Needle felting is painting with wool. It relies on many of the same techniques used in watercolor and pastel painting but brings a third dimension — texture — to an image. Just as with pastels, I layer color over color so that when I needle-in the wool the color underneath affects the color on top. The feel of the wool is one of the pleasures of crafting my “paintings”; it’s as if the spirit of the sheep in the fiber helps bring the painting alive.

I have been an artist all my life and have dabbled in many mediums. I first discovered needle felting at a class at Fletcher Farm School in Ludlow VT ten years ago. Since then, I have been “painting” with wool, inspired by the flowers, animals, trees I see around me. My fantasy portraits are influenced by the unseen fairies, sprites and other friends who live in the gardens and forests of Vermont.