Join us for an exhibit of felted art and three days of fiber and felt-making activities.
The Madison Area Felters' Guild is hosting a week-long art show at Four Winds Farm in Fitchburg from Sept. 30th through October 8th. The Artful Felt at the Farm event will include a variety of activities for all ages, including wool & felting demonstrations, beginning felting classes, kids activities, and exploring the farm. A rich variety of felted art, some 50 pieces, created by 13 Wisconsin artists, will be on display in the farm's gallery space, open for viewing and purchasing throughout the week. Most events listed below are free; there is a fee for the beginning felting classes. Some events require registration and/or tickets. Please make sure to see specific information about the event you are attending.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
----Friday, September 30th, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. | Opening Reception----
Join us for light refreshments as we kick off Artful Felt at the Farm with our first gallery opening. Get a first look at the felted art on display and mingle with our artists. Registration is required. Cost is free. Space is limited. Beer and Wine will be available for purchase.
----Saturday October 1st, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Family Day at the Farm----
Family Day includes activities throughout the day for the whole family. There will be a "touch table" with wool and felted items for handling, wagon rides throughout the day to view our sheep pasture, and hands-on events throughout the afternoon. The Artists Gallery will be open for viewing the felted artwork and guests are welcome to explore Four Winds Farm throughout the day.
- Event cost is $10 cash per vehicle, which will be charged upon entrance at the Four Winds Farm Gate or $12 via credit card per vehicle (includes a $2 service fee).
- Light concessions will be available for sale.
Free events (drop in, no registration required):
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Hands On: Kids Blending Colors & Felted Beads with Renée Dauplaise
- Kids of any age can stop by to play with primary colors of wool roving and see how easy it is to blend the colors by hand to make any color in the rainbow. Dip the finished colors into a bowl of soapy water and roll it in your hand to make a felted bead to take home. Renée Dauplaise has been wet felting for over ten years, focusing on felted purses. She enjoys using several other arts such as sewing, weaving, beading and leather work to enhance her felted items. She and kids always have a great time magically making new colors from primary colors of wool. Her work is exhibited in the gallery.
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Wet Felting Demonstration presented by Susan Bond.
- Wet felting is the ancient technique of using wool to make fabric without knitting or weaving. In this demonstration you will observe the process of turning wool into felt, including the layout, rolling and fulling stages. You will see that as the fibers enmesh, the wool consolidates into a light, strong fabric. Color and design will be emphasized. Susan Robey-Bond was making items for a fundraiser from craft felt when she took a wet felting class and discovered the joy and freedom of working with wool fiber. The colors, textures and sculptural shapes that can be achieved continue to fascinate her. Her work is exhibited in the gallery.
12:00 p.m -12:45 p.m. Nuno Felting Demonstration (Felting with Fabric) by Katie Fritz-Jung.
- Nuno felting is the process of fusing wool to fabric, often silk, which allows for endless possibilities in color and texture. This demonstration will take you through the basic steps of making nuno felt. You will be able to see and feel a variety of samples made from this recent advancement in the art of felting. Katie Fritz-Jung’s passion is nuno felting because it allows her to create flowing, drape-able items, especially apparel. She teaches felting to kids and adults. Her work is exhibited in the gallery.
Wagon rides through the sheep pasture; offered various times throughout the day.
Classes (Registration and fee payment is required):
Felting 101: Felted Flowers Class, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. with instructor Peter McMasters
- Fee: $30 (includes tax & take home materials)
- In this beginning two-hour felting class, you will learn to use wool roving-- a particular preparation of wool-- to create a three-dimensional flower perfect for adorning a hat or coat. A variety of wool colors will be available to customize your flower. You will leave with basic felting knowledge so you can experiment further at home.
- Open to adults and teens, 14 and over.
- Space is limited to 14 participants.
- Pre-registration is required.
- Bring two hand towels and a small plastic bag to bring home damp items. The instructor will provide all other supplies.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: An accomplished felter, Peter McMasters developed his own designs for hats, vessels, bags and wall art works. Peter and his wife Ingrid opened Spry Whimsy Fiber Arts shop in Stoughton, Wis. more than ten years ago which sells felting, knitting and spinning supplies. Visit the Spry Whimsy YouTube channel for instructional videos on felting.
Please note: If you are registered for Felting 101: Felted Flowers you will be exempt from the $10 car charge upon entry. Please bring your class confirmation with you. Your name will be on the parking attendant’s list.
----Sunday, October 2nd, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. | Sunday Symposium----
Join us for Fiber at the Farm on Sunday for a morning/afternoon of free presentations all related to felting. The public is encouraged to attend all three events. The Artists Gallery will also be open for viewing the felted work and guests are welcome to explore Four Winds Farm throughout the day Registration is required. Cost is free. Space is limited.
Symposium Schedule:
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Welcome, Check In, and Lunch Drop Off
10:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. "Sheep to Felt" with Terry Tackett - A demonstration about wool processing and making felt
- Terry will describe her experience of raising sheep and shearing, skirting and scouring their fleece for use in felting projects. She will show how raw wool is processed for use in fiber applications such as felting and explain what makes wool suitable for felting as roving and batts. Gain an appreciation for the many steps required to produce the basic material for all of the artwork on display in the gallery, including Terry’s.
