Jo Hammond
Jo Hammond is one of East Anglia’s best willow workers. She grew up in Suffolk and Essex and still lives nearby, close to the Stour Estuary.
A degree in Fine Art and more recently completed a Certificate in Countryside and Heritage Interpretation.
Jo has worked as a basket-maker and willow sculptor for more than twenty years, passing on her skills through teaching many classes and courses. Her book, ‘Willow Basketry and Sculpture’ was published in 2014.
Influences for Jo’s craft ultimately derive from the beauty of natural materials and the discipline to work as locally and sustainably as possible. This includes incorporating foraged stems, climbers or leaves, which she describes as a process of connecting with the approaches of our hunter-gatherer ancestors.
All of Jo’s willow is English, some of it grown in Suffolk and Essex.