Now-Wave

Lee’s work is rooted in the use of sustainable materials, chiefly willow and bamboo, to make basketry related structures with a functional purpose. He began growing willow at the Woodlands Farm Trust Shooters Hill SE18 in 1987, having begun basket making 22 years ago.

He was introduced to split willow frame basketry by gypsies in Brittany and traded at Greenwich Crafts market for nine years. He Pioneered willow and earth back-filling to make landscaping and seating around trees in 1991. Commissioned to teach and make installation art across the UK and Scandinavia and the USA, Lee started working with architects who he met when gaining a BA Hons in Spatial Design at Central St Martins in 2001. This marked a turning point for Lee who started to incorporate bamboo into his work. This in turn lead to various projects with Ushida Findlay architects for the Crafts Councils ‘Making Buildings’ exhibition, later a Crafts Councils research trip to teach, run workshops and make installations with bamboo in Japan in 2003.

Basketry is related to lightweight structure and both have a long historical link within human evolution for the means of food gathering and shelter. Lee’s aims are to extend these principles in modern terms.

Lee Dalby
T +44 (0)20 8 317 2530
E marshchav@hotmail.com