Deborah Pope had an early fiber habit. In her case it was "Blue Boo" and "Baby"--her blanket and her first doll. Fabric scraps from her mother's sewing projects kept her entertained for hours. She began expressing an interest in art at a young age. Being the oldest of six children, she would melt crayons near a heat register in the winter and paint masterpieces on the wall once they were suitably drippy. If she were lucky, they wouldn't be discovered until well into spring.
As an adult, Pope learned to knit, which opened the magical door to her felt-making destiny. Some of her felt sculptures have their beginnings in dreams, while others are rooted in the world around us. They engage the viewer's sense of wonder and enchantment as they make a connection and find their part in the story.
Pope starts each felt sculpture by building an armature, using vinyl-clad copper wire for the spine, arms and legs. Galvanized steel wire is used for the hand armature, and it is finished off with hot glue, foil, copper wire and floral tape. A basic anatomical form is built-up using quilt batting. Strips of batting are wrapped around the armature and "needled in." Felt needling is done using extremely sharp needles that are about 5 inches long, with tiny barbs. As Pope punches into the fiber, the barbs cause the fiber strands to mesh. She adds batting to define muscle structure and the general body contours. Next, she attaches a layer of wool to the batting using the same needling technique. She can add or remove wool to create the desired body type--female, elf, bird, dragon, etc. Skin color is added using merino wool. Pope must wet the felt by submerging it into hot soapy water and putting it in a plastic bag. She gently massages the figure through the bag until the felt has hardened. This process shrinks the layer of wool around the batting. Pope rinses the figure and puts it into a vinegar bath for 5 to 10 minutes. This brings the ph balance of the wool back and neutralizes any soap residue. The figure is then wrapped in a towel to dry, and put in the oven at 225 F degrees for an hour.
After drying, the figure's face will appear flat, so Pope must use needling techniques to sculpt and refine the character. Fine details are added, such as eyes and hair. Eyes are made of wisps of wool--white for the background and colored wool for the iris. Hair is made from wool locks that are combed out. The hair is needled in with a felting needle and then color and highlights are added using colored pencils and chalk. Pope makes each costume by hand, using silk, leather, feathers--you name it. A base is constructed if necessary, and then the sculpture is posed. The attitude of the sculpture is very important and is achieved by carefully positioning every part of the sculpture.
Pope's felt sculptures are a feast for the senses. Her characters exude a richness of color, form and texture that enchants the viewer. Her delightful faces and figures coax fantasy to reality, as she continues to create her unique view on life.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
