felt abstracts

Sometimes there are strange and serendipitous overlaps between my writing and crafting activities. The other day, for instance, I was drafting a short story about a young woman artist. In the process of writing the story, I needed to imagine what kind of artist she would be. I thought she'd be a textile artist and (naturally) that she would make her own felt. 

But what would she do with her pieces of handmade felt?

 She'd make small abstract compositions of course!

One thing led to another and I found myself out in the studio, which was pretty "cobwebby" after neglecting my crafting last semester due to a full-time teaching workload. I fished out my wet-felting and needle felting bits and pieces and spent a good chunk of the weekend soaping, rolling, rubbing, and stabbing various shades of wool roving, and then putting together some colourful stripey combinations.

 

Here's a four-piece felt abstract (inspired by Sean Scully's paintings) on the wall above the mantelpiece accompanied by a trio of striped German vases.

 

I've just ordered some more subdued shades of wool roving so that I can make some cooler combinations to go with these hotter colours. I feel as if I'm getting one step closer to actually making something stylish with felt rather than those hideous Wilma Flintstone style holey felt garments that you see in craft shops around the country!

Now, I need to get back to my story!