Susan Tuttle photography

“My name is Gallit Cavendish and I, along with my husband and 7-year-old daughter, live in the beautiful small town of Bowdoinham, Maine. We own and operate an organic farm specializing in baby salad greens.

I am a professional chef by trade and have always been very passionate about cooking beautiful food. One day, 9 years ago, a farmer walked into the restaurant where I was the chef looking to sell his produce: heirloom tomatoes, beautifully grown onions, shallots, an assortment of cauliflower in an array of colors and much more. Not only did I love the produce that we began receiving, but I fell in love with the farmer. Shortly after, I left my job, moved onto the farm, got married and started a family. We have a lovely life here together.

Three years ago our son was born and died just 8 short days later. Deep in despair, I found myself at my sewing machine trying to find something positive, something beautiful. Loveline came about over the years as a way for me to process my grief. The process of creating has helped me to center and to find a new way in life. I believe that I can turn the work of my sorrow into something beautiful.

Loveline baskets are a combination of many different forms of art that I have explored over the course of my life. Cooking professionally was my main outlet for creativity for so many years but I also included pottery, fiber arts, painting and sewing. My baskets are a combination of all of those.

Loveline baskets are 100% cotton cord that I hand dye and machine sew into a variety of shapes and sizes. I take great pleasure in the dying process by including vegetables grown on our farm or berries and flowers that I grow or forage locally. Creating different recipes that I can follow again later to recreate the same color. Recently I have also included a high-quality synthetic dye to ensure a long lasting product. I am very inspired by the beauty that surrounds me and I am continuously thinking about new colors to dye with.

I enjoy creating something that is attractive as well as functional. I just love seeing a Loveline harvest tote being carried around at the farmers market. My baskets have changed a lot over the past few years, as have I. I look forward to seeing how they and I change in the future.”

We are pleased to welcome Gallit and her beautiful baskets as a member of the Maine Crafts Association and new vendor at Center for Maine Craft. Shop online here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/lovelinebaskets