11:15 a.m. - Noon Exploring the Farm & Sack Lunch
- Pack your own lunch and enjoy it inside the restored 1930's barn or outside on the beautiful 83 acres of farmland. Refrigerator space and a microwave will be available. Light refreshments will be available for purchase.
Noon - 1:15 p.m. "Artist Panel Discussion: Creativity and Feltmaking" led by Jennifer Angelo
- Join in the conversation as a panel of talented fiber artists talk about their journey into feltmaking, their varied methods of felting, and their fascination with the process and creative energy of turning wool and fiber into artful items. All members of the panel have work on display in the gallery. Moderator Jennifer Angelo learned the art of felting while living in New Zealand, a major source of sheep and wool. She creates one-of-a-kind garments to keep people warm and looking fabulous. Katie Fritz-Jung’s passion is nuno felting, using fabric felted into wool to create flowing, drape-able items and allowing for endless textural, design and dimension possibilities. Jarka Sobiskova has been felting for over 30 years, working experimentally to develop new methods. She enjoys taking risks with new techniques, mixing media and creating a variety of textures and colors. Sandra Wysock is a self-taught landscape artist who uses fiber and wool to make two-dimensional art that resembles pastel and watercolor landscape painting.
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. "Guided Gallery Walk-Through" with Docent, Carol Cohen
- View the artwork on display in the gallery with one of the artists who will talk about the many felting techniques used to create them. This is an opportunity to ask questions and gain an appreciation of the art of feltmaking. A felter for more than ten years, Carol has dedicated her work to making vessels and other three-dimensional items. She also teaches felting and is an active felt evangelist around anyone who will listen. Her work is exhibited in the gallery.
2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Wrap Up and Conclusion
----Monday, October 3rd - Friday, October 7th (various hours below) | Artist Gallery Hours----
View the Madison Area Felters' Guild Artist Gallery located on the lower level of our Barn space. Admission is Free and Registration is NOT required. Staff will be available if you are interested in contacting an artist about purchasing their work.
Gallery Hours:
- Monday, Oct. 3rd: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, Oct. 4th: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Wed., Oct. 5th: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct.6th: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 7th: 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
----Saturday, October 8th, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Workshops & Final Viewing----
Join us for our final day of the Artful Felt at the farm event. This will be your final opportunity to view the Artist Gallery and purchase any art pieces.
Free events (drop in, no registration required):
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Hands On: Kids Blending Colors & Felted Beads with Renée Dauplaise
- Kids of any age can stop by to play with primary colors of wool roving and see how easy it is to blend the colors by hand to make any color in the rainbow. Dip the finished colors into a bowl of soapy water and roll it in your hand to make a felted bead to take home. Renée Dauplaise has been wet felting for over ten years, focusing on felted purses. She enjoys using several other arts such as sewing, weaving, beading and leather work to enhance her felted items. She and kids always have a great time magically making new colors from primary colors of wool. Her work is exhibited in the gallery.
10:15 a.m. - 11 a.m. Felted Landscapes Demonstration with Sandra Wysock
- Sandi will share the steps she follows for creating a felted landscape scene, including the initial design, selecting and laying out fibers, the tools she uses and options for adding finishing details. She will show how she wet felts this pile of wool, silk, yarns and other fiber into a landscape picture. A self-taught artist, Sandi Wysock combines traditional approaches to landscape painting with wet felting to create two dimensional landscape art that resembles a pastel or watercolor. Her work has been displayed at art fairs in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa and at galleries, museums and in several private collections. Her work is on display in the gallery.
CLASSES (Registration and fee payment is required):
Felting 101: Basic Needle Felting, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. with instructor Michelle Martin
- Fee: $30 (includes tax & take home materials)
- In this beginning two-hour felting class, you will learn to use wool and special felting needles to create a three-dimensional hedgehog (or similar small critter). A variety of wool colors will be available to customize your critter. You will leave with basic needle felting skills so you can experiment further at home.
- This class is appropriate for adults and children, age 14 and over.
- Space is limited to 14 participants.
- Pre-registration is required.
- The instructor will provide felting supplies and you will receive a felting needle as part of the class fee. You will have the option to purchase the felting pad used in the class at a cost of $3.00, payable to the instructor the day of the class.
- ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Michelle Martin loves simply playing with wool fiber and seeing what happens. She enjoys needle felting things that evoke whimsy and joy, such as fanciful creatures and imaginary scenes. Her work is exhibited in the gallery.
Felting 101: Wet Felted Coasters, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., with Renée Dauplaise
- Fee: $30 (includes tax & take home materials)
- In this beginning two-hour class, you will learn to use wool roving – a particular preparation of wool – to create a light but dense, water-resistant material that is perfect for coasters. A variety of wool colors will be available to customize your design. We will cut your finished piece of felt into 6-8 coasters. No special skills are needed and felting equipment will be provided. You will leave with basic felting knowledge and a handout of information so you can experiment further at home.
- This class is appropriate for adults and children, age 10 and over.
- Space is limited to 14 participants.
- Pre-registration is required.
- Bring two hand towels and a small plastic bag to bring home damp items; the instructor will provide other supplies.
- ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Renée Dauplaise has been felting for over 10 years, focusing on felted purses. She enjoys several other fiber arts and often combines them in her felted work. She loves learning new techniques and sharing her knowledge with other felters, especially beginners. Her work is exhibited in the gallery.
