(Tammy McCullough)
Creatures of the forests and meadows fascinate Tammy McCullough. Dragonflies, hummingbirds, mice and rabbits are just a few of the beings that she fashions into soft felted works of art. Her woodland tableau is on display in April at Red Chair Gallery.
Dragonflies and hummingbirds are among the newest forms McCullough makes out of wire armature, felted wool and sometimes silk to give them a bit of shimmer. Their popularity, she guesses, is due to their diminutive beauty and the cultural beliefs they represent. In Buddhism and Native American cultures. Dragonflies, with their ability to move swiftly and change direction, represent transformation, adaptability and the power to overcome obstacles. As for hummingbirds, many cultures revere them as bringers of love and joy, the return of loved ones or messengers from the spirit world. In their felted form, they can be dabbed with drops of scented oil to diffuse scent into a room.
McCullough also fashions larger animals, such as ducklings and rabbits, into scenes with flowers and trees. Rabbit sculptures are flattened into bookmarks while a squirrel may hold a business card or photo on a desktop or table. A pair of red foxes graces a wedding cake topper.
McCullough creates her pieces by first forming a basic animal structure with wire and then felting layers of fibers over it with a barbed needle. The first layer of core wool fiber wraps the structure securely; for the second layer, she fashions muscle shapes with more core fiber. All this is then topped with a finishing blend of merino, alpaca, or other specialty fibers in appropriate colors. She often weaves in shiny silk threads for contrast. She has even added feathers and beads into her figures for variety. Expressive eyes and mouths are tiny felted pieces of wool needled into the faces. “My animals come to life when I do the eyes,” she notes.
Her latest challenge has been learning to fashion dandelions. They require much dexterity and patience, she explains. Each tuft of the white ball of seed is made of silk strands woven together at the bottom, then flattened to make the head, and finally glued into place. To mount her creations, McCullough collects natural elements, such as rocks and small gnarled branches that can serve as the base of a sculpture.
McCullough buys most of her materials –wool roving, batts, and locks — online but is finding some local sources such as Crescent Moon Alpaca Ranch in Terrebonne, where she obtains alpaca fiber. She often washes, dries and cards the materials herself before she even begins a project. She hand-blends dyed pieces of fiber to get just the right color for an
animal’s coat.
Her craft requires tremendous concentration and attention but McCullough finds it soothingly meditative. “Especially these days, it’s really calming to work on something that is sweet and whimsical,” she says. “I just put on music and I lose track of time.”
Contact ChickadeeCreationsOR on Etsy or chickadeecreationsbytammy@gmail.com.