Exhibition – Page 2 – Feltmakers Ireland

Exhibitions: 2 Art Exhibitions Open in Dublin This Week

Published on Sep 2, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

Dublin is buzzing with creativity this week as two milestone exhibitions open, each celebrating decades of artistry and community.

Sculpture in Context – 40th Anniversary Show at the National Botanic Gardens

One of Ireland’s most beloved annual art events, Sculpture in Context, has returned after a hiatus to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin for its 40th year. The exhibition transforms the gardens into an open-air gallery, with sculptures of every scale and style nestled among the trees, glasshouses, and landscaped grounds. Visitors can expect a vibrant mix of work from established and emerging artists, with pieces that playfully interact with their natural surroundings.

Three of Feltmakers Ireland’s members have pieces in the show: Ramona Farrelly, Juliane Gorman, and Fiona Leech.

When: Thursday, the 4th of September to Friday, the 10th of October.

Where: National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Road, Dublin 9, D09 E7F2.

For more information, visit their website – https://sculptureincontext.ie/

Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers – 50th Anniversary Show at the Lexicon Library

Meanwhile, in Dun Laoghaire, the Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners, and Dyers (IGWSD) is marking its 50th anniversary with a special exhibition at the dlr Lexicon Library. Showcasing the craft traditions of weaving, spinning, and dyeing, the exhibition highlights both heritage techniques and contemporary textile art.

Visitors will see a rich variety of textures and colours—handwoven fabrics, intricate patterns, and natural dyes that speak to the Guild’s commitment to preserving and evolving Ireland’s textile heritage.

Two of Feltmakers Ireland members have work in the show: Juliane Gorman and Sharon Wells.

When: From the 4th to the 19th of September.

Where: Lexicon Library, Queen’s Road, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 H283.

The guild is also offering two workshops in celebration of this occasion.

A drop spindle workshop on Saturday, the 6th of September, 11 AM to 2 PM; (40 euros)

A rigid heddle workshop on Saturday, the 13th of September, from 11 AM to 3 PM. (50 euros) .

To reserve a spot, contact the Guild Secretary at hello@weavespindye.ie

For more information, visit their website – https://weavespindye.ie/

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Feltmakers Ireland aims to share information about awards, education, events, exhibitions, and opportunities that you will find interesting. Our sharing is neither paid for by nor an endorsement of these individuals or organisations.

Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Of Interest: Seam Collective’s Exhibition, Textiles Talks and #SeptTextileLove Challenge 2025

Published on Sep 1, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

Seam Collective, a contemporary textile collective of textile practitioners based in the southwest of the UK, has three items of interest: an exhibition, a series of textile talks, and a textile challenge.

The Exhibition

Firstly, they have a group exhibition, ‘Warped and Wasted’, which focuses on textiles, sustainability, and collaboration.

Where: ACEarts, Market Place, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 7NB, UK

When: The show runs until the 11th of October.

More information about the exhibition can be found on their website – https://seamcollective.org/warped-and-wasted/

Textile Talks

Secondly, the Seam Collective will host a series of Textile Talks, both in-person and online, on Friday, the 3rd of October. The collective and invited peers in the fields of textiles, visual arts, and sustainability will discuss issues of textiles and sustainability, adding to the critical dialogue around sustainable arts practices locally, nationally, and internationally.

For more information and to book tickets to individual talks or the entire event, visit the LoomShed’s website – https://theloomshed.com/calendar-event/seam-collective/

The Challenge

Finally, the Seam Collective is once again hosting their annual online challenge, #SeptTextileLove. (They have been doing this challenge for nine years!) You can visit Instagram to see the work they are sharing from the exhibition, re-share it with a 💛, or contribute your own posts that relate to the daily prompts. They request that you include the hashtags #SeptTextileLove and #SeptTextileLove25 in your caption, and tag @seam_collective. There are also new daily hashtags, such as #STL25Day1, #STL25Day2, and so on, making it easier to find posts.

For more information, visit this page on their blog, which also includes a downloadable PDF of all of the prompts – https://seamcollective.org/2025/08/31/septtextilelove25-prompts-%f0%9f%92%9b/

Their Instagram @seam_collective

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Recap: Opening of ‘Common Threads Exhibition’ in Kilkenny

Published on Aug 12, 2025Nov 4, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

By Annika Berglund

The ‘Common Threads exhibition’ opened on Thursday, the 7th of August at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s (DCCI) National Design & Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny. The show curated by Sarah Ross features a mix of work from Feltmakers Ireland and the Quilters’ Guild of Ireland.

