For this issue, I will be looking at the plant life side of felt. So many of us are now suddenly becoming green fingered, so I thought I would find some in cuddly cactus felt for you to enjoy!
Sarah Mandell
I give you the wonderful work of Sarah Mandell, aka Once Again Sam. Sarah is a multi-talented artist and needle felting is only one of her many talents. I discovered her work recently thanks to a feature on the blog Gorilla Glue and immediately fell in love with her miniature cactus gardens. The arrangements not only tiny and cute, they are exquisitely crafted. The variety and attention to detail in each piece is fantastic.
I love the real to life settings which they have been placed in – in other words pots! For those of us who are a little inexperienced when it comes to the real live thing – maybe these are a good option?! All they will need is a dust now and again!
You can find many more of Sarah’s creations on her website and her Etsy shop. And how cute is this felted worm?!
She is a devoted artist, she tells us via her website: ‘My small indie craft business called Once Again Sam used to be nothing more than a creative side hobby, but is now a thriving full time business where I make recycled leather jewellery and quirky fibre art for my online store and local shops & galleries. It’s fair to say I live to create. I would rather write a bittersweet story, design a new leather cuff, or needle felt a realistic-looking cactus out of wool fibre than eat or sleep.’
Her blog which is a part of her website reveals loads about the methods she uses to create her felt work, including some insight into textures, mixed media and the building of felt landscapes. She seems to keep it updated loads too – so it is worth checking back on.
From toadstools to pigs heads, Sarah has a hand needle felted version. She is also a talented artist when using other media – so do check out the links!
—–
Zoë Williams creates needle felt sculptures based on spirits, sacred creatures, and dreams. Her work is concerned with the intersection of the (inner) realm of the collective unconscious and the (outer) kingdom of nature. She lives and works in New York City.