TOUCH IT! FEEL IT! WANT IT?
Contemporary wool felt pieces by Artist Designer Christine Williams MA

My life has always been and is full of Art and Creativity. As a London & Essex based Artist Designer I knew from an early age that I wanted to paint, draw and create, which I have done ever since.

My goal has always been to produce a three dimensional canvas. Early years of ‘realism' within the initial design fields still exist but my professional experiences has developed dramatically into a textile mixed media ‘Abstractism’ and Construction. By using pure wool felt, a traditional material as a modern medium on canvas, has allowed me to achieve and develop this goal in my series ‘REVERENCED’, 'HAECKEL' and ‘LIFE’ collections which are more graphic and illustrative in nature. Combining graphic and illustrative techniques with the wool felt produce highly textural 3D forms and imagery based of life drawing still life and microscopic.

The AMPHORA collection are felt cane vessels of hand felted wool and basket cane. The cane contorts into a pliable and random weave and the wool is felted into it or separately to fit the shape. The style transforms conventional basketry as it distorts traditional vessel shapes into an organic sculptural exterior and with a sensuous inner felt substructure producing a dual purpose of container and sculptural form.

Other parallel projects are FILZY nuno felt scarves which are beautiful, textural wearable pieces of art using wool felted into sheer, woven fabrics such as georgette or chiffon, which are soft, durable and luscious. FILZY felt jewellery are modern original quirky necklaces and bracelets handmade with felt, buttons and beads and FILZY hand felted bags are eye catching wool felted and nuno felted hardwearing and practical.

When an audience see my work, they are compelled to touch it and why not? The wool felt based canvases are amazingly tactile, and produce striking images. Commissions and interest have resulted from England to far afield as Canada and Japan. Comments of my work include: ‘Wow !’, ‘fantastic designs’, intricate detail ’, 'great for children’s rooms’, ‘an amazing eye for colour’, ‘unusual’ ’beautiful and delicate’ and ‘inviting’.

More recently in the BBC 2 craft show “Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution”, Paul Martin, Antiques and TV presenter described me as ‘pioneering a unique form of 3D felting’, and Mary - Jane Baxter, a professional milliner and journalist and show judge commented ‘unique’ ‘very inspiring’, ‘a masterpiece’.