Pine Garden Baskets is located in  Wilmington, North Carolina, where Long Leaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) trees thrive. In a small area tucked away north of the city, trees grow, mature and drop their needles. These pine needles can be as much as fifteen inches long, possessing a brilliant gold-rust color on the full length of the needle

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These Pine Needle Baskets are hand made by Melanie Walter using individually selected and prepared pine needles fresh from the tree and ground area. The needles are collected, soaked and cleaned. The basket is formed by building coils, sewn in the desired shape. They are allowed to air dry and then sealed to protect the surface.

Email Us for more designs and purchase one today!

 

December 2007 -

Artist Melanie Walter has recently developed a pine needle basket kit for those individuals interested in learning how to make their own basket. This kit includes everything needed to make a small Rice Bowl (approximately 3 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch high); black walnut slice for the center start, sewing needle, artificial sinew, a brass guide, pine needles, as well as detailed instructions. These step-by-step directions outline the process from start to finish and include photographs to make it easier to understand.

 

No special equipment or work surface is needed. You can make this basket at your own kitchen table, and complete it in a day or two. The kit also outlines how to find and gather pine needles, prepare them, and how to surface the pine needle basket once it is finished. After you complete the kit, you will possess the basic skills to make many more baskets on your own.

 

Cost is $20 for the kit, plus $8.00 shipping. E mail pgb@pinegardenbaskets.com to order. Mastercard and Visa are accepted.

 

Watch for other pine needle basket kits in the future, and learn how to make a trivet, cracker basket, fruit bowl and many more!

 

September 2007

See a collection of Melanie's most popular as well as most recent basket designs at Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts, located at the Cotton Exchange in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. Melanie has joined 18 local artisans to create a beautiful gallery which is a delight to experience! Enter on the Front Street side of the Cotton Exchange. You will find the Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts opposite the Mary Ellen Golden Gallery. Stop by and see the newest and the best art Wilmington has to offer!

Summer of 2006, Melanie Walter becomes full time Artist

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

 

As a child I loved using anything around me I could find to make "something from nothing." Creative expression is my passion, and throughout my life, I have always learned new skills that would help me in the practice of combining color, texture and pattern to create something unique, interesting and attractive.

 

In the early 1990's, I became fascinated with the construction of pine needle baskets and discovered the endless potential in the use of natural materials to create items of function and beauty. My hope is to continue to learn new things from this world around me and find new ways to incorporate them into my art.

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Having grown up in the metropolitan New York area, Melanie Walter was exposed to the arts at an early age. Throughout her life, she had an interest in expressing herself creatively and loved to learn new skills in which to channel her creative energies. These skills were in the areas of music, voice, language, and most importantly, the visual arts.

 

Ms. Walter attended two colleges and graduated with honors in the field of gerontology where she pursued a 30 year career as Activities Director at retirement facilities on the east coast. Melanie was able to direct her creative energies to offer an enriched program of activities, but never let go of following other creative avenues outside of her professional career.

She became accomplished in photography, graphic arts, drawing, painting, sculpture, and jewelry making, and was always open to learning new ways to create items of beauty and function.

 

 Ms. Walter found her creative home in clay and ceramics in the early 1970's. She attended Keystone College and worked with artist William Tersteeg, first as student and then as studio assistant. Melanie loved all facets of working in clay, and still does today as she works with well-known artist Hiroshi Sueyoshi in Wilmington, North Carolina.

 

In the mid 1990's, Ms. Walter came upon her first pine needle basket while helping a friend set up a local exhibit. She became interested in learning how to make these beautiful baskets, and could see how her background in clay can be utilized; both pine needle baskets and hand-built clay pots employed the use of coils to build their form.

 

Over the past 15 years, Melanie has developed her own pine needle basket making style, incorporating many other natural items into her work including sliced black walnuts, North Carolina river cane, hickory nuts, and shells.

She has participated in dozens of juried crafts fairs, offered demonstrations in many venues, taught classes, participated in arts competitions and placed her work in galleries, shops and museums. In 2001 she created her own business, Pine Garden Baskets, and developed a website to share and sell her work. Very recently, Melanie has begun adding clay components to her pine needle baskets, which will take her work in a new and exciting direction.

 

In August 2006, Melanie left her career in gerontology to devote all her time to making pine needle baskets. She is very excited and energized to be able to concentrate in the pursuit of her ongoing dream of creative expression.

Melanie Walter, pine needle basket maker,  has been involved with pine needle baskets for the past several years, teaching, showing and selling her work

With  a background in hand-building in stoneware pottery, she enjoys translating her experience into intricately coiled baskets.

Feel free to contact Melanie Walter to learn more.