During the last week of July, there are two feltmaking workshops with Elina Saari and Oona Jakku. The first class is focused on creating an unusual ‘button’ textured felt, while the second class is focused on felting hats. The classes are three days each and run consecutively.
For more information, visit the FeltFaction website.
This is the final in a series of posts featuring the Artists whose work was selected for the “Something Red” exhibition in Finland. This week we look at the work of Niki Collier, Marika Miklosi Manning & Nessa McCormack.
Luckily as most of us have not been able to see the exhibits in person, we look forward to the Irish exhibits returning and featuring as part of the Shorelines Arts Festival 8th-22nd Sept in Portumna
My Egg. Do Not Sit III
An interpretation of the human ovary in fibre, mounted on a transparent structure. Discussing women’s freedom and the perception of ownership.
Sale price. €875.00
Materials – merino wool, silk fibres, Nuno felted knit mohair, vintage silk from the artist’s grandmother, Russian silk from her mother, Blueface Leicester fibres, fibre from a dog who had miscarried, and fbres from a sheep who won the national championship at Gosford.
Red Between the Lines
We can easily miss or are blind to trouble or pain, sometimes we are in denial about the “red” between the lines.
Sale price. €125.00
Materials – Kap merino wool, tussah silk fibres, merino wool
Notes – this is intended to be displayed standing with the long cord casually laid on the table, encircling the vessel.
Untitled.
I have always loved groups of things, little colonies of harmony repeating themselves. It’s a reassuring feeling, the process of repeating, making and slowly building layers. I am very drawn to rolls of delicate paper and fabric with the selvedge exposed. I think these elements have influenced me in making this piece.
Red is not a colour I usually work with. In the process of making this piece I learned how much I liked the intensity of saturated warm colours. It was nice to be surprised in this way.
Sale price. €325.00
Materials – fine merino fibre, pieced and stitched.
Once again our sincere thanks to DCCoI for the part funding received that enabled Feltmakers ireland to take part in these exhibitions.
3 more Artists for you today, Fiona Leech, Nicola Brown & Tracey King. All exhibiting currently in Finland, then onward to Portumna 8th-22nd Sept as part of the Shorelines Arts Festival.
Chance
My piece was inspired (though “inspire” is perhaps the wrong word) by the recent appalling cervical smear scandal that has shaken Irish society. Women are dying needlessly in this country and women are feeling quite vulnerable relying on the health system.
I had wanted to celebrate womenhood, as “red” evokes feelings of strength,warmth,friendship,and love; but as I was working a strong sense of anger grew which I couldn’t shake. I listen to the radio a lot while I work!
The process of felt making is physical, great for anger management, while producing a softness, in contrast with the hard surfaces of a dice. It makes you want to touch….to reach out to care and nurture…..
Sale price. €350.00
Materials – merino wool, cotton embroidery thread, industrial felt stuffing.
Where Passions Unite
This wall hanging marries my passions for wet felting, silviculture, eco printing and working with natural materials. I feel that it encapsulates my current textile practice, simple, natural, crafted.
Sale price. €425.00
Materials – merino, silk, tencel, and firestar.
Keep me close to your heart
A special gift for a friend, new mother or baby, to wrap them up, keep them warm and in the case of a child provide a soft safe surface to play on. It’s a token of love from me to them and a reminder for them to keep me close to their heart.
Sale price. €425.00
Materials – merino, silk, vintage Japanese kimono silk. Machine washable, bound with eucalyptus dyed vintage Japanese kimono silk.
A Little Taste of Ireland
I am interested in the old ways, the simple way people appeared to live. Inspired by my surroundings in the west of Ireland, combining the raw organic textures of wool, I create images that I would like to live in. This particular work tries to capture a living emotion of a place.
The work is made of wool from Jacob and Texel sheep. The different image elements were pre-felted before assembling the image. A small amount of wool was dyed with cochineal for the woman’s shawl, which was one of the most typical garments for Irish women in the 19th century.
Sale price. €1968.00
Materials – Jacob and Texel sheep wool
With Thanks to DCCoI for part funding the exibition.
By Maureen Cromer, edited by Tamzen Lundy
In autumn 2018, Feltmakers Ireland were invited by Filtti, the association of Feltmakers of Finland, to take part in a joint exhibition of work, to be shown in Jamsa, Finland during the month of July, 2019. The chosen title for the show was to be “Something Red”. While taking felt to Finland seemed a bit like taking coals to Newcastle, we were up for the challenge.
