Felted Tapestries & Wall Art
Felting is such a satisfying activity. The sensual feel of the wools, silks, cottons and such make the process almost more enjoyable than viewing the end result. Most tapestries are wet felted and some have needle-felted embellishments added. I am particularly fond of adding lady bugs to pieces - they're such fun to felt! (oh, and anything with a ladybug or goat qualifies for my Goat Project fundraiser)
The wet felting process involves laying out wool roving fibres as if I were “painting” with wool. The pieces are often embellished with silk, sari threads, other natural fibres and anything else that will felt in order to create the image I want. The piece is then felted using hot water, soap and agitation to help the fibres mesh together into one cohesive piece that’s strong, yet soft. Much like watercolor painting, the felting process tends to change the colors and move fibres around, so I’m never exactly sure what I’m going to end up with.
Horse, approx 12" x 16", wet felted SOLD
Grazin', before wet felting...
Grazin', after wet felting
Sunset Dunes, approx 12x16", SOLD
Barnyard Series: Sheep, Goat, Pig, Rooster, Cow, each approx 12" x 16".
Monarch, 11" x 16", SOLD
Pig, This image shows the rovings laid out but not yet felted together.
And here is the same tapestry, fully felted. Sold
Sunshine Storm Tapestry
Wet felted tapestry of flowers with dramatic background. 14" x 16" w 2 tabs on back for hanging on rod. NFS
Rudbeckia Daisies. SOLD
Enjoying Sunday Brunch
Grazing sheep, pretty sky, pastoral fields. 16"w x 14"h. SOLD.
Sunset Crow
Dramatic sky, crow cawing in a silhouetted tree. Framed white. Frame size 19"w x 23"h. SOLD
This felted tapestry of poppies goes with ceramic pieces I made for a curated exhibition at the Art Gallery of Burlington in April 2015. The ceramic pieces are 4 poppy seed heads and a small box with a sliding lid, made to look like wood, filled with some actual poppy seeds. The piece was inspired by a line in a poem by Marilyn Gear Pilling. The poem talks about the loss of Marilyn's niece to suicide and her trying to understand why. The line reads:
She asks the poppy and it gives her a small box of black seeds.
I was hoping to convey the circle of life. From seeds to buds and flowers, to seed heads and back to seeds. The poppy has no answers but offers that out of death comes the hope of renewal.
This piece is 12" wide by 61" long. $2500.00
This felted piece of silk yarn and roving is called CASCADE. The shimmery silk adds to the wet look of the piece. This was part of the 2016 All Guilds Show at the AGB April, 2016. $650
Bellflower Ladybug Tapestry
Wet felted tapestry of a bellflower in rich wine reds and oranges. Ladybug needled felted on leaf in relief. 9.75"w x 20"h to rod. SOLD.
ladybug on previous bellflower tapestry above
to show the relief of the ladybug
The Eyes Have It, tapestry, wall sculpture
Colourful wet and needle felted sculptural tapestry, 13"w x 18"h including birch branch. SOLD
4 purple cone flowers, SOLD
Spring Storm, Tapestry
Yellow and red cone flower with a dramatic background. 11"w x 14"h, framed. $85. To purchase, please contact me.
Small purple cone flower with Ladybug
6" x 7", $45 ready to frame. Sold.
Tulips in a Vase
A vase of tulips to brighten up any wall. Ready to frame. Approx. 17"w x 15"h. SOLD.
Echinacea
Single dramatic flower, framed simply under glass. Frame is 8.5x11". SOLD.