Ooh, it's been a while since doing a blog post...but I'm here now, better late than never!
I thought I'd document some of the process on one my latest felted pictures. I don't consistently use the same methods - sometimes I take a long time in preparation and other times I just dive straight in to laying out fibres and seeing where it goes. One thing I've learned is that there's no 'right' way for me to do it...a lot of it is do with the amount of time I might have, the mood I'm in (pre-menopause is hitting hard right now!) and whether it's creating to sell or just creating for me. All I know is that creating of any sort is vital for me...call it therapy, 'me time' or whatever...and it doesn't always matter about the outcome, it's just the act of making something. My husband's equivalent is to go swimming...the head empties, you switch off and you feel better after. We all need something...it's just finding the thing for you.
Supermoon
Inspiration came from the recent supermoon, did you see it? It was big hanging in the sky and was the most wonderful apricot colour, and after looking at it in awe for a little while I had a spark of an idea. I had to hold onto that idea for a week or two before getting the chance to transfer it from my mind onto paper...so the starting point for this was observing the moon and then doing a sketch from my imagination.
I pre-felted and cut out the moon to get the shape even and after laying everything out and wet felting it, once it was dry I needle felted the owl and some of the foreground. Play the video below to get snatches of the process from sketch through to the finish which hopefully explains it better than I can with words!
Some close ups of the surface texture in the finished piece
What's next?
I'm thinking of making a felted vessel/vase...I've already made a little sketch of an idea and I’ve made a small piece of flat felt to trial some fibres. I’ve been thinking about ley lines…supposed straight line alignments between ancient sites, of which there are many in Cornwall. Ley lines were talked about on a programme I watched on the TV about Glastonbury festival, and how it’s location was along ley lines between ancient landmarks which created a special ‘energy’. I love that idea, and I’m sure there is truth in it.
I also have a number of photos from recent walks that have potential as starting points for felted landscape pictures…possibly linked to that idea of ley lines!
Starting points…
There are many different starting points for being creative…a photograph, an observation, a conversation. I guess the thing in common is ‘noticing’ - taking the time to make a mental note of things of interest and allowing them to settle somewhere until you’re ready to do something with them.
I have a notebook full of scribbled thoughts and ideas and a computer file jammed up with inspirational photographs, all just waiting patiently…there is no rush.
