Meet The Oregon Felt Maker Creating Artistic + Functional Pieces

Having grown up in Arkansas immersed in nature, artist Kristina Foley developed an early affinity for flora and fauna that she continues to explore today. Working in the ancient technique of felt making, Foley creates both artistic and functional pieces out of her McMinnville, Oregon, studio, including soft wool sculptures that double as trays and vases, knitwear clothing, and large wall hangings that showcase the various textures of wool. No matter the outcome, Foley’s starting point is the same, as she sources her wool locally from small family farms. “Each farm has its own unique flock with different sheep breeds that offer a range of fiber qualities,” says Foley, who visits the farms regularly and has come to know many of the sheep by name. Starting with a “canvas” of several layers of wool, Foley then adds specialty fibers like silk, alpaca, camel and mohair colored with botanical dye to create her patterns and designs. Then, she agitates the piece with warm water and soap, which causes the wool fibers to interlock, or felt. “There’s something incredibly special about working with freshly shorn fleeces,” Foley says. “Each one has its own unique character. I find endless beauty and variation in the raw fibers, and it’s my goal to celebrate wool as a natural resource with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest.”