www.martienvanzuilen.com
I am a maker of felt. Since the mid 1980s, I have been captivated by the time-honoured process of transforming sheep’s wool into fabric.
In 1985, with a social work degree in my back pocket, I took off from my native Holland, wandered around mainland Europe, discovered felt-making in Ireland and landed in Australia. The ‘land down under’, a continent populated by more sheep than people, has been my home ever since, providing me with a ready supply of the finest fleece and so much more.
Over the past 23 years, I have taught Felt-making workshops at all levels of experience throughout Australia, as well as Russia, the UK, Holland, and the US. I have exhibited my felt artwork nationally and internationally, and give presentations on Felt and Fibre Arts. In 2011, I undertook a 10-week teaching trip to the US and will return to the US in 2012 for 3 months (April-July).
In 1995, I founded the The Victorian Feltmakers Inc., a membership based network and I am currently a Director on the Board of The Australian Forum for Textile Arts Ltd. (TAFTA), the national not-for-profit organization for textile and fibre arts. In 1998 I initiated the Australian National Yurt Project (see the Yurt Project link), a community arts initiative that came to fruition following my 4-month Felt research tour to Europe, Russia and Mongolia in 1997. My study of ethnographic felts, and time amongst nomadic people and their felt-covered yurts in Mongolia proved pivotal to subsequent directions in my art work and other professional interests .
In educational terms (besides that long-ago Dutch social work degree!) I hold an Associate Diploma in Art Textiles and a first class Honours degree in Anthropology. My current PhD research in Anthropology at the University of Western Australia explores the significance of time and materiality in women's fibre art practice in contemporary Australia. My work has appeared in a number of publications, including Yurts, Tipis and Benders, Textile Fibre Forum, Felt/Filt, and Fiber Art Now. Alongside my ever-evolving creative work, sharing the magic of felt through teaching is something that continues to give me great enjoyment.
Throughout the years, my sense of excitement when making felt is undiminished. It is an ‘open’ process; there is nothing between me and the fibres, we connect ‘face-to-face’ and in a ‘hands-on’ fashion in the creation of meaningful objects. What matters is the intentional engagement with making, and the interplay of materials, experience, design, and ideas. Making felt engages my whole being; it truly suits my fold.
In 1985, with a social work degree in my back pocket, I took off from my native Holland, wandered around mainland Europe, discovered felt-making in Ireland and landed in Australia. The ‘land down under’, a continent populated by more sheep than people, has been my home ever since, providing me with a ready supply of the finest fleece and so much more.
Over the past 23 years, I have taught Felt-making workshops at all levels of experience throughout Australia, as well as Russia, the UK, Holland, and the US. I have exhibited my felt artwork nationally and internationally, and give presentations on Felt and Fibre Arts. In 2011, I undertook a 10-week teaching trip to the US and will return to the US in 2012 for 3 months (April-July).
In 1995, I founded the The Victorian Feltmakers Inc., a membership based network and I am currently a Director on the Board of The Australian Forum for Textile Arts Ltd. (TAFTA), the national not-for-profit organization for textile and fibre arts. In 1998 I initiated the Australian National Yurt Project (see the Yurt Project link), a community arts initiative that came to fruition following my 4-month Felt research tour to Europe, Russia and Mongolia in 1997. My study of ethnographic felts, and time amongst nomadic people and their felt-covered yurts in Mongolia proved pivotal to subsequent directions in my art work and other professional interests .
In educational terms (besides that long-ago Dutch social work degree!) I hold an Associate Diploma in Art Textiles and a first class Honours degree in Anthropology. My current PhD research in Anthropology at the University of Western Australia explores the significance of time and materiality in women's fibre art practice in contemporary Australia. My work has appeared in a number of publications, including Yurts, Tipis and Benders, Textile Fibre Forum, Felt/Filt, and Fiber Art Now. Alongside my ever-evolving creative work, sharing the magic of felt through teaching is something that continues to give me great enjoyment.
Throughout the years, my sense of excitement when making felt is undiminished. It is an ‘open’ process; there is nothing between me and the fibres, we connect ‘face-to-face’ and in a ‘hands-on’ fashion in the creation of meaningful objects. What matters is the intentional engagement with making, and the interplay of materials, experience, design, and ideas. Making felt engages my whole being; it truly suits my fold.
Contemporary Felt Work and Hand-dyed Fibres
Site and Images copyright 2010-2012 - Martien van Zuilen
Site and Images copyright 2010-2012 - Martien van Zuilen
