This is a opportunity for all members of the DCCI who wish to book an individual stand at Showcase 2023.
(It is possible that Feltmakers Ireland gets invited to participate as a Guild as we did last year. At the moment we do not know if that is going ahead, if and when we know for sure, we will go out to the members and look for volunteers.)
From the Crafts Council:
Dear DCCI Member,
We are delighted to announce the return of Showcase – Ireland’s Creative Expo® to the RDS, Dublin from the 22–24 January 2023. Showcase is presented by Design & Crafts Council Ireland with support from Enterprise Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
Once again, we will have the area at the front of the Main Hall, exclusively for ‘Design & Crafts Council Ireland’ members.
The details are as follows:
This area is open to all DCCI registered clients
There is no selection process, and you are welcome to send us in your application.
A special subsidy is included in the prices for DCCI clients to make taking part easier, financially.
How to secure your space
Please fill out this online FORM which has a strict deadline of 4pm onFriday 30th September 2022.
Showcase will acknowledge receipt of your email on submission of your form and we will get back to you by mid-October to let you know if you have been successful.
DCCI is delighted to announce that the Made Local campaign will be running for the third year in a row, and we want you to get involved.
Over the last two years the Made Local campaign called on consumers to become more aware of the breadth of Irish-crafted, high-quality products available and to look for these when shopping instore or online.
It is a call to action that has been met with huge positivity among makers, retailers and consumers alike. The consumer landscape continues to change and we want to make sure that Made Local remains front of mind and relevant.
With that in mind, DCCI has reimagined the Made Local campaign. It will encourage consumers to be mindful when they buy and to spend on Irish items where possible.
We want this new campaign to remind consumers that well-crafted Irish products have unique, enduring quality and are the things you will fall in love with.
Be part of Made Local 2022
We are inviting you to join in and take an active part in this Made Local community. Joining Made Local 2022 is FREE and simple – click here to apply.
Benefits of being part of Made Local 2022:
You will receive point of sale material (if you wish) and digital assets to promote your business
You can take part in the social media burst to coincide with the high profile advertising and PR campaigns
Castleknock Community College is looking for a teacher for evening classes in feltmaking for one term (8 classes: Mondays 19:00-21:00 starting Monday 26th of September).
It would be possible for two people to share the work.
This is the course description:
Course Description:
Welcome to the wonderful world of wool. Using beautiful Merino wool and other fibres to produce woolly works of Art. You will learn ally of the terms and many techniques to create your own fabric and solid forms, from fluffy fibre, done using the wet felting technique (Students will be required to pay a €30 materials charge) Feltmaking is a slow craft, it takes time to build up skills but is very therapeutic. Each week we learn a new technique, building up from the preceding one. The course, aimed at beginners and improvers is a hands on course, involving using just wool fibre and soap and warm water (no glue) to create works of art, jewellery, purses, pouches, felt flower brooches, sculptures, bowls and felt pictures to frame, are just some of the items that you can create Wool is an amazing material, indigenous to us in Ireland, and enmeshed in our history and culture. Wool also has fantastic thermal qualities, is windproof and shower proof, (think of the Aran jumper) and is totally sustainable , biodegradable, renewable, and so much more.
If you are interested, contact Conor Barry at CCC Adult education
nightclasses@castleknockcc.ie or call daytime at 087 990 13 85.
Clodagh Mac Donagh ran this class last year, but cannot run it this year due to unforeseen circumstances. She is very happy to have a chat about how it went last year with the person who will be giving the class.
Visual Artist Niki Collier awarded @CultureIreland support to curate a show at Gallery Kabllo, Vienna, in Austria from 15th September to 6th October in her newly developed technique Felt Stained Glass. The technique which started as an attempt to keep spirits up during the first lockdown has captured the imagination of artists across the globe and has avalanched to a movement bringing artists together. 20 of the most interesting contemporary fibre artists will be on show to the discerning Viennese audience from 15th September to 6th October. The artist are from across the globe- UK, USA, Japan, Germany, France and Ireland.
The exhibition also features the ever-growing community panel of over 100 pieces developed through online and in person classes. The panel features artists of all ages- the youngest participant is 7 and the oldest is 80. Some are influential makers, some have made felt for the first time through this project.
Artist Catherine Stebinger, USA, Le Mont Saint Michel at Sunset SMArtist Joanne Turner, Ireland Knowledge
Niki says that the award is not just a moment in her practice but a milestone – one of those true-life lessons. .She was often reminded through her practice to curb her enthusiasm- it is just a bit of craft and it would not have the reach of “Actual Art”. People warn her work would never be supported by the likes of #cultureireland . The support is proof that the work has merit beyond the medium in which it is made.
