Ceramics inspiration - Kirsteen Holuji

In a previous post I mentioned Kirsteen Holuji and her inspiring ceramic pollen grains and bulrushes.  There follows my attempts to recreate them in felt.

First attempt - felt around a circle resist then wrap sections with cotton to create the knobbles....

Recreating pollen - pink under layer, turquoise top layer

Second Attempt - I went home and consulted the genius book, Filz Experiment by Annette Quentin Stoll, and used her technique to try again.  Much happier with the effect but I need to work out how to turn it into a sphere.

Lime green under, purples top layer - prefelt and sewn circles

Cotton pulled tight and wrapped to create knobbles

Felted pollen next to Kirsteen's ceramic pollens

Finally I had a go at making a bulrush to replace the ceramic ones..... needs to be fatter and possibly more textured, with silks and materials added to the surface.  I'm hopingto have 7 ready for Bucks Open Studios! Kirsteen has 7 ceramic bulrushes in her sculpture.....  

Felted bulrush next to Kirsteen's ceramic bulrush

Artists and Makers Fair, Waddesdon Plant Centre

Brilliant weekend at the Artist and Makers Fair! Bright airy space and so many really talented people. I know the whole point of showing at these fairs is to promote BeeBeeCrafts and hopefully sell bits and pieces, and not for me to buy, but it's so hard to resist temptation!!

The lovely lady, Janice Hume, on the stall next to me had so many lovely original paintings, sketches and prints, it seemed rude not to treat myself. A beautiful, simple original watercolour heart in moss greens and blues, really peaceful, calming colours. Lovely.  Her website is www.thiswouldlookniceonyourwall.com (genius name?!).

And I also fell in love with the work of ceramic artist, Kirsteen Holuji (www.kirsteenholuji.co.uk). She had huge sculptures of bulrushes to go in your garden and move gently with the breeze, voluptuous 'spotty bottom' vases, ceramic grasses, poppy seed heads and my favourite pollen sculpture.  Unfortunately the pollen I fell in love with sold but I'm hoping Kirsteen will make me one........

In the mean time I have used her lovely work as inspiration - more details to follow shortly.  I did spend lots of time over the weekend experimenting with making felt versions of the pollen and bulrushes.  You can judge how succesful I was when I post the pics!!

BeeBeeCrafts Stall, Artists and Makers Fair, Waddesdon Plant Centre

Close up, BeeBeeCrafts Stall