Tag: Design and Crafts Council Ireland

Recap: August Craft Open Day Felted Vessels – Inchicore

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland2 Comments
Photograph by Guild Member Evija Mezaka

On Sunday, the 18th of August, Feltmakers Ireland hosted its first of two open days in the CIE Sports Club for August Craft Month 2024. Our second event will be this Sunday, the 25th of August, at the St James Hall in Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath. This upcoming event promises to be busy – visitors who have not pre-booked may need wait for an available tutor.

Hands on Learning

Curious students gathered around guild members and learned how to create a wet felted vessel using fine Merino wool, soapy water, a flexible resist, and their hands.

Finished Vessels

Visitors were able to work with wool and take home their completed vessels.

A Lovely Day

Photographs by Guild Member Evija Mezaka

Irish Wool

In addition to learning feltmaking, there was a carding demonstration and display of raw fibre and finished pieces made from Irish wool. Volunteers Annika Berglund and Margaret Ryan Collins chaired this table. Copies of our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’, were also available.

Artwork Display

A display of wet and needle felted artworks, which included wall art, sculptures, vessels, jewellery, hats, scarves, dresses, and even an octopus, was available for viewers to admire.

With Appreciation

Many thanks to the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) for setting up August Craft Month and helping to fund our event. With appreciation to Heritage Ireland for listing our event on their website and helping us connect with our community. Also, thanks to guild member Leiko Uchiyama for dyeing such beautifully coloured wool roving.

A huge thank you to Deirdre Crofts and Loli Cox for helping to organise the Inchicore August Craft Month open day. Lastly, the Guild appreciates all the volunteers who ensured the day ran smoothly: Adrienne, Annika, Clare, Deirdre, Elizabeth, Eva, Hilary, Juliane, Lorna, Margaret, Marie, and Sam.

A video of our Open Day can be found on Instagram and/or on Facebook.

Note: We have received some questions about the green-coloured sprinkler devices that go onto plastic drinking bottles. This item was found on AmazonUK and is often used for gardening. Not all brands of bottles fit the devices – a good opportunity to do a selective clean-up near a local school. 🙂

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.

Open Call: Applications for Irish Design Week 2024 – DCCI

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Design and Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) is delighted to announce that applications are now open for Irish Design Week 2024.

From workshops to panel discussions, your event can play a key role in making this year’s Irish Design Week truly aspirational. This year’s theme is ‘Imagination for Opportunity’.

Funding is available for selected events that are looking to be part of the story.

Application deadline: 1st of September, 2024.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.dcci.ie/whats-on/irish-design-week/about-dcci-design-week/

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.

Recap: Feltmakers Ireland at Bloom 2024

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

By Bloom co-coordinator, Maria Mc Garry

Over the June Bank holiday, volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland spent two days at the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Irish Craft Village within Bord Bia’s Bloom 2024 in Phonix Park. Our volunteers shared the wonders of transforming fluff into felt.

Irish Craft Village Sign – Photo by Sam Fagan

Most of all, Feltmakers Ireland wants to thank the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) for giving us such an excellent marquee and display opportunity in the Craft’s Demonstration Booth at Bloom. We especially want to thank Geraldine Gray (of the DCCI ) and her sister Catherine for their support, helpfulness, and friendship on-site over the two days.

The Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s Irish Craft Village – Photo by Sam Fagan

Our Booth

The public enjoyed watching volunteers show how to wet felt and needle-felt.

The photo on the left is early in the day – Photo by Loli Cox. The one on the right shows how popular our booth was – Photo by Sam Fagan.

Day 1

Annika Berglund showcased her project on the felting properties of wool from the various breeds of sheep in Ireland as part of Feltmakers Ireland’s book ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking‘. You can purchase this book via our website – https://feltmakersireland.com/exploring-irish-wool-for-feltmaking/

  • Annika with samples of Irish Wool Breeds – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
  • Irish Wool Breed Felted Samples – Photo by Sam Fagan

Annika’s 3D fish and butterflies attracted much interest, as did other artworks on display.

  • Fishes and Butterfhly – Photo by Maria Mc Garry
  • 3D Butterflies by Annika Berglund – Photo by Sam Fagan
  • Hélène Dooley’s spiral in the foregraound.
  • A busy booth – Photo by Hélène Dooley

Tamzen Lundy demonstrated wet feltmaking by creating a Mr Fantastic Fox. Her cute, wee-felted animals on display are terrific. You can find her work at Tamzen Lundy Designs.

Tamzen promoting wet feltmaking. (See below)

  • Tamzen demonstrating
  • Tamzen chatting with the public – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Marian Fagan demonstrated needle felting and how she makes puppets of the various characters in children’s books for her granddaughter as they share the joy of reading. (See photo below).

Marian demonstrating feltmaking – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Loli Cox, Marian, and Annika were busy demonstrating.

Loli, Marian, and Annika talking with the public – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

In the afternoon, Joanne Foley (in the yellow dress) demonstrated the process of creating her animal portraits. (See photograph below).

More sharing of feltmaking at Bloom – Joanne Foley, Lorna Cady, Margaret Ryan Collings, and Annika Berglund – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Guild member Caoimhe Tuthill of Boann Irish Felt exhibited her beautiful work in the main pavilion with MeathMade. (See below).

Caoimhe Tuthill at the MeathMade Booth – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Day 2

Saturday was busy, and Hélène Dooley started us off by demonstrating wet felting flowers and displaying her felted vessels. The red-coloured, hanging felted spiral is from an online class she teaches at the Felting and Fiber Studio. (See photo below).

Helene demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Hélène demonstrated and answered curious questions.

