Stephanie Kelley
What can I tell you about myself that you may not have already learned from my work?
I love animals, that's an easy one, and yes, I cry when Mufasa dies (every time). But why The Furry Artist? Actually, there's a funny story there. When I first started needle felting/wool painting, I started with dog fur. I'd worked with wool and other fibers for years, but as I was brushing out the dogs for the upteenth time, I had this crazy thought that it would be the most luxurious fiber to work with. It turns out, indigenous people had that idea a long time ago and have spun dog fur into garments for centuries. Who knew?
FUN FACT: Dog fur is warmer than sheep wool.
MYTH: Dog fur smells like wet dog. Actually, it smells like dog shampoo. :)
So as I was browsing Pinterest (one can get lost in there, you know?) for ideas on how to work with this soft fur, I stumbled across some needle felted artwork. The rest is history, I suppose. I took some fur, needle felted my first dog portrait, and have been poking at fur and wool ever since.
While most people refer to this type of artwork as needle felting, those working primarily with 2D portraits and landscapes prefer to call it wool painting. It's less about stabbing at fibers to create a sculpture and more about manipulating the wool (or dog fur!) into a painting. Most of my finished paintings are actually quite delicate. They're less textile and more, literally, like a painting.
I think one of the things I enjoy most about this type of artwork is that the motions are cathartic; rhythmic. It might sound a bit odd, but I find it relaxing to start a wool painting...I pick up my needle and start poking away. Most of all though, I love expressing my thoughts and emotions in the artwork itself. After all, if you want a photographic representation of something, then print and hang a photograph. If you want someone's perspective of the world around them, by all means, ask an artist!
I hope you enjoy how I see animals.
Stephanie Kelley
The Furry Artist
I love animals, that's an easy one, and yes, I cry when Mufasa dies (every time). But why The Furry Artist? Actually, there's a funny story there. When I first started needle felting/wool painting, I started with dog fur. I'd worked with wool and other fibers for years, but as I was brushing out the dogs for the upteenth time, I had this crazy thought that it would be the most luxurious fiber to work with. It turns out, indigenous people had that idea a long time ago and have spun dog fur into garments for centuries. Who knew?
FUN FACT: Dog fur is warmer than sheep wool.
MYTH: Dog fur smells like wet dog. Actually, it smells like dog shampoo. :)
So as I was browsing Pinterest (one can get lost in there, you know?) for ideas on how to work with this soft fur, I stumbled across some needle felted artwork. The rest is history, I suppose. I took some fur, needle felted my first dog portrait, and have been poking at fur and wool ever since.
While most people refer to this type of artwork as needle felting, those working primarily with 2D portraits and landscapes prefer to call it wool painting. It's less about stabbing at fibers to create a sculpture and more about manipulating the wool (or dog fur!) into a painting. Most of my finished paintings are actually quite delicate. They're less textile and more, literally, like a painting.
I think one of the things I enjoy most about this type of artwork is that the motions are cathartic; rhythmic. It might sound a bit odd, but I find it relaxing to start a wool painting...I pick up my needle and start poking away. Most of all though, I love expressing my thoughts and emotions in the artwork itself. After all, if you want a photographic representation of something, then print and hang a photograph. If you want someone's perspective of the world around them, by all means, ask an artist!
I hope you enjoy how I see animals.
Stephanie Kelley
The Furry Artist