The third edition of the Living Willow Form book has just been published in August 2024. The price is $35.00 (includes shipping) and includes a custom dedication to the recipient. It is now possible to order the book from this web site by credit card.
Workshops in Living Willow Structures. All workshops are taught in Norwich, New York. This two day course will cover the design and construction of living willow structures. Tuition cost is $250 per day plus living willow materials. A range of local accommodation is available. A 50% tuition deposit check or money order is required to secure a student's place in the workshop. Please use the "contact'' button below to express your interest in the workshop.
The first day of the course will start with a PowerPoint of Bonnie's living structures over the last 20 years. She will cover the fedge and poling methods of construction and how her work has developed over the last 20 years. Bonnie will then explore the mechanics of fedge (fence) construction and how it is applied to a variety of design forms. Willow varieties, site selection, soil preparation, layout, site design, planting, weaving, tying and maintenance will be covered. Students will engage in the group construction of living fedge in the afternoon of the first day.
On the second day, students will have the opportunity to build their own piece of living structure which they will then take home and plant in their own gardens. A living arch is the most popular piece chosen by students.
The Living Willow Chapel represents an exciting new development in Bonnie's living willow work. The Chapel is not only very large (36 feet wide and 99 feet long) but also tall (15 feet). The design is entirely functional. A metal subframe supports the design and is not visible as it is covered with willow. The whole structure is covered with planted live willow and is pruned to maintain shape. The design offers an entrance vestibule and a long aisle to the sanctuary. A perimeter fedge is incorporated into the exterior poling, hence adding definition.
Atlas Obscura web site. December 13, 2017 Story: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/a-short-history-of-tree-shaping. Bonnie Gale was interviewed by Sarah Laskow and is mentioned in the article.
“You’re dealing with unpredictable natural forces” ... “It can be a humbling experience.”
- Bonnie Gale
OLIN is proud to announce the opening of A/D/O and the unveiling of our installation Herba Potentia.
OLIN’s installation is part of the inaugural season of A/D/O’s Design Academy which kicked off in late January of 2017. Programming for the event explored the theme of “Utopia vs. Dystopia: Designing Our Imagined Futures.” Examining major cultural disruptions and scientific advances such as robotics, artificial intelligence, automation and new production technologies, the Design Academy asks whether designers will be the ones to tip the scales toward utopia or dystopia.
Herba Potentia explores aspects of utopian and dystopian landscapes through the lens of three gardens: The Garden of Control, Emergence and Symbiosis. The installation was realized in collaboration with willow artist Bonnie Gale and custom display manufacturer, Print Structures.
Bonnie’s Living Willow Structures have been featured in the latest issue of the NBO (National Basketry Organization) Quarterly Review Winter 2015 which was available January 2016.
The second edition of the Living Willow Form book has just been published in January 2016. The price includes a custom dedication to the recipient. It is now possible to order the book from this web site by credit card.
We just finished the first maintenance visit 4 weeks after finishing planting and found growth upwards of twenty inches before pruning! The images show the installation after trimming.
We just finished an installation for children and adults on a rooftop terrace for the Staten Island Children's Museum in New York City. The shape of this structure is uniquely defined by a circle intersected with a children size tunnel and opening for adults. The spatial addition of the structure, which sits in planter boxes, moves circulation and curiosity out onto the terrace from the indoors.
These photos are just two days after planting and thus, it has yet to leaf out.
We just finished one of the largest installations for adults. The structure is situated on a path between destinations on the estate. The installation is comprised of a long tunnel into a dome and then another tunnel. The complexity of the sightlines and curve of the tunnel with the changes in topography, allow for mystery and wonder. More pictures to come when the installation is fully leafed out.
The installation took 9 days and these photos are taken when we left.
We recently completed a Living Willow Gazebo in a retirement community in Chicago. The gazebo is situated in a butterfly garden. Willow is known to attract butterfly populations!!
Bonnie Gale has published her first book in April 2014, entitled "Living Willow Form: Creative Insights of Willow Artist". This book is the culmination of ten years of work, creating living willow structures and explores the resultant insights.
There are three main chapters: Flow, Function and Form. Flow discusses the spiritual roots of her work. Function describes the parameters of the wonderful functionality of willow for living structures and then includes six pages of drawings, moving from living fences to mazes, arches, tunnel , arbors, gazebos to then outdoor rooms and specialty design installations . The Form chapter includes a multitude of images of the resultant structures. In addition, there is a List of her Living Willow Structures to date, Resources and Biographical Statement.
The book has 32 pages and is in a 8.5 inch square format. The book is proudly printed by Rolling Press in Brooklyn, New York on 100% recycled paper, locally sourced, non-toxic inks using wind energy. The cost of the book is $20 which includes a personal dedication of your choice and signature and date from the artist. Shipping is $8.50 and so please send a check for $28.50 payable to "Bonnie Gale" at 412 County Road 31, Norwich, NY 13815. If you wish to pay by Paypal, please send $30.
