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Sharon Wells 

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Welcome 

I am delighted to see you here. If you are a wool enthusiast, love experimenting with natural materials and enjoy the beautiful Irish countryside, then you are in the right place.

I have always loved the Irish scenery, since my family moved home to Kerry in 1979. From a farming background, we were encouraged to help with all the jobs that went on. From standing in gaps and waving at cows to stacking turf, and filling the hay shed, we did it all. One of my earliest memories of Kerry is my grandmother showing me how to milk a cow. I remember the details to this day, the cow with one leg tethered to stop her kicking, the wobbly little stool, the cheno unction cream for keeping the udders in good condition and the sound of the metal buckets. That day I was delighted with myself that I covered the bottom of the bucket with milk. I still can feel the heat of the cow when I put my head against her. I was 7yrs old. 
The landscape had such an effect on me that I wanted to know who the earliest people were and what they might have been doing. They saw the land we saw, but the sounds and their lives were different. I went to college to study Archaeology and still feel an excitement when I visit sites and monuments. Those people from thousands of years ago valued their land. They chose panoramic location for their tombs.
They made everything they needed.
We were brought up in a similar way. Things were repurposed, materials were saved and used. 
One of the most common materials I use in all my work is white wool rescued from the Tricot marine factory which closed in the 1980s in Caherciveen. The blue wool from there was knitted into our school jumpers. 
So it's not really surprising that being immersed in the landscape as a child and then as an Archaeologist I fell in love with felting. 
20 years ago I took a day class in the Fabric Gallery in Bray, Co. Wicklow, and that began a career of making and teaching. 
Those that work with wool know that as crafters we constantly take on multiple projects and are fascinated to learn new processes. So over the last 20 years I have made hats, scarves, bags, bowls and felted pictures and taught hundreds of students.  I have learnt to source Irish wool direct from sheep farms, wash, card and spin it. I make and sell art yarn for weaving and I use it myself to make circular loom knitted hats and cowls and peg looms. If you visit the About page you will read all the classes I teach and go to the gallery page to view a variety of handmade wool based products. I hope you enjoy my site. Please subscribe to hear of classes and contact me if you would like to purchase anything. 


 

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CONTACT

Please get in touch for more information about Sharon Wells Art, to discuss commissions or if you want to attend a workshop.

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