Hélène, Lory Cotti Cottini, and Annika demonstrating, below. Annika promoted Feltmakers Ireland and encouraged the interested public to become members of the guild.

Helene, Lory, and Annika sharing the wonders of feltmaking – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Siobhan Ryan, Sam Fagan, Elaine Peden, and Annika at Bloom.

Siobhan, Sam, Elaine, and Annika demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Elaine Peden demonstrating felted flowers. (Below)

Elain Peden demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Elaine and Annika share feltmaking with the public. (Below).

Elaine and Annika – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Siobhan demonstrates her unique artwork.

Siobhan demonstrating – Photo by Maria Mc Garry

Valerie Nowak O’Ceallaigh shared her needle-felted horse portrait.

Photo by Valerie

Conclusion

Many thanks to Maria Mc Garry and Annika Berglund for coordinating this year’s Feltmakers Ireland booth at Bloom! Also, thanks to all the members, who also volunteered their time during the busy bank holiday weekend.

Elaine, Annika, and Maria pictured – Photo by Sam Fagan


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.

Open Call: Apply to the DCCI Irish Business Design Challenge

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) launches this year’s Irish Business Design Challenge (IBDC) for micro, small and medium-sized businesses to apply and showcase their commitment to sustainability through innovative design and circular and ethical practices.

In its fourth year, IBDC celebrates businesses that add value, repurpose products, develop eco-friendly processes, enhance efficiency, and tackle societal and environmental challenges through sustainable design.

This year’s challenge has a prize fund of over €50,000.

Examples of Sustainable Design Strategies:

  • Designing for minimal waste.
  • Prioritising durability in design.
  • Utilising safe, renewable, and recycled materials.
  • Championing ethical production practices.
  • Reducing chemical impacts through design.
  • Implementing energy and water-efficient designs.
  • Drawing inspiration from nature’s designs.
  • Dematerialising products and developing sustainable systems and services.

For more information, visit their website – https://www.dcci.ie/ibdc

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.

Event: Feltmakers Ireland will be at Bloom 2024

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Volunteers from Feltmakers Ireland will be demonstrating wet and needlefelting at Bloom 2024. Stop by and say ‘hello’, see the magic of feltmaking, learn about our Wool Project, and purchase our book, ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’.

Where: We will be in the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland’s ‘Irish Craft Village’ in the YELLOW section, area 26, in the GANS Crafts Demonstration booth.

When: The Guild will be in the booth on Friday, the 31st of May, and Saturday, the 1st of June, from 11 AM to 5 PM. (Bloom runs from the 30th of May to the 3rd of June).

Note: we will be closer to the Red Car Park.

There will be free shuttle buses from Heuston Station.

For more information, visit Bloom’s website – https://www.bordbiabloom.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.

Opportunity: Share at August Craft Month 2024

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

The Design and Crafts Council Ireland and Craft NI invite makers and craftspersons to register their events for this year’s August Craft Month.

What a maker chooses to share is up to them.

Here are some ideas:

  • Craft Talks and Trails
  • Open Studios and Exhibitions
  • Workshops and Demos
  • Meet the Maker Events

August Craft Month 2024 is for makers, communities, families, collectors, and enthusiasts across the island of Ireland. Event applications are welcome from the following:

  • Individual craft makers
  • Guilds and networks
  • Galleries, retailers and museums
  • Councils and arts centres, cultural venues
  • Further and higher education institutions and crafts educators
  • Heritage organisations

The deadline for registering your event is Friday, June 14th.

For more information and to register, please visit their website – https://www.dcci.ie/whats-on/dcci-august-craft-month/

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: Photos from ‘Opposites Attract’

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland1 Comment

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.

  • Annika Berglund
  • Breda Fay
  • Elizabeth Redding
  • Eva Salamon
  • Caitriona Nolan
  • Juliane Gorman
  • Lory Cotti Cottini
  • Sandra Chase
  • Marie Dunne
  • Tamzen Lundy
  • Loli Cox
  • Neasa Ryan
  • Eithne O’Dea
  • Maria McGarry
  • Ramona Farrelly
  • Valerie Nowak-O’ceallaigh
  • Adrienne Dempsey
  • Helena Mc Guinness

Videos of the Work

A short video of the opening is on the Guild’s Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube channels.

A longer video of each artist’s work is here on YouTube.

Members’ Inspiration

There is a series of seven blog posts about each artist’s inspiration.

  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.

The Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre Gallery was open seven days a week, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Each day, a member volunteered her time to share the wonder of feltmaking and chat with the visitors. Over a thousand people visited our show!

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’

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

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.

Exhibition: Three More Days Until ‘Opposites Attract’ Opens

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

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.

Exhibition: ‘Opposites Attract’ Update and Countdown with Sneak Peeks

Published on by Feltmakers Ireland

Update:

Feltmakers Ireland has recently learned that the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre is not open on Mondays or Tuesdays. However, visitors can visit the guild’s exhibition the rest of the week, from Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10 AM until 4 PM.

Our opening ceremony will be at 3 PM on Saturday, the 4th of May. Tom Watts of the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCI) will officially open our exhibition with a brief speech.

Feltmakers Ireland’s annual exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract,’ features 38 pieces from our members. The artworks range from naturalistic landscapes to abstract pieces, from wearables to wall art. Here are seven ‘sneak peeks’ from our members to whet your appetite!

Sneak Peeks:

  • Irina Lampadova
  • Ursula Heiting-Wiese
  • Neasa Ryan
  • Breda Fay
  • Bernie Hennessy
  • Audrey Murray
  • Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann

We will share glimpses of other members’ artworks tomorrow! Only four more days until Saturday!

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.