Using wool felt as a base, learn needle felting basics and textural techniques to manipulate wool to create bark for trees, rocks that look surprisingly real and more. By the end, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind wool “painting.” The workshop led by Kristen Walsh  includes blending of colors and a discussion of art techniques for perspective and design. 

Walsh has been involved in creative things her entire life and fiber as her primary medium for the last 20 years. Though not formally trained, she has been earning attention for her felting, winning prizes in shows in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Virginia. She has also had work selected for publication in Fiber Arts magazine and Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine.

Walsh also enjoys teaching and finds great satisfaction in helping people who might not think they are creative find the creative spark that she believes lives in all of us. She has taught out of her home, at art centers and galleries, schools, senior centers, fiber festivals, shops and teaches in-depth workshops at various locations such as Monhegan Island.

She was also selected to teach at the prestigious New York Sheep and Wool and the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival — the two largest fiber festivals in the country.

Walsh sees no end to the possibilities with felting and wants to continue exploring felting through continued teaching as well as creating her own felted works of art. Her work can be seen at WalshFineFelt.com.

The workshops, held at Ocean Point Inn, 191 Shore Rd, East Boothbay are:

Wet Felted Blooms: Sunday, July 10 | 1 - 4 p.m. - Create beautiful, felted blooms using wool, a ball, warm water, and soap! If you can roll a meatball, you can make a beautiful bloom! All materials provided. Participants should be able to make 2-3 blooms to dress up summer hats, handbags, and clothing.

Needle Felted Landscapes: Sunday, Aug. 21 | 1 - 4 p.m. -  Learn to create a lovely Maine landscape using wool and a special needle. Kristen will expertly guide you through the steps to "paint with wool" twisting, rolling and manipulating wool to make rocks, trees, and more. Sign  up at https://scrapfelt.com/product-category/class-registration.