We put out a call to our members, seeking submissions for a juried selection of works to be sent to Jamsa. We are grateful to Leiko Uchiyama and Colleen Prendiville for agreeing to act as our two independent judges. After a double anonymous judging we had a selection of 26 pieces from 18 artists. These covered just about every imaginable aspect of felted art. There were framed pieces, sculptural works, wall hangings, wearables, even a book. We sent photographs of a selection of the work to our colleague Sirpa Mäntylä for their advance publicity. The chosen pieces were then all carefully wrapped and shipped to Sirpa in Jamsa in plenty of time for their team to prepare the display.
Filtti kindly suggested that some of us might like to travel over for the opening of the show on Sunday 30th June, and some of us did! A group of 6 travelled over, including our chairperson Vicky Blomfield and Maureen Cromer, the curator of the Irish works. We arrived the day before the opening, just as they were finishing the hanging, and were able to make any adjustments to the display that we felt were needed.
Filtti certainly had prepared a full itinerary for the 3 days that we were with them. After arriving and having a light meal, we were joined by the journalist from the local newspaper who wanted to know all about our pieces and our artists. She walked around the entire exhibition, asking questions and taking photographs. There is a great amount of local interest in this annual exhibition.
Here is an extract from a local newspaper;
Article by Anne Lius-Liimatainen, Keskisuomalainen Tuesday 2.7.2019
Red and strong
The Massacre of Ballymurphy has been felted and is shown in the shelter of Kivipankki walls
The Massacre of Ballymurphy 1971 has affected the Irish felt makers’ self-esteem and has now been the source of inspiration for artist Tamzen Lundy in her felt work for the felt exhibition of Finnish Felt association Filtti in Jämsä.
11 civilians were killed by British soldiers in Ballymurphy. The incident had a strong influence which escalated in the bloody Sunday a year later. Eleven dead civilians with their bullet holes have been felted symbolically in Lundy’s felt work. The work has been placed downstairs at the Kivipankki gallery in a cantered place.
When we read what this piece describes, it raised the hairs in my neck. This work truly raised surprisingly strong feelings among artists, says Vicky Blomfield.
The 21st felt exhibition opened on Monday at Kivipankki. The exhibition has a strong international taste. The exhibition is open for public, is free of entrance fee and ends August 4th and carries a name “Something red”.
The exhibition has 18 Irish and 26 Finnish felt works. The red thread of the exhibition is colour red. There are many various materials and forms in the exhibition, from felt shoes to wall hangings and sculptures.
Supported by the Irish Design and Craft Council, Feltmakers Ireland organized a jury and finally 26 felt works were chosen from 18 felt artists. The weight of feeling in the exhibition is strong.
Maureen Cromer of Feltmakers Ireland association tells that they brought works of 18 felt artists to Finland. Some of the works reflect a strong political message.
The heartache of the Irish. E.g. in my works is deal with mental health and healing, Cromer tells.
The next day was the long anticipated opening of Something Red. There were quite a few members attending, which when you consider the size of the country was impressive! It was lovely to meet like-minded people and discuss the differences and similarities in our culture and practice, and in the materials we use and the artists we are familiar with. The exhibition was opened by Päivi Himanen, the Cultural Director for the area, and gifts were exchanged between the two guilds. Then Vicky and Maureen spoke about the joy and excitement of bringing Irish felt to Finland, and our gratitude to DCCI for part funding the undertaking.
Before returning home, there wasn’t a dull moment. We began with an interview with yet another journalist. There was great interest in the back stories to many of the Irish entries, which concerned topics such as pollution, mental and physical health care, and the Northern conflict. It seems the colour red raised a lot of strong emotions in the Irish.
We then went on a round trip of several farms, visiting local herds and producers. There was absolutely wonderful quality of fibre available, and we purchased a good bit to satisfy our members’ curiosity. We were taken to several felt factories as well. It was great to see the efficient output from relatively small cottage industries. With felt being such an intrinsic part of Finnish culture, its production was evident everywhere. Sirpa arranged for us to meet a moose and learn a bit about the raising of moose and reindeer. Their pelts were in shops all over the country, and reindeer meat is part of the cuisine. By the time we got back to our apartment, after several sightseeing detours and a stop for dinner, we were more than ready for bed.
The exhibition will continue in Jamsa, Finland, until the 4th of August.
The Irish work will then return here to be on display in Portumna Castle as part of the Shorelines Festival from Sept 8-22. We are so proud of our members who have fully supported our guild in this undertaking. And we are very grateful to DCCI for part funding our participation, allowing us to develop a strong cultural partnership with Filtti. I’m sure we will be working together in the future.
www.shorelinesartsfestival.com
translation of jämsän seutu article
3 more Artists for you today, Elaine Peden, Maureen Cromer & Tamzen Lundy. All exhibiting currently in Finland, then onward to Portumna 8th-22nd Sept as part of the Shorelines Arts Festival.
