The Galway Wool Co-op, with Artist-in-Residence Michelle Hickey Legge, is delighted to announce the coming together of art and earth—‘Land to the Hand’. This unique exhibition of art through the medium of Galway Wool will take place this year at the annual Galway Wool Meitheal, Athenry, Galway.
The Coop invites artists on the island of Ireland working in all disciplines, age groups and abilities to engage with themes and concepts that connect the Galway Sheep Breed to the Irish landscape and the rich historical heritage of the Galway fleece. Artists who took part last year are also welcome to apply.
When: The Meithal is Saturday, the 20th of July, 2024, for one morning only.
For expressions of interest, direct message Michelle Hickey Legge via Instagram – @michellehickeyart before midnight, the 31st of May.
For more information about Galway Wool, visit the Coop’s website – https://galwaywool.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.
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Feltmakers Ireland’s art exhibition at the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre is curated around the ‘Opposites Attract’ theme this year. In the gallery, you can read about each piece’s inspiration. For those who cannot make it to the show, here are the inspiration and photographs of some more of our members’ artwork.
Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann
Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann – ‘Roulette’
The inspiration for the vessel ‘Roulette’ comes from the overthrow of nature with its diversity.
Light, Movement, Smells and Sounds play a major role in the development and implementation of my ideas!
There is so much to see and explore; you just have to look out for it. Enjoy discovering my vessels!
Breda Fay
Breda Fay – ‘Attraction isn’t always black and white’
I liked the balance of black and white. The magnetism was added after playing a game with my grandson. Does it attract/repel?
Lory Cotti Cottini
Lory Cotti Cottini – ‘Shades of Light Dark’
Separation/Union, Fragments/Whole form, in between Emotions and Shades, create my artistic works.
Neasa Ryan
Neasa Ryan -‘Moondance’
For ‘Moondance’, dark alien-like figures/faces sprung to mind, however as the piece evolved, with the addition of curved stems slightly revealing the dark colour underneath, I felt it provided a slightly softer feel to the piece, and it reminded me of gaunt alien type flowers or emaciated alien forms. Either way, with the cloudy white background, the Van Morrison song ‘Moondance’ sprung to mind, and I felt it was an apt name for the piece. In such an inhospitable environment, devoid of life as we know it, what could be more opposite (yet attractive) than flowers on the moon or flowers /alien forms dancing harmoniously on the moonscape for that matter?
Ramona Farrelly
Ramona Farrelly – ‘Ebb and flow’
‘Ebb and flow’ is a childhood memory of climbing in and around the rock pools at various beaches I spent my summers with my cousins on the east coast shores of Dublin and Wicklow. The creatures living on these rocks and in these pools fascinated me. Half in water, half out, the water changes their environment and how they look. The limpets clinging tightly to the rocks, as well as the sea urchins, took up lots of my childhood curiosity.
Ursula Heiting-Wiese
Ursula Heiting-Wiese – ‘Salt and Pepper Scarf’
The combination of soft silk and (considerably) rough wool that transforms into something completely new with Nuno felting is the perfect interpretation of the theme for me. To emphasise the opposites further, I chose black and white and open and closed parts with a ‘holey’ scarf.
We hope that you enjoyed learning about what inspires these artists. This series on the exhibition will continue over the coming weeks. ‘Opposites Attract’ is at the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre until the 26th of May.
The gallery is open from 10 AM until 4 PM daily.
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
Feltmakers Ireland chooses a theme for each of our annual exhibitions. Last year’s theme was ‘Bountiful’, and the year before, it was ‘Building Bridges’. This year’s theme is ‘Opposites Attract’.
Having a theme can be both inspiring or constraining, depending upon the individual artist. Sometimes, both emotions are experienced within a member as she works through the feltmaking process!
In today’s blog post, we share six of our members’ pieces and how they interpreted ‘Opposites Attract’.
Sandra Reynolds
Sandra Reynolds – ‘Midnight Mood’
My piece is inspired by the forces of the moon and its effects on nature. The opposites of light and dark, the power of electricity, and the magnetic forces surrounding us.
Sandra Coote
Sandra Coote – ‘Nature’s Duet’
2024, the year it rained continuously, but on occasion, the sun peeped through to produce the most magnificent of rainbows. ‘Nature’s Duet’ brightly represents this occurrence when the opposites of our weather come together harmoniously to create a spectacular spectrum of colour.
Patricia Conroy
Patricia Conroy – ‘Doolin sunset’
This piece is inspired by a sunset in Doolin in April 2024. It depicts the beauty that dark and bright can create. The hills are black, but as a result the beauty of nature’s contrasts can be experienced.
Nature provides us with opposites that attract and that go together to create the beauty we see every day.
Hélène Dooley
Hélène Dooley – ‘Hiking in the foothills of Mount Cook, NZ’
Nature is truly magnificent and packed with contradictions!
While hiking in the foothills of Mount Cook, NZ, the clouds disappeared, and we were treated to the most stunning and, according to locals, a rare view of the mountain. There were so many opposing elements: the light and dark of the mountain range, our presence in a lush and colourful terrain against a stark mountain backdrop, the permanence of this young mountain range compared to the transience of the flora surrounding us, the differing temperatures which were governed by height. Fragility surrounded us, yet there was a certain reassurance that the mountain would prevail in spite of humanity’s destructive decisions.
