ABOUT ME

I am David Grushko, a basketry artist who lives in Ofra, Israel (near Jerusalem). I was born in Paris and raised in the spirit of French æsthetics. At the age of 18, I began studying electronics, but I soon switched to homeopathy, that I still practice in parallel to my art career.

I learned basketry techniques from Hertzel Auster, one of Israel’s foremost basket weavers.

I believe that art is a superior tool for connecting the spiritual and material worlds and for revealing my innermost self. As an artist, I feel that the various facets that comprise my sense of self are displayed and expressed in my works. Some are geometric and symmetric, following a fixed pattern, while others are more abstract and free-flowing, each one unique and inimitable. I use a variety of weaving materials, both natural and artificial, to invite attention and evoke curiosity. Weaving combines manual labor and creativity, serving as a kind of simple, material foundation for abstract self-expression.

I recently began working with grapevines and date stems, attempting to incorporate them in varying proportions in my woven baskets. Grapevines are rigid, while date stems are soft. Combining them yield product durability and creates a sense of power. These baskets embody the presence of primordial, untamed nature. Like nature itself, the branching grapevines form different shapes that give each basket its unique and surprising design and form.

I produce a wide range of woven works: Simple baskets, designer baskets incorporating grapevines, imaginative trays and mandalas. This extensive selection guarantees that all will find something to their liking.

Each basket is created with a poem. I attach a poem to accompany each work released, expressing the inner concept and the spirit that beats within me.