Artwork for Katherine Killick
‘Summer Magic’
‘Cornish Cream’
‘Drift’
‘Ginger Mix’
‘The Brook’
‘Daquari’
Details
My art and my craft is all about experiment, play and ongoing learning. I strongly believe that felting itself deserves a rethink. It is one of the oldest methods of making fabric yet it is often dismissed as being potentially too bulky, too coarse or to kitsch. On the contrary, felting is a very flexible process allowing me to create the finest and sheerest scarf, a highly detailed human sculpture or a luxurious, deep, naturally curly fleece; all determined by design and the fibres chosen, all then matched with the appropriate technique.
Felting processes also give me the opportunity to play with colour inspired from my natural garden and from the wild places where I have lived or visited. These ‘inspirations’ surface in my colourful nunofelted scarves and cowls, which combine fine merino, a pure silk base, an overlay of mulberry silk and other plant fibres.
I never went to art school and I work with textiles - both factors that can marginalise you in the art scene. Throughout my work I aim to confront those challenges. I grew up watching my mum, an expert seamstress, where I learned how to work with and appreciate fabric. Then throughout my entire professional career as an ecologist, and in-between the moments of raising children, I did art 'on the side' via online courses, visiting exhibitions and reading and breathing art. Now ‘in retirement’ (what’s that??), I am trying to redefine myself and live a “vie creative”, pursuing and exploring my obsession with textiles (and sheep) and fine tuning my felting art.
A textile artist, a Herefordshire shepherd of rarebreed longwool sheep, and a lover of wild places who loves to craft natural fibres into beautiful pieces to wear, to decorate a home or just enjoy! I strive to produce high quality pieces which reflect my continual experimentation and learning in felting and other textile arts. I absolutely adore the joy, the loveliness and, most importantly, the sustainability of wool and other natural fibres, and the endless possibilities of shape, form and texture.
I have my studio at our Herefordshire farm and sell my felted art at markets and online. I love introducing people to the joy of felting and organising felting workshops for groups at my studio and at Art in the Orchard during h.Art week.
Member of International Feltmakers Assoc. Continuously learning through workshops and online. Self-taught and making over 10/years.
Colwall Arts Festival, h.Art Week, Hellen’s Garden Festival
Sell direct through my business ‘Oak&Wren’. Find me on FB, Instagram @oakandwrenuk or www.oakandwren.com