Red in a world of black and white
The tiny coccus beetle found in Mexico huddles on the sunny side of a prickly cactus leaf, transforming into Red. Introducing white and red elements on a black background, this is my interpretation of white noise , fake news. Red gives clarity to the art of thinking clearly .
Sale price. €100.00
Materials used – dyed and I dyed Kap merino wool fibres with 3D elements and layering
Land of the Dawn lit Mountain
Notes – A wall hanging.
An evening walk in the Dublin mountains watching the movement of light through the evergreens , the magnificent Red glow of the sunset marking the close of another day
Sale price. €250.00
Mending the Soul
The soul here stands for the “self” – who we are. We are constantly learning, growing, blooming But, of course, sometimes we need to heal from injuries, to mend, physically. But more importantly, to mend both mentally and spiritually.
The white body of the work represents this soul, while the red threads show the mending underway. The needles have been left attached, because self care is an ongoing process.
Sale price. €325.00
Materials – Native Perendale and Southdown fibres, Wensleydale locks, Irish linen, cotton mesh, silk fibre, silk hankies, rayon, silk and polyester threads for free motion machine embroidery, cotton and vintage red silk threads for hand embroidery, sashiko needles.
The Red Thread of Fate – Ballymurphy Precedent
Inspired by the ancient Chinese belief that those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance, are bound by an invisible red thread which may tangle but never break.
I took this idea of connection and applied it to a little known story from Northern Ireland, where I grew up. A story of brutal bloodshed. The shootings happened in Ballymurphy, a Catholic housing estate in Belfast, in 1971. These shootings, carried out by British soldiers on civilians, killed 11 people over 3 days. The relatives continue to fight for the truth. The same parachute regiment were involved in the Bloody Sunday events in Londonderry, 5 months later.
I have used red Irish linen as the red thread, knotted according to the number of bullet wounds per person. The thread is broken to indicate the different days of the massacre, however there is the illusion of connection to represent those individuals bound by their fate. The colour red representing bloodshed. The flax of the linen is an Irish grown product – on home soil.
Sale price. €150.00
Materials – merino wool, silk chiffon, Irish linen threads
Migraine Days
Inspired by my own experience of living with migraine disease.
Migraine is more than just a headache. There is a saying ” it rarely kills you, but living with it is murder”.
The piece of art is meant to illustrate in some way the feeling I have inside my head on migraine days. Throbbing, piercing and pulsating.
Using a combination of techniques – stitch and beadwork on wet felt. Red silk with wool nepps represent the throbbing area, embellished with glass beads that pierce the site.
Sale price. €75.00
Materials – merino wool fibre and wool nepps, red silk and glass beads.
This exhibition was part funded by DCCoI
As the “Something Red” exhibition continues to run in Jamsa, Finland and we get ever closer to the Shoreline Arts Festival in Co. Galway in September… This week’s 3 featured artists are Astrid Tomrop-Hofmann, Pippa Sweeney & Asta Gauronskyte.
The Glow worms Nest
The materials, shapes, structures and colors of my native surroundings provide inspiration for my creations .
Working with different raw-wool types (unwashed and uncarded fleece loosened by hand ) fascinates me.
This piece embodies warmth, softness and protection . The upright rods radiate decisiveness and togetherness , all the while surrounded by organic matter.
I like the challenge of working with different materials. It is so fascinating. Under the hands of the designer or maker the fibres enter into communication and transform into a new structure and design.
Sale price. €600.00
Materials – Finnwool, Mongolish – Karakul used as the base. Wool locks from white Romney, white Mohair, Blueface Leicester brown and white. Silk bark, and hand dyed linen- cotton yarn and silk fibres.
The Mermaid visiting at Fenora Beach
The inspiration for this piece are different materials and techniques, which have been employed in felt production for thousands of years.
I envisioned merging the textures of the Pongee – Silk with fine Merino wool to create a fish-skin effect . This is further embellished by adding Silk Fibre and a Kap-wool fin .
The piece is finished with free motion hand embroidery . Overall the Mermaid is an expression of emotion and consequentiality.
The piece itself represents the motion ~ ebb and flow of the tides ,waves of the ocean .Felting generates concentration ,punctuality, excitement and surprises ! My work always tell a story of their own
Sale price – €680.00
Materials – pongee silk, 16-19 micron merino wool, Kap merino, hand dyed silk fibre, cotton – nylon fabric, silk chiffon, mohair locks, free motion machine embroidery.