The turnout at the opening was great, and we all had the opportunity to see an amazing array of works by both feltmakers and quilters. Seeing the two types of crafts side by side was very illuminating; they represented very different ways of making, yet both featured intricate and fantastic work. As a feltmaker, I gained a deeper respect for the skill and patience required to create the quilted artworks on display.

Photos of the Gallery

At the opening, Feltmakers Ireland was represented by at least 14 of our members, who enjoyed the buzz and the lovely weather.

From left to right: Eithne O’Dea, Hilary Delaney, Joanne Foley, Mary O’Rourke, Claire Merry, Hélène Dooley, Sandra Reynolds, Annika Berglund, Fiona Leech, Jane Fox, Siobhan Healy Ryan, Sharon Wells, Leiko Uchiyama, and Deirdre Crofts. Editor’s Note: We apologise if we have noted anyone’s name incorrectly.

The exhibition was opened by the head of the DCCI, Mary Blanchfield, followed by a speech by Moya Gerarthy of the Quilters Guild of Ireland. After that, it was my turn. Our blog mistress, Juliane, asked me for my written notes, but since I only had keywords, the gist of it was that the two sets of works looked great together!

Then, I talked about the symbology of how wool is made, where wisps of wool combine into a strong whole through pressure and agitation, and I drew parallels to how our members come together and form a community. Finally, I extended a heartfelt thank you to the DCCI and our curator, Sarah Ross, who selected the work and worked with the gallery personnel to create a stunning exhibition. She spoke last and talked about the (massive) work involved in picking and how impressed she was with the quality of work on show.

We heartily recommend a visit to the gallery before the end of the show, which runs until the 1st of November.

~~ Annika Berglund, Dublin Ireland.

Portraits of Members

Some more information about the show:

A contemporary textile exhibition exploring connection through fibre and form. This contemporary textile exhibition delves into the theme of connection—between people, materials, and traditions—through the tactile language of fibre and form. The exhibition will run from August 7 to November 1, 2025, offering visitors a rich sensory experience that celebrates both innovation and heritage in Irish textile art, showcasing the intricate and expressive work of artists from Feltmakers Ireland and The Quilters Guild of Ireland.

From our press release:

“This show is a testament to the creativity and technical expertise of the members of Feltmakers Ireland. Each piece tells a unique story, a vision realised in the medium of wool. It is a celebration of the diversity of feltmaking across Ireland. We are proud to showcase work that not only honours our craft but also pushes the boundaries of contemporary textile art.”

Feltmakers members included in the exhibition:

Annika Berglund
Christine Jordan
Claire Merry
Deirdre Crofts
Eithne O’Dea
Elaine Peden
Emily A Thompson
Fiona Leech
Heather Byrne
Hélène Dooley
Hilary Delaney
Jane Fox
Joanne Foley
Juliane Gorman
Karena Ryan
Leiko Uchiyama
Lidiia Necheporenko
Neasa Ryan
Ramona Farrelly
Sandra Reynolds
Sharon Wells
Siobhan Healy Ryan
Tamzen Lundy

Some Work from the Exhibition

Appreciation

Thank you to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, curator Sarah Ross, the Quilters Guild of Ireland, and the National Design and Craft Gallery of Ireland. Also, thanks to Annika for writing up the recap for the guild.

Thank you to the Gallery for the professional photos of the space, which we ‘borrowed’ from Instagram. Lastly, thank you to the members who shared their pictures via Instagram or WhatsApp. We apologise if we missed any artists’ works.

For more information about visiting the National Design and Craft Gallery of Ireland, please visit their website – https://www.dcci.ie/events/common-threads/?campaign=dcci-ndcg

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Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Mary Quant Retrospective – MOSI – Newbridge

Published on Aug 8, 2025Aug 5, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

‘Mary Quant and the 1960s Mini Revolution’ has opened at the Museum of Style Icons (MOSI) at Newbridge Silverware, in Co Kildare. 21 pieces of the collection were previously exhibited at the V&A in London in 2020.

Admission is free, and the exhibition will run until the end of 2025.

