Artist's Statement

For me creating art is the same as breathing…it’s just something I do as an extension of my being. Creating felt from loose fiber and fine fabrics is truly a labor of love as the only way it gets made is through the strength and endurance of my body…primarily my arms, hands and back. By using my hands (palm, fingertips and fist) and handheld tools I am able to create a vast array of shapes. And since sheep’s wool has “memory”, once I shape it and let it dry it stays that way. It is often a physically demanding method for creating art as well as a great deal of mental activity. It is important to be able to see the desired result and know how to combine the raw fibers to create it.

I revel in working with textiles, particularly with raw wools and silk, because of the organic nature of them. My fingers love to run wild through fine merino, dreamily soft silk and quirky mohair! I find that while I can plan and make predictions for the outcomes of combining these and other materials together, I am constantly surprised by the outcomes of my efforts…Did I create that? Wow! Felting and the fibers used to create the felt are so flexible that I have found that if I can dream up the idea, I can usually create it! Felt is a medium that knows almost no bounds. Here are a few of the types I create:
Sheer, nearly transparent felt
Sculptural 3-Dimmensinal felt
Soft, draping wearable felt
Felt that imitates nature and stays outside
Felt for decorative wall installations
Durable felt for upholstery and drapery

My artwork has evolved as I am sure most artists will tell you. Knowledge is a key to this process, but so is practice. I am often asked how long I have been felting and when I respond people are surprised. How did I achieve that level of sophistication in my art in such a short time? Practice, practice, practice! It takes time to learn to pull thin evenly dispersed tufts of wool and layer them without bunching or gaps. It takes time to learn to “read” what the materials are telling me along the way. I also continue to take courses from felt makers with more expertise in a certain method than I have, thus continuing my education and helping my artwork evolve. And as I said before, handmade felt is very versatile so artists are constantly creating new and interesting ways of using it!

If there is just one aspect of my work that I am known for best, I would tell you it is in my detail work. I am constantly told that my attention to details is outstanding…picking the right colors, designs and materials. I enjoy thinking of just the right thing to finish off a piece of art. Embellishing is very important! I use an endless array of things such as dyes, specialty fibers, beads, stones, pearls, shells, crystals, leather, wood, metal and light to enhance the beauty of my felt art. Each piece of my art is thoughtfully created and lovingly finished.

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