On a recent episode of Textiles & Tea, hosted by Kathi Grupp of the Handweaver's Guild of America, artist Matt Tommey shared the intricate tapestry of his journey into fiber art. From humble beginnings experimenting with invasive Southeastern vines to becoming a celebrated artist blending traditional basketry with modern aesthetics, Matt’s story is both inspiring and enlightening.From Kudzu to CreativityMatt’s artistic journey began, quite serendipitously, during his colle ..read more

As a visual artist, my work has always been deeply inspired by nature, and in this latest body of work, I’ve sought to explore that connection in a new and meaningful way. I’m calling this collection **"Contemporary Nature-Inspired Reliquaries."** Each piece is designed as a unique wooden box with niches filled with sculptural items that reflect the simplicity and sacredness of nature. Inside these boxes, you’ll find birds, nests, pods, weavings, and other abstract ..read more

​The journey to becoming a nature-inspired sculptor was not one I could have predicted, but looking back, it feels as though every moment of my life has led me here. I believe that each artist’s journey is deeply personal, often shaped by forces far beyond their control, and mine is no different. My work, which weaves together bark, vines, and other natural elements into sculptural forms, is not just a reflection of my surroundings—it’s an intimate expression of my ..read more

Each week inside my Natural Basketry School, we welcome new makers from around the world. And the exciting part is that most have never made a basket before, much less harvested or prepared their own materials.  But with a little encouragement from our community and some simple video instruction from me, they start to create beautiful baskets they can be proud of. Baskets they can enjoy in their home, give as gifts and for some, even sell for extra income. This blog post is specifically designed to celebrate some of the latest work from my students.  All the images below are from th ..read more

Basket base made with naturally wilted day lily foliage. Fall weather brings the changing of colors and seasons. Cool air wisps through the trees, flowers begin to fade, seeds drop for next years blooms and foliage wilts. It can seem like a really depressing time in the garden, but not for the basketmaker! While there's little to look forward to in fall garden cleanup, nothing is better than working in the garden on a cool fall day only to stop, gather and weave some daylily foliage. A welcome respite to the mundane nature of pruning and mulching. Basketry is about so much more than produc ..read more

For years now, I've been asked by my students and followers alike to put together a simple guide for using natural basket weaving materials. Things like where and when to harvest, how to protect and store basket weaving materials and even common tools used in the process of making a basket.  Well, I finally did it!  And you can download it for free right here: http://www.matttommey.com/basket-weaving-classes.html ​ Let me know what you think in the comments below ..read more

Photo Credit: Leslee Mitchell Photo Credit: Leslee Mitchell I was privileged this year to be asked again for a sculptural work to be featured in the Cashiers Designer Showhouse to benefit the Cashiers Historical Society. My piece was featured on the front porch of this modern rustic luxury mountain cottage in Silver Run Reserve. The porch was designed by Ann Sherrill, owner and lead designer at Rusticks in Cashiers and it was a show stopper to be sure! I love creating special pieces like this one because they work both indoors or on a covered porch like this one. It's a truly ..read more

I'm excited to announce the launch of "The Thriving Christian Artist" podcast for artists who want to bust through roadblocks that have held them back for years, create the art they love and live the life the they know God created them to live as an artist in His Kingdom. During each season of the podcast, I'll be sharing encouraging teaching and inspiration from my own journey as an artist plus interviews with both emerging and established artists in every creative medium who are thriving artistically, spiritually and in their business. You can listen, subscribe and review my podcast ..read more

After hosting a local garden club at my studio earlier this spring for a program centered around my sculptural work, one of the members asked me to create a special piece for her home. This was a new home for her and completely different that any other aesthetic she'd ever employed within her design background. The space features cool, calm colors, modern lines and beautiful windows overlooking a spectacular garden.  Enjoy ..read more

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