Our Story
“Judy Zugish and Bill Roeder are co-founders of Fishsticks Basketry School, started in 1991 as a field study education resource bringing local, national and international weavers together. These creative learning workshops take place in Judy’s celebrated garden. See their individual stories below.“
Meet the Instructors
Judy Zugish
began experimenting with garden fibres in 1978. This soon led to an obsession for basket making and many years of pursuing techniques with notable traditional weavers. Today, her contemporary works using gathered natural materials are exhibited widely. She teaches her signature style both at home and abroad. Studying basketry on trips to Japan, England, Germany, Thailand, Laos, and Australia has deepened profound respect for the timeless content of basketry.
The recently published 500 Baskets (Lark Books) includes one of her willow bark pieces and her fibre arts garden is featured in Landscaping with Herbs.
Judy comments “My work is primarily about exploring the shapes and layers of materials. Using a wide mix of barks, vines and natural gatherings, I like to peel and extract their elements–to find and expose the character within.”
Judy is the designer/caretaker of the fiber arts garden and principal instructor at the studio in Marysville. She also travels extensively, teaching and lecturing across the US and Internationally. Her interpretive style explores materials from nature and re-examines traditional techniques in contemporary discovery.
“Both partners have over 20 years of active participation in the exciting renaissance of basketry, and each has trained extensively with master weavers of many nations.”
Bill Roeder
first introduction to basketry in 1989 – workshops with top teachers in willow and bamboo – set the tone for his signature style immediately. Skilful craftsmanship with materials processing, and refined vessel forms, using hand-skeined willow, has become the focus of his studio work.
Working with a bamboo master for many years led him to adapt his bamboo tools to the willow skeining process. He began to weave with skeined willow, and in 2003 had a chance to study in Germany with the retired director, Herr Schneider, of the German Basketry School in Lichtenfels. This exposure to traditional weaving was repeated again in 2005 and 2007. Bill has also studied in England and Japan.
Bill comments “I particularly enjoy that I am involved in every aspect of this basketry – raising, harvesting, peeling and final preparation of the materials and making baskets with classical German technique.
maintains the facility, directs the office organization, and devotes himself to growing and preparing superlative materials. He also lectures and demonstrates on German fine skein willow basketry. His strengths and skills are keenly applied to preparation of materials, designs of classical origin, and baskets of exquisite execution.
