New Series and Spring

I began a new series of work in January. My group the ArtFelt Collaborative are having a show at Lake Country Gallery in July and we all decided to get to work. Our collective theme chose natural colour fleeces and off we went. I love natural colour fleeces and I love collecting different breeds of sheep. These piece encompass at least 15 or more different sheep breeds all in their natural colour. I began collecting different breeds a few years back from a shepherdess named Val in Swift Current Saskatchewan. I finally pulled those samples out and began washing them.

They were amazingly beautiful and the colour variations were truly unique. Of course..ha ha..that wasn't enough and I ordered more. The Cotswold grey was the true inspiration for this series. The beauty of the individual locks were incredibly inspiring. 

I am intrigued by the idea that all these sheep breeds are classified, categorized, evaluated and stamped...slotted into compartments of use and need and desire and quality. Some are judged better than others. I am amazed that when I combined them totally disregarding their labels they join together to created a oneness that is totally unique.

That's what this piece is about.

Playing with Wool

 I was in my studio the other day and realized that I could spend everyday cleaning up my supplies...I have a ton...but its been awhile since I worked on anything and it was time to get to work. So I started to felt....and like I am...I didn't really have a plan. Through my degree I realized I liked to start on projects and decide along the way what they would become and deal with the editing as I went. So here I realized I wanted to practice some of the techniques I had learned in the webcam workshop I had done...so off I went.
I have looked at this piece in many different ways and realized it is open to interpretation. My idea was to create pieces that may work in an Annette Messager type installation. My goal was to go bigger than the purple piece..which I achieved but was alot of work. So the idea of filling a room, as she does, is daunting...but doable. Her works are usually suspended, but I still love the idea of felt and metal so I placed it on one of my metal stands. They would also look awesome attached to a metal piece which is free standing on the floor.
Any its a start and we will see where it will go.