The basic material for his wicker works of art is willow, but he also makes use of other things, and the young farmer brings hazel, larch and birch twigs back from his forays into his woods. Once in the workshop again, he prepares these for weaving. He scarifies the hazel canes with a sharp knife, bends them over his knee and skillfully breaks out long slips of uniform thickness. “You need a lot of time, patience and dexterity”, Paris explains, as he separates the twigs from the bark with well- rehearsed cuts. Then he has to position the ‘ribs’, the basic structure of wickerwork, and his nimble fingers wind the slips around them, twig by twig. If these are dry, they have to be softened in boiling water beforehand to make them more pliable.

The farmer’s varied product range shows off the unlimited possibilities of wickerwork. Perfectly formed baskets in all shapes and sizes are stacked up in his workshop alongside decorative wicker items such as saucers, lanterns, plant pots, lamps and lots more. The art of wickerwork goes back over 2000 years. The artisan is convinced that “the ancient techniques passed down through generations, combined with new ideas, result in eye-catching objects for home and garden”. The beauty of each intricate wicker object lies in the detail. Only when wicker workers possess sufficient staying power and experience can tiny mistakes be avoided. This is also the case for working with wool, the farmer’s latest passion. He likes using wool from mountain sheep in Ultental and combines this with wood to turn out unique items.