Guest Contributor Post by Heather Smith Jones of Blue Sparrow Press.
Welcome to a new column at Poppytalk called Sharing the Process. In these articles you will hear straight from artists how they make their art. Artists are approached by me with tailor-made interviews prompting articulations about their specific processes. Sharing the Process intends to be informative about different art forms, show appreciation to artists, and celebrate the handmade. Enjoy!
The transformation from yarn to felted container is one which will always amaze me. I can produce only a small number of the bowls at a time, so the number of bowls available from my studio each year is limited.
About the author:
Welcome to a new column at Poppytalk called Sharing the Process. In these articles you will hear straight from artists how they make their art. Artists are approached by me with tailor-made interviews prompting articulations about their specific processes. Sharing the Process intends to be informative about different art forms, show appreciation to artists, and celebrate the handmade. Enjoy!
. . . . . . .
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| handmade felted wool bowls by hold handmade |
Hi, my
name is Maria Roth, and I am a designer and maker based in Vancouver,
Canada. My current work focuses on making beautiful, modern,
sustainable bowls in felted wool. I'm honoured to be able to share some
of the processes and design behind the work with Poppytalk readers.
 |
| driftwood and unfelted bowl bases |
 |
| waiting for the water taxi |
My
handmade practice is nomadic as I move throughout the year between a
creative, urban centre and a semi-remote island in Howe Sound. I have to
carry everything or pull it in a cart, as there is no car access to
the island, nor are there any stores. My work in wool travels with me
from beach, to rainforest, and back to the city of Vancouver and its
seawall, public markets and playgrounds.
 |
| crochet hook, driftwood and yarn ends |
 |
| from floppy bowl to beautiful felted container |
All of
the bowls take several days to complete from beginning to end. While it
is simple for anyone to make a felted bowl, it is challenging to make
one well. First each bowl is crocheted from yarn, a technique that
cannot be replicated by machine. The floppy bowl is then submerged in
soapy hot water and agitated, causing the wool fibres to shrink and
form a felted fabric. I do this stage by using a washing machine (shown
in the photo above) and the final felting by hand. I then carefully
block each bowl and allow it to fully dry before trimming.
The transformation from yarn to felted container is one which will always amaze me. I can produce only a small number of the bowls at a time, so the number of bowls available from my studio each year is limited.
 |
| bowls before and after felting |
 |
| big bowl, circle bowl in dark grey, 12" diameter |
I was
thrilled to be able to launch a collection of big felted wool bowls
this fall. The bowls are large and dramatic, and were inspired by the
monumental scale of the coastal pacific rainforests in which much of my
work is done. An important part of the big bowl design process has
been QA -- I was unable to track down anyone else making production
bowls of this size, so studying the durability of the big bowls in
actual use has been an important part of the design process. I'm glad to
be able to report that all of the bowls performed beautifully over a
year's use in both select retail and domestic settings.
 |
| big bowl, circle bowl in dark grey, 10" diameter |
My
interest in the handmade began many years ago as an observer rather
than as a maker. I studied and worked at the UBC Museum of
Anthropology, where I happily spent many rainy afternoons immersed in
its ethnographic collections. I have been fortunate to have worked with
many individuals -- visual artists, curators, anthropologists,
designers -- over the years who have grounded my current work in wool
not only in terms of theory and context, but also in the idea of the
importance of the well-made thing.
I
am grateful to have been invited to share some my own stories on a
blog I have followed and been inspired by for many years. Thank you Jan
and Heather for this opportunity. And I look forward to reading and
learning more from Heather's wonderful new column Sharing the Process!
You can see more of Maria's work on her website at www.holdhandmade.com and visit her table at Poppytalk Handmade.
. . . . . . .
About the author:
Heather Smith Jones M.F.A., is a multi-media artist, arts instructor, and
author. She lives with her husband and three cats in Lawrence, Kansas
and loves working in the studio he built. Find out more about what
Heather does here:
Website : http://www.heathersmithjones.com
Blue Sparrow Press : http://www.bluesparrowpress.com
Poppytalk Handmade : http://www.poppytalkhandmade.com/table84
Website : http://www.heathersmithjones.com
Blue Sparrow Press : http://www.bluesparrowpress.com
Poppytalk Handmade : http://www.poppytalkhandmade.com/table84
Comments
I'm looking forward to reading more in this series. Cheers!