I was born on the Shetland Island of Yell where I have lived for most of my life. Although I paint and do paper collage, weaving baskets has become my passion.

I have been an avid gatherer of beach treasure all my life and it was my collection of glass floats washed ashore from the herring industry that led me to make baskets. I needed something to display them in and to prevent them from rolling off shelves!

I now incorporate 'Russian floats' into some of my baskets as bases. They were used as herring net floats in the 70's and were prevalent on Shetland shores.

I weave with various leaves and grasses, all gathered on Yell. My favourite raw material is maram grass which grows by the shore, but I also use New Zealand flax(from Yell gardens),montbretia, daffodil leaves, floss, seegies and heather.

Each basket is unique and seems to take on a life of it's own as I weave, evolving into another original creation. My affinity with the sea is at heart of every basket.