Willow Weaving Website for Julie Gurr | Artist Portfolio & Workshop Booking
Julie Gurr is an accomplished basketry artist specialising in willow weaving, creating both functional and sculptural pieces that showcase her expertise of traditional techniques. After relocating from Scotland, where she ran her business for 20 years focusing on local sales, Julie wanted to focus on rebranding her basketry practice with a move to the South East of England with her prime focus as basketry artist selling one off sculptural works to national and international clients.
Her business combines one-of-a-kind artistic pieces with specialised teaching through private tuition and select workshops, all requiring distinct presentation approaches. Her website needed to effectively showcase her artistic evolution while maintaining her educational offerings in a more selective format.
Website Challenges for a Basketry Artist
Before our collaboration, Julie faced several obstacles with her online presence
Her outdated WordPress website made it difficult for customers to book workshops, causing confusion and lost opportunities
The site didn't reflect her evolution from traditional basket maker to sculptural basketry artist
Her relocation meant rebuilding her reputation in a new region while simultaneously expanding to national and international markets
The platform failed to distinguish between her one-of-a-kind artistic works and her teaching offerings
Her extensive expertise and specialised private tuition options weren't effectively communicated
Courses Landing page interface
Private Tuition website design page
Custom Willow Weaving Website Solution
Working closely with Julie, I designed a comprehensive website that effectively supports her artistic repositioning
Gallery-Style Portfolio - Created a clean, minimal design with a gallery feel to showcase her one-of-a-kind pieces, positioning them as fine art rather than craft products and supporting higher price points.
Segmented Pathway Structure - Developed clear user pathways for different audience segments—art collectors exploring available work, students seeking workshops, and serious learners interested in private tuition.
Custom E-commerce Integration - Implemented tailored e-commerce solutions with different shipping fulfillments for UK, Europe, USA, and rest of world markets, supporting her international expansion.
Workshop & Tuition Management - Built comprehensive workshop booking systems with custom notifications that give customers access to hidden pages containing course information, location details, and Google Maps integration.
Artistic Archive - Developed a gallery page that serves as both showcase and archive of past sculptural work, highlighting her collections and providing a visual record of her artistic development.
Collaborative Design Process
Our partnership extended beyond website development to include strategic guidance
Collaborated on developing a compelling private tuition offering and how to clearly communicate its value to prospective clients
Created a short motion video of Julie weaving in brand coluorways for her about page, adding dynamic visual interest
Developed an in-depth storytelling approach for her background page, communicating her 20+ years of expertise and artistic evolution
Structured detailed FAQ content within course pages to address common questions and reduce email inquiries
Worked together to balance detailed information with clean design, ensuring her work remained the focal point while providing necessary user guidance
Website Results & Business Impact
The new website has transformed how Julie presents her willow weaving artwork
Created clear visual distinction between her artistic works and educational offerings, enhancing her professional positioning
Streamlined the workshop booking process, eliminating previous customer confusion and reducing administrative follow-up
Provided the infrastructure to support her expansion into national and international markets with appropriate shipping options
Created a cohesive brand presentation that elevates her work from craft to fine art, supporting higher price points and educational offering
Enabled her to showcase her artistic evolution through the gallery archive, building credibility with target collectors and galleries
After project completion, clients receive training for self-updates, so live website content may differ from my original design.
