Exhibition: Inspiration Behind More Artworks

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.

Exhibition: ‘Opposites Attract’ – the Inspiration

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.

Exhibition: Photos from ‘Opposites Attract’

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.

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

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.

Exhibition: ‘Opposites Attract’ Opens Today

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.

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.

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.

Exhibition: Three More Days Until ‘Opposites Attract’ Opens

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?

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 – Annual Feltmakers Ireland Show

Feltmakers Ireland is proud to announce that its group exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract,’ will open on May 4th at 3PM.

The show runs from the 4th until the 26th of May, 2024. Please note: the Centre is CLOSED on MONDAYS and TUESDAYS.

The show is in the historic Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre gallery. The Dublin Bus number 99 conveniently stops near the Visitors’ Centre.

There is information (and maps) on the Park’s website – https://www.phoenixpark.ie/directions/

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.

FYI: Exhibition Deadline Extended for ‘Opposites Attract’

NEWS ALERT: The application deadline for our annual exhibition at the Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre has been extended to Friday, April 26th, 2024.

NOTE: Please submit the details of your artwork—BEFORE the deadline because we will need TIME to prepare the information cards that accompany each piece in the gallery.

This information we need includes the following –

  • Title
  • Materials and Techniques Used
  • Size (can be an estimate)
  • Artist’s Biography
  • The piece’s inspiration and relation to the theme, ‘Opposites Attract’.

Please include ‘PENDING ARTWORK’ in the ‘Artist’s Biography’ section of the online form.

Submit all of this information via our online Exhibition Form – https://feltmakersireland.com/annual-guild-exhibition-submission/

Next, PLEASE email your ‘Photograph of the Artist’ to feltmakersie@gmail.com

{Having this information and your Artist’s Photograph will aid us in preparing the exhibition}.

A HUGE thank you to those who have already applied to the exhibition!



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: Application to Opposites Attract Exhibition is Open to Members

We realise this is a busy time of year, but we wanted to encourage our guild members to apply to our annual exhibition, ‘Opposites Attract’.

If you need inspiration on the theme, check out this blog post on mind mapping – https://feltmakersireland.com/2024/03/05/recap-mind-mapping-from-the-sunday-session/

Membership in Feltmakers Ireland is open to all levels and types of feltmakers.

The exhibition application deadline is Friday, the 19th of April, 2024.

Please visit this page on our website for submission guidelines and additional information – https://feltmakersireland.com/annual-guild-exhibition-submission/

If you have any questions, please let us know – feltmakersie@gmail.com

News: Guild Exhibition Application


Opposites Attract Application

Applications are now open to current members of the Feltmakers Ireland guild for our annual exhibition.

  • WHEN: This year, the exhibition is EARLIER in the year; it runs from the 4th of May until the 31st.
  • WHERE: We will display our work in the lovely Phoenix Park Visitors’ Centre gallery.
  • This year’s theme is ‘Opposites Attract’, which is open to your creative interpretation. 

Our March Sunday Session will focus on ‘How to Apply to Exhibitions’. As part of the session, We will have a mind-mapping exercise on this year’s exhibition theme with member Dee Crofts.

Non Juried

Recently, our previous exhibitions have been juried. This year, we are doing something different and having a non-juried show. However, space within the gallery is limited. TWO pieces of artwork can be submitted, but only ONE will be selected. Similarly, the artwork’s dimensions cannot be wider than 60 cm due to space limitations. There is no limit on height.

Two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional works will be accepted.

Deadline

All digital photo submissions must arrive on or before Friday, the 19th of April, 2024. Good, clear photos of the artwork are essential. Photos should be taken against a plain white background for inclusion in digital media.

More Info

To learn more details and to submit your application online, please visit our Exhibition Pagehttps://feltmakersireland.com/annual-guild-exhibition-submission/