The process of felting consists of laying out the raw wool and then felting it into one piece.
|
"Although I have generally worked in pastels, I fell in love with fiber art some years ago and never looked back. We’ve had an affair that has introduced me to felters around the world and shown me an ancient art form that speaks to my artistic soul. The combination of silk, wool, and animal fibers creates an organic connection to the natural world, but it also allows abstract expression that goes beyond a mere reproduction of a natural scene.
I have used wools and materials from animals that range from buffalo hair to a standard poodle’s shag, and each brings to the artwork a unique connection between my artistic vision and some element of the world we inhabit. The effort of transforming a thick pile of fiber to a homogeneous material is a spiritual journey as well; the metamorphosis of raw material to finished product requires a intense period of meditative action, the work of creation. My finished products range from landscapes of the Flint Hills to pieces that reflect the complexity of what it means to be a female in the contemporary world. Some of my favorites, however, are the decorative clothing pieces that serve the dual purpose of practical and artistic. My felt pieces range in size from wall hangings to miniatures, and each serve to illustrate the ways we interact with the world around us. The art of felting is one that speaks to me in ways that other forms of artistic expression cannot, and as I explore the many facets of the relationship between the world of fibers and my artistic visions, I am humbled by the way the natural world works its way into my artistic portfolio." |