Feltmakers Ireland

This was the second major exhibition of members’ work to be presented by Feltmakers Ireland since its establishment in 2003, as a response to the growing interest in feltmaking in Ireland. The exhibition included work by its founding member Elizabeth Bonnar, a Dublin 15 local artist.

The theme of the exhibition was Cornucopia and it brought together a wide spectrum of feltmaking techniques, traditional and innovative, from all corners of Ireland. The theme encompassed the huge range and versatility of different styles of feltmaking and offered the viewer a unique insight into the magic of felt.

This exhibition was opened by Scottish born Jenny Mackay, a textile artist, a secondary school art teacher and a lecturer in Feltmaking. She taught workshops in feltmaking in Scotland, England, Ireland and the US, and says of the artform,

‘The discovery of making felt has allowed me to indulge my passion for texture and colour. All kinds of materials can be brought together to create an infinite variety of textile artefacts. I love the process as well as the results I can achieve, as I never cease to be amazed by the beauty of the mingling of the fibres.’

Feltmakers Ireland has a permanent studio at Knockmarroon Gate in the Phoenix Park Dublin, and is a member of the Crafts Council of Ireland.