About Me

Hi, my name is Valerie

I’m a felt artist and teacher based in Hailsham, East Sussex in southern England.

I run felt making workshops in

  • nuno felting
  • felt painting
  • needle felted sculpture
  • felted accessories

My Inspiration comes from memories of living in Malaysia, Africa the Middle East and now Sussex. I try to always have a notebook with me and to take photographs whilst out and about gathering ideas for my paintings.

My Felting Journey

I came across felting by accident.  I wanted to learn a new hobby and felt was suggested.  I already knew the tutor Jayne and attended her ten-week introduction course.  When I was invited to participate in the Brighton and Hove Art trail it was suggested that as all the other artists worked with textiles, I exhibited my felt.  I was surprised at the success and have since focused on developing my craft and teaching further. I teach for the Workers Education Association based in Hove, presently online and I sell my products through a gift shop in Bexhill.   As life returns back to normality I hope to resume face to face teaching.

I love working with wool.  It is a wonderful versatile fluffy fibre.  Wool is the original fibre and has been in use since prehistoric times when man begin to clothe himself.  Wool is used for art and for survival.  It is dyed to add appeal and to create art.   Wet felt is a long-established heritage craft and needle felting is a fairly new craft, with the first needle felting machine being patented in 1859, and it was not till the 1990’s that it began to become a hobby. Needle felting is therapeutic. I enjoy both techniques.

My Teaching

Having formalised my teaching with a degree from Brighton University I’ve taught for City College, Brighton and Hove and Aspire Sussex as well as hosting private classes in my studio,

When teaching I believe that the students ‘enjoyment and achievements are central to a successful learning experience. I run felt making workshops including numo felting, painting, sculpturing and making accessories.

 

Wool Paintings

I love to create paintings using a variety of felting techniques.  I make the canvas laying down wisps of wool fibre, using the same technique create a background wash like a painter.  More wool is added to create the painting, I use the ancient process of wet felting for this gently felting the wool using agitation gently rubbing the fibres to help them felt together and then progress onto rolling the fabric I’ve made. Sometimes I include other materials including silk, bamboo, banana and other lovely fibres to create further interest.

Finally, I begin to rework the picture adding more detail, highlights and shadows using fine needle felting. This is a wonderful process that produces an exciting piece of textile artwork.

Past Exhibitions

2020

  • Pickhams Wilmington Extremely Late Summer Trifle Online Art Festival
  • Hailsham Festival online Art trail
  • The Black Barn Rushlake Green

2019

  • Sussex Christmas Craft and Design Fair Eastbourne
  • Callendars Restaurant Hailsham
  • Autumn exhibition The Society of Eastbourne Artists
  • Friends of Eastbourne Hospital
  • Hailsham Artists exhibition Gallery North Hailsham
  • Demelza’s Hospice Show Punnets Town
  • Beaters Court Studio, and 3 venues Hailsham Festival Art trail
  • Little Arts Festival Rushlake Green
  • Summer Trifle and Sussex Day Pickhams Wilmington
  • Sussex Prairie Garden show
  • Hove Park Martlets Carnival
  • Fibre Fest Enterprise Centre Eastbourne

2018

  • Sussex Christmas Craft and Design Fair Eastbourne
  • Autumn exhibition The Society of Eastbourne Artists
  • Show with Hailsham Artists, Hailsham Popup Shop
  • Little Arts on the Green
  • Beaters Court and Festival Information Centre Hailsham Festival Art Trail
  • Summer Trifle Pickhams Wilmington
  • Friends of Eastbourne Hospital
  • Heffle Cuckoo Fair art  exhibition, Heathfield
  • Hailsham Artists exhibition Gallery North Hailsham
  • Fibre Fest Enterprise Centre Eastbourne
  • Show with Hailsham Artists at Hailsham Popup Shop

2017

  • Weald of Craft Cooden Beach Hotel, Bexhill
  • Wald of Craft Laughton Show Ground
  • Show with Hailsham Artists, Hailsham Popup Shop
  • Little Arts on the Green
  • Beaters Court Studio, Hailsham Festival Art trail
  • Firle Place International Horse Show
  • Summer Trifle Pickhams Wilmington

Pre 2017

  • Battle Christmas Craft and Lifestyle Fair
  • Brighton Festival Open Houses  x three years
  • Hove Park Lions Club Carnival x five years
  • West Dean Village show
  • Friends Centre Brighton
  • Jubilee House Brighton
  • The Painting Pottery Café Brighton
  • St Bartholomew’s Church Brighton
  • St Andrews Church Hove
  • Aspire Sussex Burgess Hill
  • Kipling’s Garden Rotting East Sussex
  • Midhurst Memorial Hall