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Bread baskets braided Novice weavers revisit Liverpool’s willow basket traditions
Submitted photos
The 11 novice willow weavers and their teacher, Bonnie Gale, pose with their finished bread baskets in front of the Village Hall on Aug. 11. By Russ Tarby Contributing writer The willow-weaving industry began in Liverpool in 1852 when John Fischer, a Germanborn salt boiler, noticed willow bushes growing profusely in nearby swamps. That willow closely resembled the German domestic willow that was used for basketry. By the 1890s, Liverpool basket weavers were producing an estimated 300,000 willow laundry baskets each year, making this small village an international center of basket production. The Liverpool willow-weaving business was a cottage industry that supported scores of Liverpool families for decades. On Aug. 10 and 11, British-born Bonnie Gale taught a class of 11 how to weave an authentic, Liverpool-style willow basket, specifically a bread basket. The weaving took place at the village hall on Sycamore Street. The class also visited the Liverpool Willow Museum on the grounds of the Gleason Mansion.
For the past four decades, Gale – who now lives in Norwich – has been a professional willow basket maker well known for her living willow sculptures and willow caskets. Gale said she chose to teach the bread basket because it’s an excellent beginning willow basket. “It provides a lot of the basic techniques used in the old Liverpool baskets,” she said. “It is a joy to make, and it demonstrates the intrinsic functional nature of willow.” Among the novice weavers here were Liverpool Mayor Stacy Finney and her husband, Ray. “Bonnie is one of America’s most prominent willow basket makers,” Finney said. “She has is a wealth of knowledge and patience. We are so fortunate that CNY Arts brings her here each year.” The project was made possible with funds from a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts administered here by CNY Arts.
Liverpool Mayor Stacy Finney in the middle of making a bread basket here earlier this month.
LMS students receive Junior High All-County honors
Family Matters of CNY welcomes Kaylee Damm
Central New York native Kaylee Damm has joined the staff at Family Matters of CNY. Damm, who holds a mental health counseling degree with an advance certificate in LGBTQ from New York University, previously served an internship as an Kaylee Damm associate counselor at Thrive Psychotherapy in Manhattan. At Family Matters of CNY, Damm will be providing administrative oversight and as well as well as assisting therapists and graduate-level therapy students in their work providing specialized counseling to separated/ divorced families. With offices in North Syracuse and Oswego, Family Matters of CNY specializes in treating families experiencing a high conflict divorce and offers a range of counseling services. It is also a training site for master’s level marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors.
Liverpool Central School District Director of Fine Arts Adam Shatraw announced that five Liverpool Middle students were honored with selections to the 2024 Junior High All-County Band and Orchestra this past school year. Receiving honors from LMS were seventh-grader Judah Covell (orchestra), eighth-grader Alyssa Taggart (orchestra), eighthgrader Katie Reed (band), eighth-grader Lauren Fader (band) and seventhgrader Dean Scott (band). The students performed during the 2024 Junior High All-County Festival that was held Jan. 26 and 27 at Eagle Hill Middle. The Onondaga County Music Educators Association sponsors the festival.
Submitted photo
Five Liverpool Middle students recently earned 2024 Junior High All County Band and Orchestra honors. Pictured, from left, are Judah Covell, Alyssa Taggart, Katie Reed, Lauren Fader and Dean Scott.
Volume 131, Number 34 The Star-Review is published weekly by Eagle News. Office of Publication: 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206. Periodical Postage Paid at Syracuse, NY 13220, USPS 316060. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Star-Review, 2501 James St., Suite 100, Syracuse, NY 13206.
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schools & scholars: Local students graduate, earn honors.
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