Education: Members with Upcoming Workshops

Several members of Feltmakers Ireland teach their skills.

Here are some of the upcoming workshops they offer. We’re sorry we missed many of the March events—we were busy with our exhibition!

Gelli Plate Workshop with Mel Bradley – Co Louth

Mel Bradley is running a Gelli Plate printing workshop in her studio, Gallery 13, Millmount Craft Quarter, on Saturday, the 12th of April.

For more info & to contact- https://melbradleysilks.ie/contact/

IFA’s Discovering Feltmaking – Online Courses

Guild member Hélène Dooley is among the tutors for the International Feltmakers Association’s five online felting courses, which start on May 1st and end on June 30th.

For more info – https://www.feltmakers.com/discovering-feltmaking-course/

Needle Felting Workshop with Lucia Errity – Co Meath

Guild member Lucia Errity is teaching a needle felting workshop on the 11th of May.

Contact her via Instagram @luciaerrityart

2nd Annual Soul Dolls Retreat – Co Sligo

Guild member Caoimhe Tuthill is again pairing up with Shelly Ann Szigli for Sould Dolls Retreat in November 2025.

For more info – https://www.souldolls.ca/ireland-2025-soul-dolls-gathering

If you are a member of Feltmakers Ireland and offer workshops, please get in touch with us at feltmakersIE@gmail.com

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.

Education: MeathMade Craft Workshops – Includes Felting

Two guild members of Feltmakers Ireland will teach at Meath Made Creates, which is part of this year’s celebration of August Craft Month.

The Meath Made Creative Collective will be at the Swift Cultural Centre for a two-day event. They will take over the entire building with demonstrations, workshops, talks, a craft fair, an exhibition, and live music.

Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt Designs is teaching how to make wet felted flowers on Saturday, the 17th of August, at 2:30 PM https://swiftculturalcentre.ie/event/meath-made-wet-felt-workshop-with-boann-irish-felt-designs

Lucia Errity will teach how to make a needle-felted landscape on Sunday, the 18th of August, at 10:00 AM.https://swiftculturalcentre.ie/event/meath-made-felting-the-landscape-with-lucia-errity

For more information on the overall event, visit the Swift Cultural Centre – https://swiftculturalcentre.ie/event/meath-made-creates

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.

Exhibition: Opposites Attract Inspiration

The art exhibition ‘Opposites Attract’ features pieces by 38 Feltmakers Ireland members. Each artist interpreted the theme in her own way. Read on to find out their inspiration.

The Series

The complete series of posts on our Members’ Inspiration can be found here:

  1. Includes: Sandra Reynolds, Sandra Coote, Patricia Conroy, Hélène Dooley, Maria Mc Garry, and Audry Murray.
  2. Includes: Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann, Breda Fay, Lory Cotti Cottini, Neasa Ryan, Ramona Farrelly, and Ursula Heiting-Wiese.
  3. Includes: Heather Byrne, Tamzen Lundy, Bernie Hennessy, Adrienne Dempsey, and Joanne Turner.
  4. Includes: Claire Merry, Caitríona Nolan, Margaret Ryan Collins, Caoimhe Tuthill, and Fiona Leech.
  5. Includes: Jane Fox, Elizabeth Redding, Joanne Foley, Sandra Chase, and Loli Cox.
  6. Includes: Valerie Nowak-O’Ceallaigh, Helena Mc Guinness, Eithne O’Dea, Eva Salamon, and Juliane Gorman.
  7. Includes: Irina Lampadova, Karena Ryan, Annika Berglund, Marie Dunne, Elaine Peden, and Marika Miklosi Manning.

Claire Merry

Claire Merry – ‘Yin Yang’

All things in the universe exist as inseparable and contrasting opposites. My piece represents yin-yang as equal opposites that attract and complement each other. Never connecting but always balanced.

Caitríona Nolan

Caitríona Nolan – ‘Red and green should never be seen’

The title of the exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract’, made me think of colours that bounce off each other but also work well together and are eye-catching. Red and green are opposite each other on the colour wheel. The saying that came to mind goes, ‘Red and green should never be seen except upon an Irish Queen’.

Margaret Ryan Collins

Margaret Ryan Collins – ‘Spirals of Life’

‘Spirals of Life’ is influenced by the double spirals found at Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange) and on other ancient Irish monuments. These spirals are seen as a representation of balance between two opposing but inextricably linked factors, eg life and death, light and dark, creation and destruction, day and night, as in our theme, ‘Opposites Attract’. So, my interpretation wants to show the link to the theme in a similar fashion, to that demonstrated by our forefathers and foremothers.

Caoimhe Tuthill

Caoimhe Tuthill – ‘EBB & FLOW – Newgrange Entrance Stone Shawl’

The continuous flow and change of the River Boyne as it passes the Neolithic monuments of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth.

These spectacular structures have proudly stood in the Boyne Valley landscape for over 5000 years.

Our ancestors utilized the river’s ebb and flow to skilfully transport these megaliths to their sacred sites in County Meath.

The shawl’s design features the megalithic art carved into Newgrange’s entrance stone and the various shades of blue signify the meandering course of the River Boyne as it flows out to sea.

Immersing ourselves in nature reminds us of our ancient and spiritual connection and our deep interdependence to the earth, sky, water, land, rocks, stars, moon, and sun.

Fiona Leech

Fiona Leech – ‘Calm and chaos’

Sometimes in life we get thrown a curve ball that can cause disruption and chaos. When this happens, I try to weave some calmness into my life by hanging out with nature. I tried to show this by using the intensity of reds, oranges and dark, urban colours in contrast with the lightness of greens and yellows found in nature around us.

We hope that you enjoyed learning about what inspires these artists. ‘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.

Exhibition: Two More Days Until the Opening of ‘Opposites Attract’

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.

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.

Of Interest: Soul Dolls Felting Retreat – Boyne Valley

Feltmakers Ireland member Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt and Shelly Szigli of Soul Dolls CA are holding a two-day felting retreat set against the stunning backdrop of the World Heritage Site of Brú na Boinne in the stunning Boyne Valley in Ireland.

Participants will learn how to create their own Soul Doll using wet and needle felting techniques.

When: the 31st of August through the 1st of September.

For more information, visit the website – https://www.souldolls.ca/soul-doll-ireland-2024-retreat

Exhibition: Two More Days Until ‘Bountiful’ Opens

Only a couple more days until our juried members’ exhibition ‘Bountiful’ opens this Saturday at 3 PM at the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre in Dublin.

In the meantime, here are two snippets of wearable art that will be displayed. The exhibition includes wall art, sculptures, shawls, and even a hat!

Photo 1 – Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann’s piece, ‘Positive Vibes’.

To see more of Astrid’s work, visit her website – https://bombyxmoriwearableart.com/

Photo 2 – A snippet of Caoimhe Tuthill’s piece – ‘Nature’s Bounty’.

To see more of Caoimhe’s work, visit her website – https://www.boann.ie/