FELTED presents an exhibition of fibre works by Art Felt Collaborative at the Lake Country Art Gallery from July 8th to August 22nd, 2015. Art Felt Collaborative is Amy Burkard, Diane Goossens, Judith Mueller, Alice Pallett, and Violet Racz.
Felt is a textile that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibres together. It is a very physical process that involves tools like washboards, hand sanders, screen mesh, bubble wrap, soap and water. Felt is made of natural fibres such as wool, alpaca, silk, bamboo, or synthetic fibres and can take all kinds of different shapes, sizes, thickness, density and colours.
It also has a long history; Feltmaking is still practiced by nomadic people in Central Asia and ties into the stories of Saint Clement and Saint Christopher who, while fleeing persecution, packed their sandals with wool to prevent blisters. At the end of their journey, the movement and sweat had turned the wool into felt socks.
The Art Felt Collaborative came together in April 2014 through their shared love of felting. Initiated two years earlier by a meeting between Violet Racz and Alice Pallet, after Racz, who had recently relocated from Maple Ridge, saw Pallett’s work at Artwalk. The collaborative has created a fellowship where regular meetings and feedback has increased the range, inspiration and risk taking in the work of each artist. Diane Goossens, for example, came to the group with more of a focus on wearable art, but has branched off to include more sculptural forms. Alice Pallett, Amy Burkard and Judith Mueller all come to felting from a fine art background – “I saw the potential of felting to smash many boundaries: 2D or 3D or anything in between”, comments Pallett – have all picked up all sorts of traditional felting methods and practices. And Judith Mueller’s enthusiasm for specific breeds of wool has rubbed off on everyone.
Gallery visitors will have a chance to hear about all the nuances and techniques the Art Felt Collaborative use at an Artist Talk on Wednesday, July 15th at 7pm. This event is free and open to the public. Gallery visitors are also invited to an Artist Demo Day on Saturday, August 8th from 11am - 3pm, when all five artists will be in the gallery demonstrating how they make their work.
FELTED opens on Wednesday, July 8th with an opening reception from 6 - 8pm. All are welcome. The artists will be in attendance.
Also opening on Wednesday, July 8th, the Lake Country Art Gallery’s new pop-up exhibition space which will feature the work of students from the gallery’s summer art camp “Photographing Lake Country”, led by Enderby artist Zev Tiefenbach.
All Dates & Events at a Glance:
FELTED - an exhibition by the Art Felt Collaborative, a group exhibition with work by local artists Amy Burkard, Diane Goossens, Judith Mueller, Alice Pallett, and Violet Racz which runs July 8th to August 22nd, 2015.
Artist Talk - Art Felt Collaborative, which includes local artists Amy Burkard, Diane Goossens, Judith Mueller, Alice Pallett, and Violet Racz, will speak at an artist talk on Wedneday, July 15th at 7pm. This event is free and open to the Public.
Artist Demo Day - Art Felt Collaborative, local artists Amy Burkard, Diane Goossens, Judith Mueller, Alice Pallett, and Violet Racz will be on hand for an Artist Demo Day at the Lake Country Art Gallery on Satruday, August 8th from 11am - 3pm to demonstrate how they make their felted artworks.