Fiber Art: Painting with Wool

Explore wool needle felting in this workshop, led by Sam Fox School MFA student Emilia (Qian) Shen. Inspired by Sheila Hicks's artwork Taxco from , the workshop embodies Hicks's philosophy: "Hands, eyes, brain: it’s the magic triangulation."

Participants will create vibrant, three-dimensional portraits, landscapes, or abstract designs. Using wool fibers instead of paint and a felting needle instead of a brush, they will layer fibers to build images, much like applying paint strokes, resulting in tactile artwork.

For ages 14 and up.

An additional workshop is offered on November 15. This series of workshops enriches the Museum experience and connects the community with the vibrant artistic talent within the MFA program.

About the Facilitator

Emilia (Qian) Shen is an MFA student in the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at WashU. Her art explores the complexities of the human body, using humor and a sense of duality to both attract and repel. Shen challenges our perception of reality by transforming familiar objects into uncanny representations. Through her work, she explores themes of power, vulnerability, and identity, inviting viewers to question societal norms. Shen's art serves as a mirror, reflecting the ways in which social constructs influence our lives and relationships. By deconstructing and reassembling familiar forms, she prompts us to reconsider our preconceived notions and delve deeper into the complexities of the human experience.

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Host or Publisher Kemper Art Museum at WashU