7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
My favourite room: ‘The extension began to be referred to as Polly's Folly. Now that it's worked so well, it's become Ivan's Inspiration'
Though she initially trained as an actor, Polly Minett went on to become an artist and uses her creativity in many ways, whether it's turning old bedsheets into paper for artworks or transforming a dated house into a stunning sustainable home
'My family call me the basket case,' Polly Minett jokes when it becomes obvious that she has multiple baskets of all shapes and sizes in the many lovely rooms in her Arts and Crafts home in Kilkenny. 'I am basket crazy. My husband Ivan sends photos of me at markets looking at baskets to our kids Max and Eloise.'
The attraction is the fact that the baskets are made of natural materials like willow and Polly is all about nature. She herself makes her own paper from old cotton and dyes it by boiling up plants like thistledown, elderberries, nettles and foxgloves. From this she makes beautiful bowls and sculptures and is now collaborating with botanical artist Jennie Castle on an exhibition called Hedgerow & Wayside, which will take place as part of Kilkenny Arts Festival until August 17; Castle paints stunning botanical art on Polly's handmade paper.
