‘Wild at Heart’ hops over to Australia

This piece was created for an International Feltmakers Association felt swap and has made its way to Australia.

For the swap, we were paired with a partner and given just one guideline: their preferred colour. My swap partner chose earthy tones, and that was it. No theme, no format, no idea what the other person might create. Just a willingness to embrace the creative generosity of the swap concept.

I work in two-dimensional fibre paintings, but I could just as easily have made a scarf, gloves, or a small sculptural piece. That’s the magic of wool and felting, and the possibilities are endless.

Here’s my response to the brief: a kangaroo in the Australian outback, looking very ‘earthy’ in colour, and created especially for my Australia-based swap partner. A joyful reminder of how connective and generous the global felting community is.

‘Wild at Heart’ by Sarah Ritchie 255mm x 200mm New Zealand wool fibre and cotton fibre Needle-felted

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