On Sunday, the 10th of December, Feltmakers Ireland was fortunate to have artist and teacher Sharon Wells teach us how to create a needle-felted winter scene.

Sharon Wells used an upright easel to demonstrate her needlefelting. Usually, she works on a horizontal surface. She shared tips and tricks about perspective, tone, shadows and depth. It was a painting lesson with wool!

Some of Sharon’s Wool Paintings

You can find more of Sharon’s art on her website – https://www.sharonwellsart.com/shop

She also sells fibre, felting kits, and classes.

All Kited Out

All participants were provided with kits of warm-coloured wool, felting needles, and foam sponges. Christmas cheer was provided by holiday decor from the CIE Sports Club, and delicious treats came from the members. Holiday music was provided by the Committee, and, of course, tea and coffee were organised by our membership secretary, Fiona Leech.

Each kit was the same and contained Merino wool in shades of yellow and pink. There was also natural brown Jacob’s wool yarn, which Sharon had handspun. With a little work, these make fantastic trees.

Tiny Trees

More Photos

At the End of the Session

It was incredible to see how each student interpreted their winter landscape. No two were alike.

To see close-ups of some of the pieces, visit Sharon’s Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/p/C0rtFkFMYAO/?img_index=1

Feltmakers Ireland Archive

President and founder of the Guild, Elizabeth Bonnar, brought in much of the organisation’s archives from the past twenty years for members to read and enjoy. This treasure trove of felt-related information will be heading to the Special Collections & Archives at the NIVAL – the National Irish Visual Arts Library.

For more information or to make an appointment to visit this public research library, visit their website – https://www.nival.ie/

In conclusion, many thanks to Sharon for sharing her knowledge about painting with wool!