Craftsmanship to bring life like
sculptures to life.
Welcome to Joans sustainable handmade wool sculptures.
Joan grew up on a dairy farm in Co. Wexford, Ireland and now lives on a sheep farm in Co.Carlow.
Joans love of needle felting began some years ago after being introduced to the craft by her niece, Anne. Anne had needle felted a miniature pig and when Joan saw it she was curious to know more about the process and so began her journey of research and learning. Luckily for Joan she had access to the raw material required, living on a sheep farm supplied her with ample amounts of this wonderful sustainable wool.
Joan discovered that she was able to create life like animals and has been doing so for a number of years now.
Firstly she makes an armature and wraps the wool around it which enables her to sculpt using a special barbed needle
Joan finds wool a great medium to work with as it has many intriguing characteristics.
It is – 100% natural, warm, cool, insulating, absorbent.
It is – Eco-friendly, recyclable, biodegradable, renewable.
Surprisingly Joan discovered that most intriguing of all, wool has a memory providing the ability to retain shape.
Joan is inspired by the beauty of everything she sees, especially from the animal kingdom.
Needle felting uses special needles to stab the wool, by interlocking wool fibres gradually shaping them into detailed forms.
Creating wool art is an intricate process combing the delicate technique of needle felting with the creativity of sculpture.
Each piece captures the essence of the subject with remarkable precision. This art form is not just about creating a visual likeness but also about infusing each sculpture with character and emotion, making each piece a unique and cherished work of art.
I was truly amazed by Joan’s incredible talent. I asked her to create something special using the wool shorn from my beloved Valais sheep, Jessica and Jigsaw. What she crafted was beyond my expectations — she made remarkably lifelike models of Jessica and Jigsaw, using their very own wool. These beautiful creations receive compliments daily in my home. Joan has extraordinary skill and talent and I was so happy with her dedication to making something so meaningful.
Thank you Joan,
Mary Dunne,Emo,Co Laois.
I bought a beautiful wool sculpted wild cat at Gifted. I loved it so much I bought another one the following year.
They now sit pride of place in my office. I intend to get another one.
Frances Fitzpatrick
