rigorous but nonchalant, serious and deeply unserious, and within that, I found myself making the best basket work I'd ever done."
"Anni creates a learning atmosphere that is patient, empowering, and fun. A natural teacher, Anni works well with students of all learning styles to teach in a way that builds confidence, reinforces good technique, and sticks in the memory. They're a craftsperson of the first order, generous with tips and resources, intuitive when people need extra support, and wild and wacky in between. Learning this craft from them was a true gift to myself."
"I can't recommend a willow basket class with Anni enough - their dedication to both the quality and accessibility of their craft, their delightful teaching style, the cozy and curious learning environment they cultivate."
"The three-day basketweaving intensive was perfect for me to learn the basics of willow weaving and then feel comfortable continuing to practice on my own at home. Anni was such a good teacher - really thorough and knowledgeable, as well as friendly, encouraging and laid back. I loved seeing her willow farm, and I enjoyed spending time with her while I learned. I hope to be able to come back and continue lessons sometime in the future!"
"Anni is an amazing teacher! I am so happy with my basket and am so grateful for all the instruction that was given to me. Plus I feel that I’ve made a life long friend along the way!"
"Anni is the best! They really are the rare mix of skilled artist and excellent teacher. She is supportive and encouraging and even in the toughest moments never made me feel bad for struggling (it’s not easy, the magic of basket making!). They have the rare knack of talking you through steps, showing you, and then facilitating you doing it yourself without any impatience. If you can find a way to study with her, do it."
Work Exhange Program
Limited work exchange slots are available each year to cover full and partial course tuition. Work trade opportunities take place primarily in the transitional seasons: March - May and October - December.
Work exchangers spend their days on our small farmstead, tending perennial plantings and the systems that support the humans and nonhumans that share the space. The farm is situated on 27 acres on the Kickapoo River, and is a beautiful place to spend some days working and exploring the woods and riverside haunts.
Work exchangers are temporary employees of the farm, and can expect the experience to feel like a seasonal part time job. We try to provide a pleasant experience for work exchangers through clear communication, flexibility, and opportunities to experience the fun aspects of the farm and neighborhood. However, we are not professional managers, and at least some degree of uncertainty is always likely due to the nature of highly weather dependent work on a small farm that does not have regular employees.
A strong work exchange candidate will demonstrate solid communication skills, independence, flexibility, an enthusiasm for physical work and a desire to improve in that work in speed and technique, focus and diligence, and an investment in finishing projects we start.
Some possible activities one could expect in a day of work are: willow bed maintenance, coppicing, digging, mulching, weeding, prepping garden beds, invasive species removal, infrastructure maintenance, etc.
I compensate work exchangers in an exchange rate starting at $20/hour - a well-above average wage in our area for entry level farm work that requires training. At this rate, 2 hours of work exchange = 1 hour of lessons (with the exception of shorter form courses).
Example Exchange
3-Day Course • Full Work Trade • Staying on Farm
18 hours of lessons = 36 hours of work exchange
36 hours of labor working 6 hour days = 6 days work exchange
6 days working + 3 days lessons = 9 days on the farm
9 nights winter lodging in the cabin = $360
The exchange program has been informed by my own experience as a work exchanger at various places and phases of life, which allowed me to have valuable experiences I may not otherwise have had. It is designed with care and intended to increase access this education, while ensuring the offering is still properly valued.
What's it like to work exchange on the farm?
"If you have an interest in learning bioregional willow basketry from a very skilled and silly weaver, I can't recommend Anni enough. I was blessed with the opportunity to do a work trade on Anni's farm in exchange for a private three-day basket weaving lesson.
While assisting with spring willow planting, stacking wood, and other farm chores, I also learned how to steward, harvest, sort, and cure both gathered and grown willow. The work trade allowed me to gain a deep appreciation for the attention to detail, hours of hard work, and tender loving care that beats at the heart of willow basketry - all before stepping into the studio to begin my weaving lesson.
Anni's teaching style is both nonchalant and impactful. Their lessons are infused with humor and curiosity, bite-sized nuggets of wisdom, and thorough instruction. Anni is well-seasoned in the art of pedagogy and possesses an intuitive gift for teaching a time-consuming and difficult craft to beginners. My three-day intensive class was designed in a way where I could plunge headfirst into the world of weaving with a talented instructor who was by my side through every step of the process.
Anni knew when to boost my confidence and when to push me out of my comfort zone as I stumbled through my first basket. As a recovering perfectionist, I needed this kind of support to navigate the messy, unpleasant, and hard aspects of learning a new skill. In lessons, Anni weaves together an introductory framework of technical skills, artistry, and intimate knowledge while also keeping the atmosphere lighthearted, fun, and forgiving.
From learning willow identification and wild coppicing in the field to practicing base weave and bordering techniques in the studio, Anni set me up in a way to feel confident continuing the craft on my own. I can't wait to come back for my next lesson!"
-Ella, 2023 work exchanger
