My Journey with Fiber Arts
Raised in Woolrich, Pennsylvania, I grew up in a community with a long history of textile and wool production. Early in my youth, I began to develop an appreciation for natural fibers and handcrafted textiles. I attended Lycoming College for four years and received my BFA in Studio Art with a certification in teaching, in the late 90s. After graduating, my husband and I moved our family to the mountains of rural Pennsylvania. During this time, I was able to teach a variety of ages and exhibit my art locally.
Our location in a rural farming community allowed us the opportunity to operate a small hobby farm. While we experimented with raising a variety of different livestock, we finally settled on sheep. During our time raising our small flock, I began to explore fibers as an artistic material. As the farm grew, so did my understanding of wool’s unique potential. From shearing the animals ourselves to hand-dyeing the wool, I learned firsthand the process required to transform raw fleece into one-of-a-kind, hand-felted art. I began to reach out to other fiber artists in order to learn more about the process of felting. As a result, I began to explore the possibilities of using my painting skills in conjunction with fiber arts.
Our location in a rural farming community allowed us the opportunity to operate a small hobby farm. While we experimented with raising a variety of different livestock, we finally settled on sheep. During our time raising our small flock, I began to explore fibers as an artistic material. As the farm grew, so did my understanding of wool’s unique potential. From shearing the animals ourselves to hand-dyeing the wool, I learned firsthand the process required to transform raw fleece into one-of-a-kind, hand-felted art. I began to reach out to other fiber artists in order to learn more about the process of felting. As a result, I began to explore the possibilities of using my painting skills in conjunction with fiber arts.