Karen Stewart Textiles
Wet felting
Contact
Melton Mowbray
Leicestershire
United Kingdom
LE14 4QW
About
I have been designing and creating with textiles for as long as I can remember, but in 2015 I discovered the ancient art of wet felting and was instantly captivated by the tactile nature of the medium and incredible versatility of it. Since then, I have worked predominantly in wool but also incorporate multiple textiles including silk fibres and fabrics, plant fibres and wool locks and yarns to create richly detailed textures inspired by nature. Colour and texture are integral to my work.
The primary focus for all of my work is texture. Nature offers an endless array of textures to study, from the gnarled, knotted, twisted bark of an ancient oak, to the delicate lace of foam left by receding waves. These are the elements that truly captivate me and provide the starting point for all of my work. I aim to capture this texture by incorporating a wide variety of natural materials into the wool. I also utilise a range of wet felting techniques to create relief elements such as hollows and craters, lumps and bumps, slashes and slits. I hope to inspire others to notice and appreciate the beauty of these textures in nature.
Wet felting is one of the oldest methods of creating fabric known to man. It is different to the modern needle felting which uses barbed needles to felt the wool fibres. Wet felting uses water, soap and friction (rubbing and rolling) and, depending on the techniques and materials used, there are seemingly endless possibilities for coaxing and manipulating the wool into different shapes and textures. No two pieces are ever the same though as, due to the inherent nature of the wool and the felting process used, the outcome is never entirely within your control. This can be both frustrating and exciting!
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