I want my fiber paintings to embody the ordinary, tender, invisible ways that the labor of caregiving can shape the world around us.

​

Felting is an ancient method of creating textiles. It blends wool into dense, matted fabric with hot water, soap, and agitation of the fibers. The first time I learned about it, my mentor shared an origin story that captivated me:

“Some say that in Europe, felting was discovered by medieval pilgrims. They stuffed their shoes with discarded wool while walking the Santiago de Compostela. The sweat and friction of walking then felted the wool and soothed their aching feet.” Nomadic communities throughout the world have used felt for bodily warmth, shelter and ornamentation.

This narrative still resonates deeply. I see art-making through a sacramental lens, as a form of prayer that transforms simple materials through touch. Wool felting has become central to my art practice, along with tapestry weaving and stitching. My background in figurative oil painting informs my approach to fibers, which could be described as “painting with wool.” 

I have three young children, and these early, intensive years of parenting inspire my domestic family scenes. I felt pieces by hand and in my washing machine, and repurpose discarded materials like burp cloths, dryer lint and crib sheets. In this way I seek to honor the states of exhaustion, vulnerability and yearning that can accompany motherhood. Through subjects like messy rooms, doodling children or wedding rings, my work hints at the intersection of ritual and play, monotony and delight in fundamental human relationships.

Studio Portraits

Courtesy of Robea Nordman