A little over two years ago, I discovered needle felting while doing some research for a painting. I ordered my first set of needles and wool on eBay and have become totally addicted to felting ever since. Over those past two years I’ve created over 150 unique little critters and have met some really great people from across the globe. There are several things that draw me to working with wool. Wool is so very forgiving. You can always change and rework things. I also like that the end product is something between a toy and a sculpture and that wool is a bit more ecologically sound than some other media. However, it is difficult to get really fine detail like little mouse toes. So for that I use polymer clay or an epoxy resin. I also like the play between glass and wool and sometimes embellish my little ones with glass seed beads. They almost always have either glass or natural stone bead eyes.
Over the past two years, I’ve had several requests for commissioned works which I’ve regretfully had to turn down. I tend to be somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to color and texture. If I can’t get the right match, I won’t do the commission. Presently I’m working out some formulas for dyeing my wool so that I can achieve exactly the color I’m looking for. This is very exciting as it will open up even more possibilities with my art. I’m also incorporating more wet felting techniques and embroidery and am looking into other ways to shade and color. The possibilities are endless and I don’t see my obsession with wool ending anytime too soon!
