Guild member Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann has been invited to exhibit her work at the Shoreline Arts Festival, in Portumna, Co Galway. The Visual Arts Exhibition is displayed in the beautiful and historical museum, The Irish Workhouse Centre.
The show runs from Monday, the8th of September, through Sunday, the 21st.
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Guild member Dr Niki Collier has a solo exhibition at Portumna Castle. It combines felt art, installation, dance, and participatory engagements, which are captured through film and photography.
The exhibition ‘Symbols of Mobility’ uses bird lore in legends, proverbs, and intangible cultural traditions to explore the hard truths about ourselves and others.
The audience will get the chance to see seven stories: The Phoenix, The Children of Lir, The Black Swan, The Cutest Chick, The Stork, The Legend of Óengus and Caer, and The Blue Bird of Happiness. These pieces are embodied in large-scale sculptures informed by wings and small sculptures informed by shapes of sorrow and joy. The work also includes installations, photography, and film.
Parts of the work have been produced with the generous support of the Office of Public Works, Arts Council of Ireland, Creative Ireland, and the Dublin Arts Office.
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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.
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.
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.
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‘Warped and Wasted Exhibition’Textile TalksTextile Challenge
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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!
Annika Berglund and Mary BlanchfieldAnnika Berglund, Moya Gerarthy, Mary Blanchfield, and Sarah Ross
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
Annika BerglundDeirdre CroftsLeiko UchiyamaSiobhan Healy RyanSandra ReynoldsJoanne FoleyChristine JordanSharon WellsFiona LeechRamona FarrellyTamzen Lundy with the poster for the exhibitionLidiia NecheporenkoEithne O’DeaClaire MerryJuliane GormanNeasa RyanEmily A ThompsonHilary Delaney
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.
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.
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‘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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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!
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.
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Feltmakers Ireland 