Tag Archives: Carlow

France and FORM, a short update

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It’s been a very enjoyable, exciting and busy few weeks, so busy at times that I wondered how it was going to be possible to fit everything in all at once! I started this whirlwind of activity by taking my truck on the ferry to France, there I met great buddy Caroline Nixon and we spent a wonderful 10 days together scouring the brocantes for old pots and vintage linen as well as ‘play time’ at our gite messing around with plants and natural dyes!

Thanks Caroline for being such good company, I know our trip is going to become a regular occurrence!!!

While this was going on I was in constant communication with home, FORM was bringing out two new publications to coincide with the launch of our exhibition last Friday and there were loads of details to pin down and sign off on. Thanks to Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor and Karen Hennessy (CEO of the DCCoI) for speaking at the event and making everyone feel so appreciated, Emma Jane Champley and Martin Lyttle did a fantastic job organising the exhibition on behalf of the group and Kieran Comerford, John Mulcahy and John Shortfall were fabulous ensuring the new publications looked super and everything went smoothly at the library for the opening.

No Repro Fee: Pat Delaney, Head of Finance, Carlow County Council; John Murphy, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council; Senator Jennifer Murnane O’Connor; Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms. Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D.; Nicola Brown, Chair person of FORM; Pat Deering T.D. at the launch of the FORM Exhibition Launch. PIC: Joe Keogh
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My super soft yak scarf and preparing submission for an Arts Act Grant

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I seem to have picked up a bad cold over the last few days and it didn’t help that I had three individual meetings at the golf club today which were totally necessary to attend.  Following on from another excellent ‘Pick up your Needles’ at the Courthouse Art Centre in Tinahely yesterday (more details and photos to follow from my felting participants over the next day or two as soon as my cold abates) I decided to stay in my p-js this morning and not get dressed until just before my first meeting at 2pm this afternoon!  To wrap myself snugly I wore the yak and silk scarf that I felted with hand dyed fibres purchased from Urban Fauna Studio in San Fransisco and at the risk of boring everyone this fibre is an absolute dream to work with, beautifully soft, warm and flexible to wear.  If any of you have access to Blas and Jamie’s wonderful studio/shop do look out for this stunning yak fibre.  I know that it had only just arrived in stock for the first time when I visited last September but I guess that Blas should have it regularly now considering there must be a big demand for such a beautiful fibre.

Tomorrow I am going prepare my submission for an ‘Arts Act Grant’ from Carlow County Council.  Last year they awarded me E200 for professional development and this was extremely welcome funding which went towards my expenses for the international symposium Felt in Focus.  Finances are very tight here in Ireland and it is brilliant that the local authorities are still prepared to fund certain individual and group artistic indeavours to benefit our local community.

Another delivery inspires!

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My second delivery from Wollknoll arrived yesterday and I could hardly wait to get stuck in to the box.  Not having much free time to mess about I just ripped it open and decided to create a new piece immediately!!  The colours of a gorgeous merino dictated what I made, an organic looking pod/nest with a window of silk chiffon.  I am going to the Eigse Art Festival in Carlow tomorrow morning and when I return home intend spending the rest of the day felting.  Carmen will be over later in the afternoon to collect the wool that she had ordered (came with mine) and I hope to have made another pod and worked on a mixed media piece that I have been plotting and planning about. 

Hi Everybody!

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Hi Everybody, Please bear with me, this is my very first blog!
Inspired by nature and the surrounding rural landscape I create simple bowls, wallhangings and wearable items using a variety of felting techniques. Materials used include fibres from sheep, goats, rabbits, plants and found objects. Items may also include silk, muslin, jute or skrim and be decorated with manmade recycled and found items such as buttons.

On Sunday 20th April I returned from a fantastic residential weekend at Avondale House, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow with Feltmakers Ireland! This was a wonderful opportunity to interact and learn from experienced textile artists in a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere. Altogether nine members attended and created an amazing variety of finished pieces and samples using the most ancient and up to date techniques, wet and dry felting, embroidery, embellishing and working with water soluble fabrics.