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Mary Boyd | Contemporary Pine Needle Basketry

@whitetrilliumstudio

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Art meant to be lived with
Distinctive design for thoughtful interiors
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I never expected to become an artist.

For most of my career, I was a professor of organic chemistry and later a university administrator. Art was nowhere in the plan.

Then came a career transition. I didn’t know what came next.

I had already discovered pine needle basketry, and I kept creating.

It became a way to explore ideas, experiment, and see where they could lead.

Now I’m an artist, creating contemporary Pine needle baskets.

I’m glad you’re here. by @whitetrilliumstudio

New lesson in longleaf pine needle basketry: using a gauge! I use a brass compression fitting from the hardware store. This is a 1/4” size. For smaller baskets with slender coils I use 3/16”. For a larger basket I might increase to 5/16”. On a recent trip I forgot to bring a gauge so I cut a short piece from a straw.

#showyourface2026 by @whitetrilliumstudio

Art on the Meadow… in December? In Michigan? 😄

Yes, but we’re moving indoors!

Join me on December 12 at Ox-Bow House in Douglas, Michigan, for a day of Longleaf Pine Needle Basketry!

We’ll spend the day learning the basics of coiling longleaf pine needles, and you’ll create a small basket of your own.

Ox-Bow House is home to a gallery featuring art for sale, and on December 12, it will also be our workshop space.

Saturday, December 12, 10-5.

Registration is open. Link in bio to reserve your spot.

I’d love to spend the day making art with you!

Slide 1: Ox-Bow lagoon in winter. Photo by Hannah Bugg.

@oxbowschoolofart by @whitetrilliumstudio

Something new from White Trillium Studio! 🌿

You can now wear your love of White Trillium with our new studio merchandise.

The collection starts with two favourites: a classic baseball cap and a cozy embroidered beanie (or, as I call it, a toque!).

Whether you’re heading outdoors, working in the studio, or just enjoying a chilly autumn day, there’s some White Trillium style for you. Both are available in a selection of colours, so you can choose the look you like best.

And, as you can see, John has already given the toque his seal of approval. 😂

Find them on the website. Link in bio!

Which would you choose: the cap or the toque? by @whitetrilliumstudio

October, you kept me busy! 🍁

✨ 1,000 followers—and a giveaway to celebrate.
😂 Saturday silliness, including some rather unconventional 3D art reveals.
🩵 Two commissions completed, with three more in progress.
💕John continued to be the best, and apparently very popular, studio assistant.
🪡 A new creative adventure with sashiko embroidery—and, naturally, another basket idea.

It’s been a month of creating, experimenting, laughing, and connecting with this lovely community. Thank you for being part of it. 🤍

And November? There’s something new in store. 🌼 by @whitetrilliumstudio

A little nature, a little sparkle, and a touch of holiday magic. ✨

Longleaf pine needles, distinctive stitching, and festive centers come together in a collection of original holiday ornaments, each with its own character and design.

The five ornaments featured here offer a glimpse of a larger collection, with more designs to discover.

🎄 Join me at the @oxbowschoolofart Ox-Bow House Holiday Market on November 14 to explore the collection, see me at work with pine needles, and find an ornament to make your holiday season a little more special.

After Nov 14, ornaments will also be available online at WhiteTrilliumStudio.com (link in Bio), as well as Ox-Bow House. by @whitetrilliumstudio

2D artists have the slow turn to reveal their new artwork. But 3D artists? We can’t do that.

So here are some new ideas for 3D art reveals, Halloween-themed! 🎃👻

Special thanks to John, who takes his costarring duties very seriously. He may need his own agent soon. 😂🎃 by @whitetrilliumstudio

A little rhythm. A vibrant green. And a stitch that brings it all together. 💚

The diamond stitch creates a repeating pattern across the coils of this pine needle basket, adding structure and rhythm to the design. Paired with a malachite composite center and matching green thread, the pattern becomes part of the whole composition.

Each stitch is worked by hand, building the pattern one small step at a time. 💚💚💚 by @whitetrilliumstudio

We won this beautiful, handwoven basket from the amazing Mary! ❤️ @whitetrilliumstudio

Mary is truly one of the sweetest and most talented people I have had the pleasure of meeting on Instagram. Her handmade baskets and weaving skills are absolutely beautiful, and she is such an inspiration.

I originally came across her giveaway through a wonderful friend @glassartfusionuk , and here we are! A new connection, a new friendship, and I even won the giveaway! I honestly feel like I've won in more ways than one. Sometimes the best part of these little surprises is the people we meet along the way.

Of course, we couldn't open a package without our fur babies being involved. They are part of everything around here and truly believe every package that arrives belongs to them. LOL!

Mary, @whitetrilliumstudio thank you so much! I am genuinely grateful for this beautiful piece and for the kindness behind it. It means so much!

Please take a moment to visit Mary's page @whitetrilliumstudio and check out her gorgeous handmade creations. She is incredibly talented and truly has a kind soul. ❤️

#handmade #basketweaving #stones #amythyst by @whitetrilliumstudio

Some pieces carry a meaning beyond their materials.

Unbroken Resolve brings together a striking K2 jasper stone centre, deep black coils, and a network of blue and light grey linen thread. The intricate diamond stitching creates a sense of movement, while the repeating circles draw the eye inward.

The name speaks to perseverance and the strength to keep moving forward. It’s a meaning that feels particularly fitting for a piece built stitch by stitch, with patience and intention.

This basket has found its new home, and I’m delighted that it will be enjoyed beyond my studio.

Explore the available work at whitetrilliumstudio.com, or tap the link in my bio to discover a piece that speaks to you. by @whitetrilliumstudio

Every artist needs a support team. Mine just happens to wear several hats. 🤍

Meet John: occasional tuxedo and studio model, leatherwork assistant, photographer, beading assistant, video co-star, and an indispensable member of White Trillium Studio.

I’m grateful for all the ways he supports my art, and for his willingness to play along my creative, and increasingly unhinged, ideas. Plus he comes up with some of the funniest content.

He finds it rather amusing that he seems to have acquired a fan club.

I’m the president of the fan club. 🤍🤍🤍 by @whitetrilliumstudio

It started with a post from @saugatuckdouglaslibrary advertising a sashiko embroidery class. As soon as I saw that photo, I knew I needed to learn sashiko!

From the very beginning of the first class, my mind was already racing with ideas for incorporating elements of sashiko into my pine needle basketry.

Apparently, 37 browser tabs weren’t enough. I needed a whole new operating system. 😂

Thank you to @saugatuckdouglaslibrary for introducing me to a new technique, and opening yet another tab in my creative brain! 💙🤍 by @whitetrilliumstudio