The Beauties and the Beast
The beauty of beach stones, their origins, journeys and destinations has been the inspiration for Pippa’s shibori felt work over the past few years. In 2018 she held a solo exhibition in Ireland entitled ‘Between a Rock and a Soft Place” which explored the metaphor of stones as people, where human population can be represented by jostling stones of diverse origins, with all their differences, imperfections and beauty – each with their own story.
This piece ‘The Beauties and The Beast” in which a red knotted rope emerges from between stones represents the very real threat of plastics and rubbish on our beaches, a strangling, destructive danger emerging from between us all.
Sale price – €450.00
Materials – merino wool using the shibori method.
Scarlet & Black Boots
My life has been about designing and making both clothing and accessories. While crafting these pieces they managed to weave themselves into the fabric of my self, making them a special creation. This was in part due to the ballad “Lady in Red” continually playing in my subconscious. The themes of love, passion and drawing attention show themselves in the design . A touch of black in the red both calms down the power at the same time as hinting seduction. ”
Sale price. €350.00
If sold along with the matching Bag the set is €500.00
Materials – 24 mc Tirol wool , 21mc Merino wool , black silk chiffon fabric with sequins.
Metal shoe zip, natural leather heel box and innersole all sewn by hand.
High heel rubber pads firstly glued with special shoe glues and then sewn by hand.
Notes – The boots are a UK size 6, EUsize 39.
Scarlet &Black Bag
My life has been about designing and making both clothing and accessories. While crafting these pieces they managed to weave themselves into the fabric of my self, making them a special creation. This was in part due to the ballad “Lady in Red” continually playing in my subconscious. The themes of love, passion and drawing attention show themselves in the design . A touch of black in the red both calms down the power at the same time as hinting seduction. ”
Sale price. €180.00
If sold along with the matching boots the cost for the set is €500.00
Materials – 24 mc Tirol wool , 21mc Merino wool , black silk chiffon fabric with sequins, Metal kisslock bag frame, lining made from 100% linen fabric.
With thanks to DCCoI for part funding this exhibition.
For you today we feature the works of 3 Irish Artists whose pieces are featuring in the “Something Red” exhibition in Finland this summer
Today we look at the works of Claire Merry, Maria Mc Givern & Elizabeth Bonnar.
Aflame
I wished to portray the competing human emotions of the cool head masking the hot passion and turmoil in the heart…….. fire and ice.
Sale price €850.00
Materials – merino wool on silk chiffon, backed with synthetic felt for hanging.
Woven Fibres of Ireland
Inspired by the changing colours of Ireland and our forty shades of green with a little touch of red. The red wool used is cut from Donegal tweed.
Her green fields a myriad of shades of green- Ireland.
The woven threads of Donegal tweed represent the wild hedgerows that are bursting with dark red wild fuchsia flowers when in bloom.
The floating mounting representative of our status as an island nation with the uneven tassels reaching out to unite us with our fellow Irish spread across the countries of the world.
Sale price – €125.00
Materials – merino wool overlaid with pale green silk strips. The red is wool strip cut-offs from Donegal tweed.
Berry
My inspiration for this piece came from the silk yarn threaded with tiny glass beads. The materials filled my mind with the wonder of colour – the colour red in all its different tints and shades. The beads in the grid pattern peep out like berries in tiny gardens with walls of silk and wool.
Sale price €175.00
Materials – red silk georgette felted with a grid of wool and silk, trapping silk yarn with glass beads.
This exhibition has been part funded by DCCoI, with thanks to them for their continued support in heritage arts and crafts.
If you are regular follower of our blog and Feltmakers Ireland you will know that we have spent the past year preparing together with Filtti- Finnish feltmakers association, for a joint exhibition running this summer 01.07-04.08.2019 called “Something Red”.
Many of our valued members submitted excellent pieces of work. All of a very high standard making the job of the two independent adjudicators very hard indeed. The entrants were evaluated both in digital photo submissions and then as actual pieces and a final selection was made. The Judges remarked that Feltmakers Ireland can be very proud of the standards of its members and congratulated everyone on their efforts in taking part and helping to promote the art and craft of feltmaking.
Over the next few weeks we will feature the work of the successful submissions, In blocks of 3.
I hope you enjoy this detailed look at the Irish works.
Today we look at the works of Anne Walsh, Vicky Blomfield and Marie Dunne.
This exhibition has been part funded by DCCoI, with thanks to them for their continued support in heritage arts and crafts.
