EDUCATION
Running workshops for the local community in schools, edufarms, festivals, social enterprises as well as privately for artists, visitors, families as well as therapeutic workshops. The aim is to educate each other to a craft allowing to produce objects with local wet-felted wool. Workshops are accompanied by verbal information and facts about the history of the wool, the properties of the wool, the access to and potentials of the material.
The time-consuming craft makes space for listening to each other but also to oneself. Doing it together enhances the satisfaction of making. If satisfaction can act as resistance, wet-felting is a simple skill towards autonomy.
Beyond the technique exchanged, the group dynamic opens dialogues on the relationship with the creative process as such: the patience required, the dexterity, the assurance , its calming, yes, meditative, properties, the question of time. Questions of esthetics, practicalities, the intention of the design or the lack of intention as design, etc. occupy the collective subconscious.
The touch of the material, the soft, gentle, cloud-like, dreamy natural material has an impact on participants. Some may say:
-"it relaxes me in an incredible tender way" or
-"It's like I've done this all my life!" but also
-"Puah, I detest hair, everything itches me!".
The touch touches.
Sharing Practice
Cycle of the wool workshop ( 10hrs)
complete introduction to the transformation of the wool from the sheep's back to the finished object via selecting, scouring (washing by soaking, desinfecting, rincing and drying) opening, carding, placing, pre-feltiing and felting (flat, 3D or wraped).
This workshop spreads over three days.
Wet-Felting workshop ( 3hrs)
introduction to the Stone Age wet-felting technique. Local wool is partially plucked and opened and carded towards the object created. This may be flat, three-dimentional or wrapped around an item. For example we may wrap a soap for a scrub-soapy-sponge.
Combinations
Each setting and request differs, everything can be adressed accordingly in a creative improvised spirit. Just ask.
Residency + workshops
Cycle of the Wool workshop
Trained as a teacher, over fifteen years of experience on stage as a front-woman in a band, I combine didactic and improvisation in these performance-like events.
Wet-felting workshop Photo Marco Pinarelli
Therapy workshops
Working with the wool is proven to heal. It creates synapses activated by the sense of touch recalling the symbol of comfort and care engraved in our genomes.