Karena Ryan

News: Four Felters at Showcase

Published on Feb 15, 2024Feb 14, 2024 by Feltmakers Ireland

Four felters exhibited their work at Showcase Ireland 2024. This may not seem like a lot, but in 2023, only two designers/artisans exhibited work using the medium of feltmaking. So, there was twice as much this year!

Each of the artists from Showcase 2024 has her own unique way of working with the medium of felted wool. Two create wearable art, while the other two create art for the home.

Here they are, in A-Z order.

Alexa Designs

County Wicklow resident Alexa Zolich of Alexa Design creates luxurious Nunofelted wraps. Originally from Poland, she studied Textiles at the National College of Art and Design. You can view some of her work in person at Marion Cuddy at Powerscourt Centre, Dublin.

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

Cushla Of Gullion

Dundalk-based Feltmakers Ireland member Caóilfíonn Murphy O’Hanlon of Cushla of Gullion creates landscape paintings inspired by the Irish countryside. Instead of using paint, she uses wool and other textiles. Farmer’s Journal recently did a Meet the Maker profile on Caóilfíonn - https://www.farmersjournal.ie/life/craft/meet-the-maker-caoilfionn-murphy-o-hanlon-803961

My nana taught me to knit and to crochet, but discovering the versatility of felting was a revelation to me as artistic expression. I found it soon became my therapeutic, go to textile medium instantly connecting me to the landscape at my door and allowing me to translate the textures, form and sense of place in my work drawing on past bonds and imbuing memories into each piece.
Caóilfíonn Murphy O’Hanlon

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

Jayne Gillan Designs

County Kerry resident Jayne Gillan of Jane Gillan Designs creates felted scarves inspired by the colours and textures of the Irish landscape.

To see more of Jayne’s work, visit her website – https://www.jaynegillan.com/

Karena Ryan Textile Art

Guild member Karena Ryan of Karena Ryan Textile Art is based in County Galway. She combines hand-felted wool with stitch and works with Irish linens, tweeds and vintage Foxford blankets. Her felted lamp made from Irish-raised Galway wool was shortlisted for an award in the Home Category of Showcase 2024.

There is a lovely article about Karena in the Agriland Journal – https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/lamp-made-from-galway-wool-to-feature-at-showcase-2024/

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

Editor’s Note: Apologies if we missed any other Showcase 2024 designers who create felted products.

Event: Two Members Showing at Showcase

Published on Jan 18, 2024Jan 17, 2024 by Feltmakers Ireland

Two of Feltmakers Ireland’s members have stands at the upcoming Showcase 2024 at the RDS. The show runs from Sunday, the 21st through Tuesday, the 23rd of January.

Karena Ryan will be at Stand C25, which is in the DCCI area. She has a lamp felted from Irish Galway wool, which has been selected to be displayed at the Edit Display and has been shortlisted for a Showcase award.

Caóilfíonn Murphy O’Hanlon – aka Cushla of Gullion, will be at Stand L63, which is in the LEO area. She is looking forward to meeting current and new stockists.

This year, there is a new nifty interactive map on the Showcase website – https://showcaseireland.com/newfront/floorplan

If you are attending the event, please give these two members our warmest regards and best wishes for very successful shows!

Exhibition: Three More Days Until ‘Bountiful’ Opens

Published on Sep 27, 2023Sep 27, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

In three days’ time – Saturday, the 30th – our juried exhibition, ‘Bountiful‘, will open at the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre in Dublin. Pippa Hackett (Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine) will be there to officially open.

We will have the unveiling of our wonderful 20th Anniversary Flower Tapestry on Saturday, too. Thank you to all the members who helped create the abundance of beautiful flowers.

Additionally, our book will officially launch – ‘Exploring Irish Wool for Feltmaking’. So, it’ll be a wonderful day of celebrating our guild and our talents.

In the meantime, here are two close-ups of pieces that will be in the show.

Photo 1 – Sandra Reynold’s work –

Detail of Sandra Reynold’s work – ‘Summer’s End’.

You can see more of Sandra’s work on her Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/sandysosew/

Photo 2 – Karena Ryan’s work –

Detail of Karena Ryan’s work – ‘Abundant Life’.

Karena has three other pieces in an upcoming exhibition in Brussels! These artworks will be shown at the ‘Dear PrEUdence: A Positive Headspace in the EU’ exhibition. It will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels from the 10th through the 13th of October.

Visit her Instagram to learn more – https://www.instagram.com/p/CxqnoaJs3uB/

Editor’s Note: Apologies for the blurriness of the snippet of Karena’s piece – this is on our end.

Event: The Galway Wool Co-op Exhibition

Published on Jul 20, 2023Jul 20, 2023 by Feltmakers Ireland

Several members of Feltmakers Ireland have pieces in the Galway Wool Co-op‘s one-day exhibition, ‘A Meeting of Hands’. The show is part of the group’s Meithal.

Poster for ‘A Meeting of Hands’ Exhibition.

Some of the members purchased their washed Galway wool fleece from Donegal Yarns.

Annika Berglund

One member, Annika Berglund, made a felted wall panel which has protruding felt details using natural Galway Sheep Breed wool. This work, ‘Connections’, includes some black Merino for shading. It is a felted piece mounted over a wooden frame for hanging.

To see more of Annika’s work, visit her gallery’s website – https://www.oliviercornetgallery.com/annika-berglund

Juliane Gorman

Another member, Juliane Gorman, made a felted top hat inspired by finishing James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ with her local library’s book group. In addition to Galway breed wool, her piece includes dark brown, Irish-raised Jacob wool.

To see Juliane’s work, visit her website – https://felthappiness.com

Member Karena Ryan has several pieces on show, including ‘Bhean an Tire’ (Women of the Land). This piece features dried lavender, marigold and silks that have been wet felted into Galway raw wool with free-motion embroidery and Irish linen.

See more of Karena’s work on her website – https://karenaryanartist.com/

Anne Van Dorpe

Member Anne Van Dorpe works with creating needlefelted animals. See more of her work on her Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/annevandorpe5416/

Apologies if we have missed any other members.

The other participants in the exhibition work in a variety of disciplines and include the following makers: Liadain Aiken, Shannon Byrnes, Malú Colorín, Katie Downes, Michelle Hickey, Ryan Daniel Koenig, Cathlin McKeon, Christine McNamara, Conor O’Brien, Niamh O’Connell, Adela Passas, Elina Plevako, and Olga Profutkina. Apologies if we have overlooked anyone.

Although ‘A Meeting of Hands’ exhibition is by invitation only, you can see a video of all 17 artists’ pieces on the Galway Wool Co-op’s Instagram page – https://www.instagram.com/p/Cu1BxijvikD/