FELTMAKERS IRELAND

The International Feltmakers Association are holding their AGM in March in the beautiful sttting of Loch Lomand in Scotland. There will be opportunities to attend workshops, browse the stock of some of the major fibre suppliers in the UK and immerse yourself in felt for the week-end. Members of the Scottish feltmakers group have visited Ireland several times to give various workshops and we have always really enjoyed their visits.  If you are interested in attending have a look at the Associations website www.feltmakers.com for more details.

In July 2009 a large international gathering of feltmakers is happening in Denmark. Felt in Focus is a gathering of 144 fletmakers form all over the world.  The event takes place over one week with an amazing list of tutors. Check out www.feltinfocus.com for more information. The entire committee of Feltmakers Ireland have all signed up to attend and attendance is open to anyone who is interested. It should be great fun.

Felt “Retreat” at Avondale House 2009

Earlier in 2008 a group of fletmakers spent four magical days in Avondale Co Wicklow. We are planning to repeat the event again this year and have booked the venue from 21st-24th May 2009. It is a wonderful opportunity to work by yourself yet with the companionship and support of other feltmakers. The setting is magnificent and all you meals are include in the price.  There are only ten places available so if you are interested please e mail Colleen at florey@eircom.net

Great News – due to the success of the Wednesday Drop In Sessions – and by overwhelming popular demand –  we are delighted to announce a series of Sunday sessions on the same themes as the Wednesdays.  St. Andrew’s Church of Ireland Parish centre in Lucan from 12.00-15.00. Please check out the Monthly Drop In page for more details.

Féile na Feilte

was held in the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough House, Castlebar on Saturday 20th September 2008. We had a wonderful day last Summer in the Museum with an exhibition of members work, demonstrations of feltmaking and two mini workshops. This year the workshops was about making 3D hollow vessles in the morning (11.30-13.00) and needlefelting with Suzie Sullivan in the afternoon (14.30 – 16.00) .

The Knitting & Stitching Show – 30th Oct – 2 nd Nov 2008. This annual event in the RDS is one of thte highlights of Feltmakers ireland’s calendar. This year the theme for our stand was “Passion Red” and we have lots of beautiful pieces o display from members which you can see on the top of this page. We taught at the “Learning Curve” on each day of the show and participants made beautiful hollow form vessles from wool fibre.
Past Exhibitions

Feltmakers Ireland held an exhibition of members work in the Visitors Centre of the Phoenix Park in Dublin for the month of October 2007. The theme of the exhibition was the “Turning of the Seasons” and brought together a wonderful array of diverse work. .

Report in the irish Times Magazine – Saturday 13th October 2007:

“Legend has it that felt was invented by Christians fleeing prosecution, who used to stuff their sandals with wool to prevent blistering. It’s unlikely that early Christians can take all the credit, as fossil evidence suggests it was used as far back as 6,500BC. On a commercial basis felt is manufactured using chemicals, but the ancient technique of adding soapy water to wool and then rubbing the fibres is still widely used. For ecological reasons, the technique is making something of a comeback. Feltmakers Ireland provides quarterly workshops, exhibitions and information. The organisation’s exhibition takes place this month at the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre in Dublin with a huge range of handmade felt – everything from fashion accessories to art pieces – on display. Turning of the Seasons is open every day this month, 10am-5pm, with demonstrations on Sundays, 2-4pm. Admission is free”.  Michael Kelly

Feltmakers Ireland hosted an Exhibition called “Cornucopia”in Draíocht, Blanchardstown from 20^th October to 26^th November 2005, and were delighted to have been given the opportunity by Draíocht which is situated in the Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15.

The exhibition was described in their brochure:

” This is the second major exhibition of members’ work to be presented by Feltmakers Ireland since its establishment in 2003. The theme of the exhibition is “Cornucopia” and will be overflowing with abundance , bringing together a wide spectrum of feltmaking techniques, traditional and innovative, from all corners of Ireland. The theme will encompass the huge range and versatility of different styles of feltmaking and will offer the viewer a unique insight into the magic of felt”.

The exhibition was open to all members of Feltmakers Ireland and was juried, the jury consisted of an independent juror and two officers of Feltmakers Ireland. We were delighted to have the internationally renowned Feltmaker Jenny Mackay as judge.

Below is a review if the exhibitin which appeared in “Echoes”, the publication of the International Feltmakers Association.

CORNUCOPIA

FELTMAKERS IRELAND

An exhibition of work at Draiocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin.

20^th October – 26^th November 2005

This exhibition is well named as it is indeed filled with an abundance of good things. “Cornucopia” is the second major exhibition of members’ work to be held by Feltmakers Ireland. Draiocht (meaning “magic”) Arts Centre in Blanchardstown, Dublin is an excellent venue as it is situated near a very busy shopping area and provides facilities for a wide audience in all the Arts.

Feltmakers Ireland is a lively group established by Elizabeth Bonnar in 2003 as a response to the ever growing interest in feltmaking in Ireland. The aims of the organization are to promote feltmaking by running workshops and holding exhibitions. They are affiliated to the Crafts Council of Ireland and Elizabeth is now helped by Sheila Ahern and Andrea Cleary.

I was asked to assist in the selection of entries for the exhibition and was astounded by the variety of pieces received. Everything is there from a stunning, colourful two metre long hanging depicting many kinds of wildlife, made by school pupils and co-ordinated by Clodagh McDonagh to a delicate, personal three-dimensional piece “Angel” by Andrea Cleary which commemorates the death of a baby in her family. Beautifully crafted cushions by Suzie Sullivan are complimented by Mel Bradley’s “nuno” shrug jacket and matching silk skirt with a “nuno” inset. The skirt has a wonderful swirl to it and I feel the outfit should be seen on a catwalk. The same is true of Elizabeth Bonnar’s felted wool cape “Wallis”, Clodagh McDonagh’s merino wrap “Fleurs” and indeed many of the well made scarves and wraps on show.

Colour, or the way we use it, is always important and has been used with great joy in this exhibition as has texture. Embellishment with embroidery and beads can be very effective as seen in Colleen Prendeville’s “Banjara Fragment”. However lack of colour can also be used to good effect. “Firmament” by Dympna Kieran uses silk and linen with merino in tones of grey on white to create an atmospheric wall-hanging. Sheila Ahern also stays with whites for her “Cumann na mBan- Ireland’s Revolutionary Women” photographs on silk with merino and lace. Pure design has not been overlooked either as can be seen in Katrin Balmer’s three linked abstract pieces “Origin”, “Abundance” and “Flow”. The shapes and the way the colours have been used cleverly to suggest the titles.

“Feltmakers Ireland” are to be congratulated on putting together so successfully an exhibition which includes so many techniques. It really is “magic”.

J. Mackay.