Interview with Marie Dunne.

Tell us about your entry to the “Endangered Exhibition”?

I love all textiles and have been sewing all my life. I came across Contemporary textiles at the Knitting and Stitching Show in the Rds in 2006 and ever since I have been hooked.

Has your textile practice helped through the Pandemic Crisis?

My textile work really helped me through this crisis . In the initial stages I started projects  and most of them got left in corners around the house. Then I booked 2 online courses with Bobby Brittnell, an English textile artist.  They cost 20 pounds each. One was for 6 weeks the other 5 weeks. First one was called Inspired by Ben Nicholson, an artist that was known for his abstract painting and his White Relief Blocks. The course required you to make some  relief blocks and then print on paper or fabric. As I love printing I really enjoyed this course.

“Inspired by line and Tone” was the name of the second course. I really enjoyed this course too  and came across other artists I never heard of.  I found both courses really inspiring and found you could do your own interpretation of them. I highly recommend them to anyone  who likes to paint, print or draw.

I have also been developing my felt sculpture figures  with which I have been struggling with  for quite some time to get the results I want. They are now coming along nicely.

When did you discover Felt Making?

I discovered felting at the Knit and Stitching Show in the Rds. I sat in on a learning curve class and made a flower. I still have that flower..I came across felting some years later and decided to join Feltmakers Ireland..I have now  been felting for about 14 years  and  I am still amazed at how versatile it is. There are so many different types of  wools to discover and the beautiful colors to inspire you. I find felting  calming   and very relaxing.  I love the whole process of felt making and enjoy  learning new processes and developing new  techniques.

Thank you to Marie for her commitment to Feltmakers and lovely to again see another wonderful piece of work from her.