Using Craft Felt for Art

That was the theme for this weeks blogtalk radio show, Bits and Bobs with the Jafagirls.
This is the piece that started Nancy on a new journey with craft felt, along with integrating it into our yarnbombing. It’s a  very happy whimsical mixed media peice depicting a good friend Deb at the Women’s Park.This is the Mellow Yellow Pole sponsored by the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce for Destination Yellow Springs

Bit’s and Bobs

Glue we use for attaching felt to objects: gel medium

History of Felt and one legend  has it that St.Clement (the Patron Saint of Hatters) when being pursued by his enemies was able to stop, take off his sandals and wrap some sheep’s wool he found tangled by some bushes around his feet. After walking a long way to safety he discovered that the heat and perspiration from his feet had felted the wool.

Nancy’s Felt Hats

What is Doner Kebab? Why it’s a Gyro   BUT since the term Gyro is predominantly used in the USA no wonder my joke fell flat LOL! What do you get if you cross a kebab with an artist? A Donner-tello!

“it sucks”

Hessian :also known as burlap in the USA or jute cloth. I remember using hessian (finer weave) more for crafts in the UK as a child than felt.  It seems most online crafts stores in the UK have a wide range of colours and weaves, unlike the burlap available in fabric stores in USA.

How yummy this looks. From a book called Big Little Felt Universe.

Local Textile Arts

Karen Russell whips up a dress for Phantom of the Opera and Pam Geisel is the grand prize winner for an online quilt competition

 

I LOVE these Felt Hats

Jafapal Nancy Mellon made

all lovingly handstitched too.

Available at Village Artisans in Yellow Springs, Ohio

 

recycling street art for art reception

Some of the flowers used for the summer flower power project found their way into the Emporium for the flower power exhibit on Saturday. We added stems to some or velcro attachments to the others . Considering it was a snowy Saturday night we had a lovely crowd who kindly brought food for the local food pantry (it added up to 4 grocery bags). Much thanks to everyone for the delish reception food and the donated food.

Dayton Street gets more art

Nancy and I continue to find ways to use the felt flowers that the flower power gang made. The one above is a flower made by Chelle Palassis which we attached to a black felt panel and put on the telegraph pole at the corner of Walnut and Dayton Streets. Not sure who made the flower below but I glued it onto a yarn wrapped ball Nancy and I did  and love the effect.

Jafagirl Updates

Nancy is busy with her business Getaways for Women is now writing wonderful blog entries about life Yellow Springs.

Me, Jafabrit aka Corrine,  is still working on embroidery pieces for my exhibit at IN A FRAME in October, finishing up a painting, adding new entries to the Yellow Springs Arts & Culture Blog,  and plotting a new large permanent public art piece.

Mr.Plato Sighting

Yes, Mr.Plato is out of hiding and was seen having a cuppa brew in Town.

BOOK PROJECT: Jafabrit and Nancy and exhausted after a day of being photographed for a new book coming out by Gale Zucker and Joan Tapper, wheeeeeeeeeeee! See all about it on Jafabrit’s Blog.

LOVE THIS FLOWER

 

Newest Textile Graffiti: Mellow Yellow

The Jafagirls are happy to announce the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce as sponsors of our newest textile totem pole called “mellow yellow” on Corry Street.   “The Chamber recognizes the importance of the arts in the community and see the jafagirls as incredible ambassadors for the community”.  

Thank You.

Nancy and I are cowards about climbing ladders, so when we needed to add the last two sections to our 7ft textile totem Elliot (Hetzer) , a musician from Springfield who hangs out at Superfly Comics,  couldn’t resist Nancy’s plea for help.What a good sport, and we REALLY appreciated it.   As we were working on it some dude came by and said, “look a dead bird in Yellow Springs” and threw handfuls of these beautiful feathers around our pole and feet.

So you think we are going to leave these on the ground and let them blow away, noooooooooo!

 I stapled them to the bottom of the knitting.

One of the things we love about doing street art is the contact with the public, from having feathers thrown at our feet, to honks and waves from cars, , shouts of woo hoo, and smiles. People come by and share which textile graffiti they like the best, and it seems everyone has their favourite.

If you are planning to make  Yellow Springs a destination for a weekend trip, then check out the Chamber of Commerce link. There are oodles of things to do here, and this month it’s Street Fair !

“Street Fair in Yellow Springs is much more than an arts and food fair; it’s an all-day festival with entertainment throughout the day. Local favorites, the Egyptian Breeze Belly Dancers and a variety of musicians will perform all day at the Jackson Lytle Williams Stage.  You’ll also enjoy street performances by entertainers of all types as you stroll the streets during the festival.”

 Textile Pole Notes: felt, crochet, knitting, canvas and paint, embroidery

Crochet Graffiti

Flower Power Continues ♥

Johanna donated some spare bits of crochet and Nancy and I decided to incorporate these beautiful crochet medallions into a craft/yarnboming piece on the corner of Datyon and Walnut in Yellow Springs, Ohio.  The top portion has the crochet and the black band has flowers by the flower power gang.

 Johanna

Felt Crafts

I think I’m going to declare Nancy Felt Queen of Yellow Springs. This is a panel Nancy is preparing for a pole we’re doing for Corry Street.

More of Nancy’s handiwork.

Textile Graffiti Butterfly

photo by Jafabrit+ artwork by Nancy Mellon

Nancy and I are working on a new textile/knit graffiti totem pole for Corry Street in Yellow Springs and this little beauty Nancy designed and made will go at the top.

Meanwhile

Flower Power Sew In’s continue at Brother Bear’s Cafe  on Friday mornings and slowly the flowers continue to bloom on Dayton and Corry Street.

Much thanks goes to Brother Bears Cafe, and of course everyone who is coming along and donating supplies and making such BEAUTIFUL flowers, leaves and vines.

THANK YOU

 

 

Textile Graffiti :Karma Chameleon

Moira Laughlin’s chameleon and Maya Dora-Laskey’s flowers added just the right touch to the flower power pole on the corner of Corry Street and Xenia Avenue.