‘For the Love of Fibre & Felt’ – New work inspired by countryside and coast by Ann Smith

Monday, Wednesday – Saturday 10:00 – 16:00 (closed Tuesday and
Sunday)

Ann Smith is a mixed media artist who works in oils, acrylics and textiles
from her studio in Langholm. After graduating from Heriot Watt University
in Galashiels she was employed in the textile/clothing industry and uses
her years of working with colour and textiles to inspire her own artwork.
Her wool felt ‘paintings’, which feature in this exhibition, depict her love of
the outdoors, with inspiration taken from the countryside, coastlines and a
range of flora. The results are always colourful and brimming with texture
and surface interest.
Ann uses a selection of wool fibres, including Merino and Blue Face
Leicester, as well as silks, to create visual interest and texture. Colours
and fibres are carded to make beautiful blends, which are used to form the
background of each piece.
All the artwork is made by hand using the wet-felting technique, with
needle felting adding the finer details. Hand and free motion embroidery
stitching complete the work and enhance the uniqueness of every piece.
Ann says of her work: The joy of felting is that you are never quite sure
how each piece is going to come out after the fulling process is complete.
This can result in some exciting blends, colour combinations and surface
interest within the piece. It all adds to the look of the finished ‘painting’. I
am very much looking forward to exhibiting my wool felt pieces at the Border Textile
Towerhouse, bringing beautiful wool fibres to life in a selection of wool felt ‘paintings’ inspired
by nature.