“Completely obsessed with baskets”: How Cathy Inman found her creative calling through Form to Freedom.
When Cathy Inman first discovered Harriet Goodall’s course Form to Freedom, something just clicked.
“I just completely dived in head first and just couldn't get enough of it.”
Living in Western Australia, Cathy had always been a hands-on maker. As a child, she was drawn to stitching and sewing, and as an adult, she explored everything from macramé and spinning wool to crochet and gardening. But one fascination never left her: baskets.
“I just always had a real fascination with baskets, and I have an enormous collection of them. Before I started making baskets, I always collected them.”
With a background in horticulture and a lifelong love of plants, Cathy was naturally drawn to foraging and working with nature’s materials – what Harriet calls “nature’s gifts.” But despite her desire to make her own baskets, Cathy struggled to find anyone in her local area who could teach her.
“I really was unable to find any tutor in my local area… I had all of this material that I had access to, and I wanted to make stuff with them. I was extremely frustrated that I couldn't find the right person to teach me.”
It wasn’t just about technique. Cathy yearned for a greater connection.
“I also felt quite isolated in my own practice… I really felt like I needed a tribe of other people doing the same sorts of things and forming a bit of a community of basket makers and people working with fiber.”
The moment Cathy saw the promo video for Form to Freedom, she knew she had to do it.
“I saw the little intro promotional clip with Harriet, and I was just completely mesmerised. To be honest, I think I had a bit of a girl crush… Her energy was just so down to earth and grounded.”
Harriet’s philosophy around sustainable plant use and her grounded, generous approach sealed the deal.
“It was just really inspiring… I didn’t think too hard about it. I actually just went for it and enrolled pretty much straight after I saw that little clip.”
Cathy didn’t just find techniques in the course – she found belonging.
“You just felt it was a really safe place to share what you were working on, and everyone was just so beautifully encouraging. It didn’t matter if it was a piece of cordage that you'd made that was very rudimentary, or something huge and fabulous.”
“I absolutely thrived on that.”
Even after the course, Cathy felt supported and inspired by the extended Fibre Arts Take Two community.
“It also reinvigorates you when you get the next batch of students coming through and seeing all the new stuff that everyone's making. It's just gorgeous.”
One of the biggest shifts Cathy noticed after the course was her own confidence.
“Since I've completed the course, I definitely feel okay with calling myself an artist, which I definitely would not have done before I started.”
With the techniques she learned from Harriet, Cathy was able to refine her practice and elevate her work.
“It's like my toolbox was pretty much empty when I started, and by the end of the course, I just had all these things that I could draw on and use them to make what I wanted to make.”
“Before, the baskets that I made were pretty rustic and rudimentary… now my work is more refined, and it just looks a lot tidier and better finished.”
The transformation in Cathy’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“It's just opened up a whole new world for me to be able to confidently enter my artwork into art prizes and exhibitions.”
She recently held a collaborative exhibition with a ceramicist friend, and she’s already thinking bigger.
“I would like to work towards having my own solo exhibition.”
Cathy has also found deep joy in sharing her work and inspiring others to explore local, sustainable materials.
“I love that it gives other people inspiration… to go out and look for materials and create their own artwork from things that they can find in their own local area.”
Absolutely.
“I have no hesitation in recommending the course to everybody that might be interested… You would definitely not be disappointed.”
“Even though it is recorded, you still actually do feel like you have a real life connection with the tutor… and feel like you do actually have your own personal mentor.”
Her advice?
“It is such an amazing opportunity, and it's a great resource to have for the rest of your life… You can't really go wrong.”
Cathy continues to weave, gather, and experiment, with her sights set on a solo show and a thriving, sustainable practice rooted in her love for natural materials.
“It's been a huge amount of growth. And I feel like it's still just the beginning. There's still a lot to come for this weaving journey.”
Whether you’re new to art or looking for deeper meaning in your work, Harriet Goodall’s signature course From to Freedom is a deep dive into working with plants, fibres, dyeing and basketry techniques to create unique sculptural objects. Find out more...