Bloomfield Hills. Although she has no formal art training, she took up basket weaving on a
whim two years ago after buying a beginner's basket-making kit to try at home.
"I made one basket, but I wanted to do more," Fenwick recalls. "Every time I make one,
it's a surprise to me how they're going to turn out. I just find it so exciting because no two
baskets and no two gourds are alike." In her quest to learn more about the craft, she read
books, did research on the Internet, sought out new materials and began experimenting
and creating her own designs. Her search led her to master basket-weaver Cherilyn Braun
of Dexter, a shop owner, teacher and co-founder of the Ann Arbor Area Weavers Guild.
Fenwick immediately started taking classes, driving to and from Braun's Dexter studio every
week.
"Karen is a very intense and genuine person," Braun says. "She seems to approach life in
general with great enthusiasm, so it doesn't surprise me that she approached basket weaving
with the same intensity"
While studying with Braun, Fenwick took a workshop in gourd art, and her new career
as an artist really took off. Under the name From the Forest Floor ... Baskets and More, her
business combines basket weaving and gourd carving to create intricately detailed pieces she
sells — ranging in price from $35-$500 — at juried art
fairs and the Birmingham Farmer's Market (from July-
October).
"She took her first gourd class with me and, `Wow!"'
says Braun. "In a very short time, she surpassed my
knowledge and ability. She has an innate talent some of
us never achieve, even after years of practice."
Fenwick continues to hone her skills, working with
organic gourds she gets from a distributor in California
and 20-inch pine needles from North Carolina. She also
teaches people who want to try their hand at the crafts,
adding that she has yet to run across another Jewish bas-
ket maker. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be
doing this," Fenwick says. "It gives me so much peace and
so much satisfaction. I think I've found my passion."

❑

Get A Gourd

Karen Fenwick will teach two daylong classes

this winter at the E.L. Johnson Nature Center

in Bloomfield Hills (between Long Lake and

Hickory Grove): A gourd-art workshop will be

held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20. A

course in pine-needle basketry will take place

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27. The classes

are open to people of all skill levels and are

$65. There is also a minimal charge for sup-

plies. To register, log on to bloomfieldrec

.org and click on "Nature Center" for a list of

classes, or call (248) 433-0885. To reach Karen

Fenwick through her business From the Forest

Floor ... Baskets and More, call (248) 227-8168

Clockwise from top: Miniature gourds are works-in-progress in
Fenwick's home studio. The artist always has on-hand a collection
of organic dried gourds in their natural state. A pool of purple agate
glistens on the bottom of a pine-needle basket, while to the left, a
gourd is wrapped with Danish cord secured with gemstones.

or e-mail kfenwick73@yahoo.com .