I have been making felt for over twenty five  years and continue to be fascinated by the integrity and qualities of working dynamically with sheeps fleece to create 2D and 3D felted fleece.

I first learnt how to make felt whilst Exhibitions Officer, curating exhibitions and initiating workshops; I was amazed at the possibilities of making fabric from such a luscious, richly textured and  tactile primary source. After much practice at the kitchen table, I went onto to  learnt to make felt from master  feltmaker Shiela Smith in the North of  England , Nuno felting with Polly Stirling in her studio in the Bush in Nimbin, NSW, Australia, and international felters in  Hungary and Turkey.  Supported by travel awards from the Arts Council and British Council and  I developed my own ongoing studio practice as a member of the International Feltmakers Association (IFA). I have held Open Studios  annually, for over  twelve years as part of  Insight Open Studios,North Lincolnshire. Exhibited in Hungary, Norway, Russia, Germany , Italy and extensively in galleries in the UK , including Fantastic Wearables and Crowning Glory  with IFA now  I teach a wide range of felting techniques and master classes in the UK and abroad.

My felt  is a range of wearables, art hangings, accessories, puppets and garden birds. I am based around the River Humber in North Lincolnshire and many years of observation of this great tidal expanse  and vast flat rural stretches below an uninterrupted sky has influenced the tones and colours in my felts.  I mostly use the traditional handrolling felting techniques to try to capture the movement , intense tones and imagination of this power river  and earthy landscape with delicate wisps of soft sheep’s wool , incorporating my  hand dyed silks, nuno and resist techniques.

More recently I have explored and created a collection of Garden Birds, capture their exquisite expressions  and colours using needle felting and hand blending of mostly English wools.

Currently I am creating nuno shift dresses , jackets and bags for everyday wear and sharing and teaching this method.

Vivienne Morpeth, 2018

vivimorps@gmail.com