For more information, visit https://visitnewbridgesilverware.com/museum-of-style-icons/

Related: An interesting article by Ruth O’Connor in IMAGE features an interview with Jannette Flood, the steward of the collection. – https://www.image.ie/style/mary-quant-inside-the-irish-exhibition-celebrating-one-of-the-20th-centurys-most-influential-designers-963461

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Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: ‘Common Threads’ – Feltmakers Ireland & The Quilters Guild of Ireland – National Design & Craft Gallery

Published on Jul 30, 2025Aug 26, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland presents ‘Common Threads’, an exhibition curated by Sarah Ross, showcasing the intricate and expressive work of artists from Feltmakers Ireland and The Quilters’ Guild of Ireland.

The exhibition opens at the National Design and Craft Gallery (NDCG) on Thursday, the 7th of August and runs until the 1st of November.

Where: National Design & Craft Gallery, The Castle Yard, The Parade, Gardens, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny, R95 CAA6

When: The opening is at 3 PM, Thursday, the 7th of August 2025. Please RSVP by Friday, the 1st of August- rsvp@dcci.ie

For more information, visit the gallery’s website – https://www.dcci.ie/events/common-threads/

Instagram: @dccireland @ndcgallery

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Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Sandra Coote – Solo Show in Co Cavan

Published on Jul 29, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

Poster for Sandra Coote's exhibition - Spoken in fibre -features two landscapes and a portrait

Feltmakers Ireland guild member Sandra Coote has a solo exhibition at the Cavan County Museum. Titled ‘Spoken In Fibre – Wool art inspired by the poetry of Charles J. Coote’, this new exhibition features felted paintings by Sandra Coote.

There is a lovely article about Sandra, her work, and its inspiration, which was the poetry of the great-grandfather of her husband, on The Anglo-Celt’s website – https://www.anglocelt.ie/2025/07/20/poetry-and-art-rooted-in-place/

Sandra dyes all the wool she uses, which comes from her own farm or local farmers; it is entirely sourced from County Cavan.

Where: Cavan County Museum, The Eden Gallery, Virginia Rd, Kilmore, Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan, A82 YP70

When: The opening is this Thursday at 7:30 PM. The exhibition runs until Saturday, the 23rd of August.

For more information about visiting the museum, visit their website – https://cavanmuseum.ie/cavan-museum

Sandra’s Instagram: @crafts_of_ireland

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Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Ceramics Ireland Show – National Botanic Gardens – Dublin

Published on Jul 21, 2025Jul 21, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

Long-time Feltmakers Ireland member, Deirdre Crofts, has two ceramic pieces in the Ceramics Ireland group show Clay/Works 2025 at the National Botanic Gardens. The exhibition showcases the work of over 80 makers from across the country. A diverse range of ceramic pieces is displayed, including functional, decorative, wall panels, and sculptural forms.

The show runs through Sunday, the 27th of July.

Where: The gallery above the cafe at the Education Visitors Centre, National Botanic Gardens, Botanic Rd, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, D09 W0Y0

For more information, visit the National Botanic Garden’s website – https://www.botanicgardens.ie/event/exhibition-clay-works-2025/

The Instagram for Ceramics Ireland @ceramicsireland

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Questions: For questions about the content, please follow the link to the organisation hosting the event.

Exhibition: Textiles – the Art of Mankind – Fashion and Textile Museum – London

Published on Jul 9, 2025Jul 7, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

The Fashion & Textile Museum in London has an inspiring exhibition titled ‘Textiles: The Art of Mankind’. This show highlights the rich and enduring connection between textiles, humanity, and the world. Several guild members have attended and spoken highly of the experience!

Where: The Fashion & Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3XF, United Kingdom.

Exhibition dates: Now through the 7th of September 2025.

For more information, visit their website – https://fashiontextilemuseum.org/exhibitionsdisplays/textiles-the-art-of-mankind/

Their Instagram @fashiontextilemuseum

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Exhibition: The Fine Art of Textile – Coach House Gallery – Dublin

Published on Jul 3, 2025Jun 23, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland

The Fine Art of Textile in the Coach House Gallery, Dublin Castle, is an international exhibition of contemporary textiles that cross artistic genres—painting, sculpture, drawing, and sewing. It is curated by Irish artist Nuala Goodman, with the assistance of Italian journalist Maria Luisa Caffarelli.

