artist statement

I enjoy pushing the boundaries of felt's sculptural possibilities. I create fantastical birds and animals which are formed from raw wool. Many of them have whimsical additions such as flowers, revealed beads, and elaborate tails. the bodies are sculpted with felting needles, which compress and tangle the fibers so that the wool can be needled into forms. I create flowers, spikes and feathers from wool, and needle them onto the body. in some areas I use a resist to prevent two layers of felt from merging, allowing me to cut open the outer layer & expose the inner one. after needling the wool to create the sculpted form, I wet-felt the bird for several hours, which shrinks the wool & increases its density. wet-felting uses soap, water and friction to turn the wool into felt. after the wet-felting process, I often embellish the creature with embroidery and beads.

I have been felting since 2015. I began with needle-felting, but became more directed after taking a workshop with Andrea Graham, who creates exquisite 3D pod-like sculptures. the techniques I learned from her became a solid jumping-off point for my birds, which are both needle- and wet-felted. my felted animals are also needle- and wet-felted, and were inspired by the work of German felter Gabriele Mazaracis.

my partner Jamie Keithline and I spent our lives creating and performing puppet shows, as Crabgrass Puppet Theatre. we began our puppet company in 1982 in San Francisco, and have performed all over the country in schools, theaters and museums. I have learned many fiber techniques throughout the years while creating our puppets, but this is the first time I have focused solely on art and craft, separate from theater. it is still an unusual experience to make things that do not go on to perform!

with felting, I have fallen in love with a medium and techniques that allow me to sculpt, paint, create fabric, three-dimensional objects, make useful items. all with wool and a few tools! it is like alchemy, and is endlessly fascinating. my work draws from many inspirations, including the landscape surrounding me, Oaxacan animal carvings, West African patterns and textiles, plants, flowers and vines, and the work of contemporary felt artists.