The exhibition celebrates a new technique in this medium. The felt stained glass technique is founded on the contrasting forces in nature: from chaos to structure and from destruction to mending. The world is broken and chaos shadows all aspects of our lives. As humanity we are not new to this, but as a generation, we needed re-assurance that it will pass and that all aspects of healing are meaningful. The technique is simple: create a fabric out of fibres, cut it into pieces and put it back together using embellishing to celebrate the places of mending. It is all done in the ancient textile making medium of felt.
Artist Susanne Webber , Austria, Roaming the Ocean
The technique saw evolution in the three years that it has been used. Many beginners discovered felt making through it. It also ignited the creative juices of artists from around the globe and some of the most interesting fiber artists have contributed to this exhibition. The exhibition is going to Vienna after reportedly the most successful show at Pearse Museum in a decade.
The work in this engagement was supported by DCCI, OPW, CI.
It has been covered in almost every international magazine on felt.
The weather is a bit miserable at the moment, but there should be lovely crisp days ahead as we head into early autumn.
The National Botanic Gardens are magnificent this time of year, and for the month of September you can combine visiting the gardens with a treasure hunt for exciting sculptures all over the place, indoors and outdoors.
About Sculpture in Context
Sculpture in Context was established in 1985 to raise the profile of sculpture in Ireland and provide a platform for artists outside the normal gallery context. It is a not-for-profit organisation run by sculptors. The exhibition has been staged in the National Botanic Gardens since 2002.
Sculpture in Context promotes artists and creates opportunities for practicing artists to exhibit their works in a wider public arena. The organisation has provided much needed opportunities for Irish and non-Irish sculptors in Ireland.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Exhibition: Sculpture in Context
Location: National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin
Dates: 1 September – 7 October 2022
Times: Mon-Fri 10:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00.
Admission: Free. Group tours of the Gardens and the Exhibitions will be available for booking through Eventbrite
This year even more feltmakers are exhibiting so congrats to all and make sure to go visit!
As there are quite a number of feltmakers included there are two blog posts covering the exhibiting artists. This is the second blog post. Artists are listed in the order we have received information. If you have not been asked for details but are exhibiting in Sculpture in Context, please contact us as there are so many artists involved that we may have missed someone. This second blog covers the work of Carmen Garcia, Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann, Juliane Gorman and Claire Merry. Claire is a long time member of Feltmakers Ireland so we have included her piece here even if it isn’t made of felt.
What does Home feel like?by Carmen Garcia
This piece was made in response to the stories coming to us from the war in Ukraine. I wanted it to represent the pain, to be visceral, to be felt.
I used the dissonance between the homely, earthy slipper, that resonates with “cosy” and “safe” and the intense red of the exposed arteries and veins which resonates with life, but also with blood and violence.
However, what I am really interested in, is the feeling people experience while looking at it. Either having read the title or not.
What does Home feel like – Carmen Garcia
The Glow Worms Nest by Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann
The materials, shapes, structures and colours of my native surroundings provide inspiration for my creation. Working with different raw wool types ( unwashed and uncarded fleece loosened by hand ) fascinates me.
This piece embodies warmth, softness, protection and comfort. The upright rods radiate decisiveness and togetherness, all the while surrounded by organic matter.
I love to explore working with silk, recycled materials, paper, rich colours and texture combinations . I employ a variety of techniques to create my work and find joy and share it!
Felting for me is diving into a world of unlimited opportunities. The dialogue with the material wool and the interaction of art and craft, and thereby the implementation of a millennium old technique, captivates me.
The Glow Worms Nest by Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann
Perpetual Felt by Juliane Gorman
Usually, I create whimsical wet-felted hats. However, for Sculpture in Context, I wanted to explore installations.
As I wandered through the gardens in winter, the ancient, naked stems of the Wisteria Chain Tent caught my eye. I found it unbelievable that this organic structure was so large that it almost was a building! Did it feel embarrassed not to have leaves? And what about its cascading blossoms? They would only exist for a few weeks.
My twirling purple pods are an attempt to adorn this quirky location.
There are spiralling, felted cords on each pod made from locally-raised Romney wool. My supplier for this material is Natural Wool Ireland. (https://www.naturalwoolireland.ie/) Although the bulk of the fibre used in the pods is Merino and sadly not Irish-raised. Nonetheless, this wool is also sustainable because all sheep are shorn annually.
Perpetual Felt by Juliane Gorman
Fly Me To The Moon by Claire Merry
I refer to myself as an ‘Art Butterfly’, as I have had great fun and satisfaction in playing with different media. It gives me great pleasure to try out something new and working with proven techniques from previous works.