The exhibition’s core is the Milan-based collective ‘Fringe’, founded in 2022 by four female artists from different countries. Fringe is a vibrant, creative force exploring the expressive potential of textiles. There is Sanchita Ajjampur, who re-interprets the ancient skills of raffia weave and embroidery creating sustainable handcrafted works; Lisa Farmer, whose art pieces lie somewhere in between basketry and tapestry; Nuala Goodman whose ‘Wild Tapestries’ uses preloved and precious textiles to create works of art, and Colomba Leddi whose synthetic, linear forms create spatial redefinition.

Curated by Irish artist Nuala Goodman, ‘The Wild Donegal Tweed Project’ is a collaboration between five Donegal tweed companies and art and design students from NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) in Rome.

Through the Irish Times fashion journalist Deirdre McQuillan, the five Donegal companies (McNutt of Donegal, Magee 1866, Molloy & Sons, Triona Design and Studio Donegal) have donated their fabrics to the NABA textile workshop. The woven, natural and sustainable quality of Donegal tweed appealed to the students as an alternative to cheap synthetic materials. Tweed cushions (45 x 45 cm) were chosen as the ideal form for re-imagining techniques such as smocking, embroidery, felting, patchwork, layering and more.

– Text from the OPW.

Where: The Coach House Gallery, Dublin Castle, near the Chester Beatty.
When: 6th of June, 2025 – 24th of August, 2025
Opening hours: 10 AM – 5 PM
Free admission

For more information, visit the OPW’s website – https://dublincastle.ie/category/dublin-castle-exhibitions/

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Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.

Exhibition: Flax Flower Project Unveils Felt Installation at Titanic Museum – Belfast

Published on Jul 1, 2025Jul 1, 2025 by Feltmakers Ireland1 Comment

Twelve talented artisans from three felting organisations—Feltmakers Ireland, Feltmakers North, and the International Feltmakers Association (IFA)—have collaborated on the Flax Flower Project, a unique wet-felted installation set to debut at the Titanic Museum on Tuesday, the 1st of July, 2025. The exhibit, which celebrates Belfast’s rich heritage in flax and linen production, will run through August 2025 and return each summer thereafter.

The Flax Flower Project showcases intricate floral designs crafted from sustainable materials, including Merino wool, bamboo fibres, Margilan silk, silk fibres, and flax strands for hanging. This vibrant display blends traditional craftsmanship with innovative textile art, highlighting the cultural and industrial significance of flax in Belfast’s history.

Behind the Scenes

Shelley Steele and Jane Fox co-coordinated the Flax Flower Project. Shelley expressed her enthusiasm: “It’s been a great pleasure to organise The Flax Flower Project alongside Jane Fox. Bringing together such talented artists to honour Belfast’s legacy has been truly rewarding.”

Loli Cox, a member of Feltmakers Ireland and IFA, added: “I was thrilled to join this project, which celebrates Belfast’s flax and linen heritage while showcasing the sustainable art of feltmaking. This exhibit not only honours our past but also inspires sustainable creativity for the future, aligning perfectly with Feltmakers Ireland’s mission to promote natural fibres like sheep’s wool for wearable and artistic applications.”

The project reflects the felting organisations’ commitment to sustainable textile practices and the revival of traditional crafts. It highlights feltmaking as a sustainable art form, while also celebrating the heritage of linen-making—a craft that was once a cornerstone of Belfast’s economy. Through the tactile and creative process of wet felting, these artisans will educate the public about the historical and cultural significance of flax and wool, promoting eco-conscious artistry.

The contributing artists are Sharon Bell, Loli Cox, Jane Fox, Siobhán Healy Ryan, Marie Hopkins, Viktor Hurtovyi, Elaine McCombe, Laura Moffett, Jacki Sleator, Shelley Steele, and Fiona Whyte.

The Artists

For more information about the Flax Flower Project or to schedule a visit to the Titanic Museum exhibit, please visit the website. – https://www.titanicbelfast.com/

Feltmakers Ireland is dedicated to promoting sustainable textile practices and raising awareness of natural fibres through innovative and traditional feltmaking techniques – https://feltmakersireland.com/

The IFA fosters a global community of feltmakers, encouraging creativity and collaboration in the art of feltmaking – https://www.feltmakers.com/

Feltmakers North supports artisans in Northern Ireland, preserving and advancing the craft of feltmaking through education and exhibitions. https://feltmakersnorth.blogspot.com/

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Contact Us: If you have any concerns about content, please email us at feltmakersie@gmail.com.

Questions: For questions about content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.