Bonny Hall
Vermont

Needle-felted & Wet-felted Wool, Glass Beads, Florist Wire & Embroidery Thread 
Non-functional
16"w x 8.75"d x 12.75"h

About the Teapot
Much of my work is birds, so I felt I was best represented by a bird teapot. My construction process always begins with a solid form, so creating a hollow one was an early challenge. I used a ball of acrylic yarn as the foundation of the bird's body and created the rest of the bird around that. That ball acted as a resist and maintained the hollow in the teapot. Partway through the wet-felting process, I cut an opening and pulled the ball of yarn out. The acrylic yarn does not felt, and it is easily separated from the wool fibers. And once the lid is off the teapot, what would be inside? And how would the parent bird feel about it? It was a fun piece to make!

About Bonny
I enjoy pushing the boundaries of felt's sculptural possibilities. I create fantastical birds and animals, many with whimsical additions such as flowers, revealed beads, headdresses, and elaborate tails. My one-of-a-kind birds are made of wool, wire, yarn, glass beads & marbles. I have been felting since 2015. I began with needle-felting but became more directed after a workshop with Andrea Graham, who creates exquisite 3D pod-like sculptures. The techniques I learned from her became a solid jumping-off point for my birds, which are both needle and wet-felted. My felted animals are also needle and wet-felted and were inspired by the work of German felter Gabriele Mazaracis.
Until a slightly earlier-than-planned retirement in 2020, my partner Jamie and I spent our lives creating and performing puppet shows. We began our puppet company in 1982 in San Francisco and have performed all over the U.S. in schools, theaters, and museums. It was a blast!
In felting, I have discovered a medium and techniques that allow me to sculpt, paint, create fabric and three-dimensional decorative objects, and make useful and durable items. All with wool and a few tools! It is like alchemy and is endlessly fascinating. My work draws from many inspirations, including Oaxacan animal carvings, West African patterns and textiles, plants, flowers and vines, and the work of contemporary felt artists.

*Teapots that are sold must remain on display in the gallery as part of the exhibit until the show closes on September 10, 2020.  After the show closes, teapots will be carefully packed and shipped by September 26 or available for pick-up at the gallery.