Felt Matters

As Season 4 of the podcast Felt Matters draws to a close, Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten discuss some of the highlights of Vivienne’s life as a feltmaker. They chat about her initial encounter with felting, the role of family and mentors, and the support and inspiration from the International Feltmakers Association. She stresses, too, the importance of teaching through experimentation. This has been particularly crucial in the development of her upcoming book Nuno Feltmaking | design, techniques and projects for the creative maker which she discusses here with her daughter, Raphaela.

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten discuss the art of Nuno Felting. Vivienne shares insights into how she crafts her signature felt dresses. Early on in her felting career, she utilised inherited scarves and sewing patterns. However, she soon developed her own way of creating seamless dresses with hand-dyed silk and fibre, techniques she describes in her upcoming book. In contrast, Heather describes how she uses ready-printed silks to create texture and pattern on a 3D vessel for an exhibition called Holding Conversations.

As Felt Matters launches its fourth and final season in its current form, Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten talk about friendship, art, and facing life's challenges. Vivienne, whose treatments for cancer have failed, has decided to spend her remaining time completing her book and creating this last set of podcast episodes. Together they touch on the balancing act of discussing death openly while still chatting about their great love of felt. They explore the possibility of the podcast evolving, ensuring that the discussions and community spirit continue beyond Vivienne's involvement.

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Vivienne Morpeth and Heather Potten explore Heather's deep-rooted connection to Orkney. Heather shares her fascination with her Orcadian heritage and jewellery from her childhood, specifically pieces by the innovative designer Ola Gorie. As they discuss their shared love of Celtic and Norse art, the conversation evolves into a felting project primarily inspired by these cultural symbols. The episode unfolds with tales of Heather's formative years in Orkney, weaving in elements of mythology, family, and creativity, resulting in unique felted pieces representing these rich influences.

In this episode of Felt Matters, hosts Heather Potten and Vivienne Morpeth explore a unique felting project led by Jeanne Osnas in Anchorage, Alaska. Inspired by Episode 1 of the podcast, Jeanne worked as an artist-in-residence, introducing elementary students, aged five to eleven, to the art of felting. Over two weeks, students created colourful flat felt pieces, later transforming them into mosaic art. The project nurtured a collaborative environment, with older students like Jeanne's daughter, Rosemary, helping younger peers. This episode highlights how felting can engage young minds in creative expression and foster a sense of community through art.