Maria McGarry
Maria McGarry – ‘Winter Solstice, Newgrange’
On the 21st of December 2023, as the dawn broke in Newgrange, we witnessed dazzling rainbow clouds, and I could see a dove form through the clouds. Spiritually, it reflected our silent collective prayer for peace in the world. (ethereal opposite to earthly).
Audrey Murray
Audrey Murray – ‘Tree of Life’
‘The Tree of Life’ symbolises the connection between heaven and earth, body and mind, and the physical and spiritual. The angel represents a messenger between heaven and earth and the addition of the cherry blossom flowers continues the theme of connecting birth, death and rebirth.
We hope that you enjoyed learning about what inspires these artists. This series will continue over the coming weeks. ‘Opposites Attract’ is at the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre. The gallery is open from 10 AM until 4 PM daily.
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
On Saturday, the 4th of May, Feltmakers Ireland opened their group art exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract,’ at the Phonix Park Visitors’ Centre. Friends, family, and other supporters kindly came to cheer us on!
A Few Photos from the Gallery
Above photos by Fiona Leech
Tom Watts from the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (the DCCI) inaugurated our opening by speaking about the importance of wool as a sustainable material and how craft and design are interwoven. He added that he was impressed with the qualities, techniques, and ideas of the exhibited pieces.
Tom Watts spoke at the opening.
Interestingly, he wore a pair of vintage Nike Air Footscape Woven Trainers that contained felt!
Members Alongside Their Work
Our trusty photographer was busy chatting with other members, so she only managed to snap some of our members alongside their work.
The Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre Gallery is open seven days a week, from 10 AM to 4 PM. If you stop by, be sure to chat with and see what one of our members is working on.
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
Feltmakers Ireland’s group exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract,’ opens today at 3 PM. Tom Watts of the Design and Craft Council of Ireland (DCCI) will inaugurate our exhibition.
Here are the last of the sneak peeks: Sandra Reynolds, Helena Mc Guinness, Sandra Coote, Valerie Nowak-oceallaigh, Patricia Conroy, Hélène Dooley, and Juliane Gorman.
Sandra Reynolds
Helena Mc Guinness
Sandra Coote
Valerie Nowak-oceallaigh
Patricia Conroy
Hélène Dooley
Juliane Gorman
Thank you for accompanying us on this Sneak Peek Journey. Learning about our members and their inspirations has been a fascinating part of organising this exhibition! We cannot wait to share more artwork during the show’s run from May 5th to 26th.
Remember: The Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre is shut on Mondays and Tuesdays. However, the lovely cafe across the way is open.
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
Today is Friday, so there is only one more day until the Feltmakers Ireland group exhibition opens at the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre.
Here is a bevvy of felted artworks from the following members: Adrienne Dempsey, Elaine Peden, Marie Dunne, Annika Berglund, Joanne Turner, Marika Miklosi Manning, Tamzen Lundy, and Heather Byrne.
Adrienne Dempsey
Elaine Peden
Marie Dunne
Annika Berglund
Joanne Turner
Marika Miklosi Manning
Tamzen Lundy
Heather Byrne
Tomorrow is the BIG Day – our opening, is at 3 PM at the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre. Due to construction for the upcoming Bloom, please allow more time to travel to the gallery.
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
Are you getting excited? Only TWO more days until Saturday – the day Feltmakers Ireland’s group exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract’ opens!
Here are sneak peeks of the following members’ artwork: Ramona Farrelly, Margaret Ryan Collins, Lory Cotti Cottini, Fiona Leech, Karena Ryan, Claire Merry, Caoimhe Tuthill, and Catríona Nolan.
Ramona Farrelly
Margaret Ryan Collins
Lory Cotti Cottini
Fiona Leech
Karena Ryan
Claire Merry
Caoimhe Tuthill
Caitriona Nolan
More images to share tomorrow!
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
Feltmakers Ireland’s group exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract,’ opens at the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre in three days.
Here is a Sneak Peek of seven pieces that will be displayed. Can you guess what some of these felted artworks might contain?
Eithne O’Dea
Elizabeth Redding
Eva Salamon
Jane Fox
Joanne Foley
Sandra Chase
Loli Cox
We will share glimpses of other members’ artworks tomorrow!
Only TWO more days until Saturday! The opening is at 3 PM.
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
The poster’s image is from a close-up of Maria McGarry’s piece, ‘Winter Solstice, Newgrange.’
Disclaimer for Feltmakers Ireland Blog
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
The 04 Textile Group is a collective of eight textile artists based in Dublin and Wicklow, who have been exhibiting together since 2004.
Members work in a variety of contemporary and traditional textile forms, using a range of techniques and a broad mix of materials. They are passionate about the potential and wonder of working with textiles and are delighted to have the opportunity to share their work at Signal Arts Centre in Bray.
This current exhibition, ’04 – 24 Lasting Impressions,’ is a retrospective glance at some of the work previously exhibited over the last two decades. It will also include work created specifically for this exhibition.
04 Textile Group Members:
Jane Enticknap
Tess Flynn
Anne Jeffares
Brid McCabe
Deirdre Moriarty
Sidella O’Brien
Mary O’Reilly
Colleen Prendiville
Sheelagh Rooney
Opening Reception: Thursday 18th April, 7pm to 9pm
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 content, please follow the link to the organisation involved in hosting the event.
Feltmakers Ireland 