Red Sky at Night
Red Sky at Night is a study in optimism and our search for signs and assurances that all will be well in our world. The world depicted is one of tranquility but expectant of adventure and exploration. It is the way I like to approach everything in my life.
Sale Price €325.00
Materials – Nuno felted with hand painted silk, embroidery and needle felting.
I Won’t be Cold
I Won’t be Cold is a study in colour and the feelings I associate with each colour. It seeks to embrace as much colour – and feelings – as possible that I may wrap all of those around myself and wear them with an ease that reflects my inner self. But critically each has to work together in just the right way to ensure harmony and integrity.
Not for sale
Materials – Nuno felted with hand dyed silk and silk handkerchiefs, finished with knitted sleeves.
The Red Rocks
On the Hill of Howth, north of Dublin, there are red rocks down by the sea.
Sale price €75.00
Materials – merino wool and tussah silk
The Red Button
This is about resisting temptation, with a nod to Father Dougal
Sale price €75.00
Materials – natural piku and merino wool, tussah silk, Wensleydale locks, cotton muslin, free motion machine embroidery.
Notes – can you please have a note that says “please DO touch” .
Masquerade
Having felted for over 10 years I decided to step out of my comfort zone and design and felt a blouse. I was not quite sure how it would turn out, or whether it would be successful or not. I called it Masquerade.
Sale price. €185.00
Materials – felted with merino wool and silk fibre. Silk chiffon sleeves and trim, with felted cuffs.
Fire
Fire. A contemporary Wrap or an Evening stole, based on the Galway shawl. Inspiration was a photograph of a young girl wearing a fiery red shawl wrap taken in 1913 in an area of Galway called the Claddagh. This is an area where women wore the Galway shawl. Materials: Merino wool, silk fabric, silk fibres. Technique:: Nuno Felted, Resist frill, hand dyed and Raised Applique. My Great Grandmother wore the Galway shawl. The shawls were hand woven and edged with a fringe. It was a very precious piece of clothing and was often handed down from mother to daughter. I chose the heart shape to represent this. The double frill represents the fringe.
Not for sale
If you are regular follower of our blog and Feltmakers Ireland you will know that we have spent the past year preparing together with Filtti- Finnish feltmakers association, for a joint exhibition running this summer 01.07-04.08.2019 called “Something Red”.
Many of our valued members submitted excellent pieces of work. All of a very high standard making the job of the two independent adjudicators very hard indeed. The entrants were evaluated both in digital photo submissions and then as actual pieces and a final selection was made. The Judges remarked that Feltmakers Ireland can be very proud of the standards of its members and congratulated everyone on their efforts in taking part and helping to promote the art and craft of feltmaking.
This exhibition has been part funded by DCCoI, with thanks to them for their continued support in heritage arts and crafts.
A selection was made and 26 individual pieces of art were selected.
The grand opening is today the 30th of June and the exhibition will run for the month of July. We hope to have lots of great feedback and endeavour to take part in more international exhibitions in the future.
We are very lucky to have secured an excellent exhibition space in Portumna Castle, Co. Galway and will be exhibiting as part of the Shoreline Arts festival which runs from 8th Sept- 22nd 2019.
http://www.shorelinesartsfestival.com/
We encourage all our members to take a trip west to see the pieces for themselves. We will also be looking for volunteers to assist in the invigilation of the exhibition for the fortnight.
With inspiration for each piece ranging from the political to the personal this is a wonderful collection of textile work.
We hope to bring many of the pieces back from Galway in the autumn, to Dublin, to be exhibited in the Phoenix Park studio from Oct-December. This will truly have been “Something Red” on tour, and thank you to all who have helped to organise and deliver the events.
Congratulations to those successful in “Something Red”, well done to all the Feltmakers for their efforts.
Hi Folks,
Just an update to let you know how our “Something red” exhibition judging and process is coming along.
As many of you know entries to the first round closed on 15th March. Thank you so much too many of our members, who submitted wonderful, varied pieces of art. You have made the tasks of the Judges very difficult indeed.
Photo judging took place at the end of last week we are in the process of contacting everyone who entered to let them know whether or not they have been successful at this stage and details if required for submission of the actual piece for the next round.
At this stage we just want to republish the rules for the project: in effort to be transparent and fair to all our members who have submitted a piece.
Entries are restricted to members of Felt makers Ireland.
Cost: Submission fee €20 per piece, €35 two or more. Payment on 2nd round.
Exhibition Terms
Emails are being sent out over the course of the next few days, please be patient. Once again thank you for all your efforts and inspiring work. We hope that some pieces will be further selected and displayed in a national exhibition in Portumna Arts festival later in the autumn.
Feltmakers Ireland 