Christine Piel

Felt maker

©Christine Piel

It felt right

Christine makes sculptures and mats out of felt
She is inspired by Asian felting traditions
Her work tells tales of nature and cultures

Christine Piel has brought the age-old but forgotten craft of felting into contemporary homes with her unique sculptures, masks and decorative wall hangings. Her pieces are steeped in nature and suggest tales of times passed. Christine has been an independent artisan since 2007. She started with traditional decorative wall surfaces like Tadelakt and Marmorino, and later turned to wool as her medium. As a lighter, natural material, felted wool instills a feeling of softness that she loves. Fascinated by this craft, Christine set out to learn about the preservation of wool and ancient techniques at schools like the Lainamac wool school in France. She has travelled far and wide from the Netherlands to China and Kyrgyzstan to explore the origins of the craft of felting.

Interview

©Christine Piel

©Christine Piel

What was the first work you made and why?: It was the eagle of the nomadic people of Kirghizia, when I met the women felt workers there. This bird was a way into their world. I got to see their workshops and their natural warmth was incredible.
Is wool a craft that is present in France?: It is undervalued due to a lack of means and organisation within the industry, but things are changing to better protect the craft, thanks to young people taking over workshops, like in Sologne. It is a costly field but thanks to passionate artisans, a quality craft is resurfacing and wool is becoming a valued fibre again.
What was the turning point for you?: My first creative encounter with felt was making a felt mat for Chinese calligraphy paper in China. I continued working in other mediums until I met a designer in Holland. The emotion of this medium spoke to me once again, and so my journey began.
What is your inspiration for your work?: The vibrations of nature, encounters on my travels, like my trip to Nepal after the earthquake when I made a mask expressing an elderly lady’s emotion of the event. My life’s path has led me to express with sincerity what moves me, respecting my values and allowing me to find meaning in why I create.

Christine Piel is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2007 and she started teaching in 2020