I have worked with textiles, clays and principally for the last fourteen years with handmade felt. This piece is based on a previous much smaller one, so resizing it was a nice challenge. I love steampunk style, so I have teamed up the hot air balloon with the penny-farthing bicycle, to deliver flowers to the moon on slow power
It is that time of year again! Dublin’s Botanic Gardens are hosting a giant sculpture exhibition both indoors and outdoors. This is the 37th year of this exhibition and it is well worth a visit. The gardens are magnificent at this time of year, and you will find all manners of sculptures nestled in among the plants and trees. This is a great way to get children interested in art as it allows a natural interaction with the gardens while looking out for sculptures. It is a fabulous day out when the weather is nice.
This year even more feltmakers are exhibiting so congrats to all and make sure to go visit!
As there are quite a number of feltmakers included there will be two blog posts covering the exhibiting artists. Artists will be listed in the order we have managed to contact them and get their information. If you have not been asked for details but are exhiting in Sculpture in Context, please contact us as there are so many artists involved that we may have missed someone. You will be included in the second part of this blog. This first blog covers the work of Fiona Leech, Tamzen Lundy, Annika Berglund, Ramona Farrelly and element15.
Toxic Tears by Fiona Leech
Bright red spots immediately conjure up recognition of poison and green, in contrast, is synonymous with nature. That is why I chose these colours for my felt hanging sculpture. The concept of this piece is to raise awareness that every rainfall is toxic. It’s called acid rain due to high levels of pollutants in the atmosphere. These toxins are invisible, so I made the piece very visible and tactile for maximum impact.
I am a Dublin based felt and textile artist. I work mainly with wool fibre which is sustainable, bio degradable, renewable and recyclable.
Toxic tears Fiona Leech
We are all connected by Tamzen Lundy
We are all connected is a response to the global refugee crisis, it is symbolic of our Irish diaspora and our tradition of immigration and emigration. The movement of people because of war, economics, and hardship. The red thread that binds and connects these journeys. I have collected beach material from the wild Atlantic way, places of great natural beauty, which are also landing and exit points for long and dangerous journeys. Choosing small glass bottles as if they encase a fragile message to loved ones. One bottle remains empty, to be filled with future hopes.
“No one puts their children in a boat, unless the water is safer than the land” (by Warsan Shire, poet “Home.”) A poem that inspired this work.
The materials used in my piece are fully sustainable. I have used repurposed glass bottles to contain sand ( from Irish beaches… also the component for making glass). The felt tops are 100% wool, from sheep, a fully sustainable, and biodegradable material and the fibre attaching each bottle is linen, plant based, water consumption friendly material.
In my arts practice I endeavour to use materials that are as sustainable as possible. I collect and reuse packaging and I choose wool as my primary medium.
We are all connected Tamzen Lundy
Everyday Moments by Annika Berglund
Covid changed the world. The everyday had to shrink to fit inside square walls. It consisted of the circles we walked inside these walls and the bubbles we embraced.
My work became focused on the immediate and the simple; the confining but protecting square, the circle of the nurturing bubble, the threatening image of the virus.
Felting became both practical during lockdown and symbolic;
wool fibres, through soap, water, rubbing and being knocked around, create connections that hold together to create a very strong fabric of interlocked fibres that cannot be pulled apart again. Cohesion through adversity if you will…”
Everyday Moments – Annika Berglund
Ariadne’s Gift by Ramona Farrelly
At present I am creating work that tries to incorporate the healing process of art.
The idea for this piece comes from a premise that the metaphysical wounds we suffer throughout life provide us with learning that helps us navigate and grow during our time on earth and allows life to become ever more meaningful.
The red vessels represent these wounds and they, put together, form the Chrysalis through which we intrinsically metamorphosise. In Greek mythology, Ariadne’s golden thread which, represents the soul’s knowledge, helped Theseus navigate through the labyrinth and so it is represented here as such.
Ariadne’s Gift – Ramona Farrelly
Kinship by element15
element15 is a collective; individual artists cultivating their practice in tandem with each other, distinct but connected. The sustaining nature of our creative bond is a mirror of a tree’s root system, providing anchorage and sustenance to flourish in a world beset with profound challenges. In many cultures, a red string or thread represents the labyrinth of connections tying together those whose lives intertwine. By working collaboratively on Kinship we use the symbol of the red thread as a visual connection from us to the natural world, from our sculpture into the earth. www.element15.ie
Kinship – element 15
The following are the names of the artists who collaborated on the piece:
