My newest work is a red-tailed hawk, commissioned by my aunt Grace. This was my most demanding work yet, taking me a total of about 45 hours to complete. The most challenging part for me on all my animals is the face, but this time in particular I struggled for many hours to get the expression just right (fierce but not angry).
I was also pretty ambitious with the feathers because I couldn't bear to leave out the beautiful shapes and patterns found on the wings of real red-tailed hawks.
The legs and feet were also a challenge because I decided to experiment with making them out of nothing but wool and it seems to have worked out.
Hello--I found your website and blog via a post shared by my local yarn shop, Kaleidoscope Yarns, on Facebook and in their blog(http://kyarns.blogspot.com/). I am overwhelmed by your art, and your story! and I will be sharing this with my friends as well. I've not tried needle felting--my craft passions are knitting and making temari balls (embroidered thread balls)--but there's something in your work that resonates deeply with me. On another subject--before you leave to farm in Illinois, I hope you will check out Real Pickles (http://www.realpickles.com/), based not too far from you in Greenfield; it's run by Dan Rosenberg and his partner Addie Rose Holland (my niece) and is a major outlet for organic produce in the Pioneer Valley as well as a staunch advocate for local food and farming. I wish you and your wife the very best of luck and will be following both of your blogs.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks so much for your comment. I'm totally flattered! I definitely encourage you to try needle felting for yourself. It's the simplest thing in the world to do but the possibilities are endless.
ReplyDeleteMy wife Emma and I actually have already returned to Illinois and are moving in to our new farm this afternoon! But while we were at the farm school we got a tour of the facility in Greenfield where Real Pickles started doing their canning and we love their pickles too. Small world :)