For some years now I’ve been selling my work in local galleries and from a ‘fisherman’s hut’ in Whitstable harbour market.
For many traders in the harbour market, sales seem to have been down over the last year, and I’ve noticed that people are frequently buying smaller and cheaper things from everyone, like smaller pictures, or prints rather than original pictures. Sales in the galleries have held up a bit better for me so far.
I decided to see if I could produce some felt pictures more cheaply without compromising on quality.
I wrote here last September about having to make a lot of pictures for a big exhibition. I developed a new line of work that I could produce at speed. https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2024/09/05/the-mother-of-invention/
I decided to take my nuno printed tree pictures one stage further to make them a little smaller (less felting time, fewer materials) and offer them unframed (lower material costs).
I’ve realised that using recycled silk or fine wool scarves is a quick way of creating patterns within a felt picture. It can significantly reduce layout time as your fabric does a lot of the work for you. I then thought that I could cut down on fulling time as well if I made two pictures at a time.
I then had a presentation question. I normally have my frames handmade by a local maker. Would I go down the mass-produced frame or the no frame route? I decided to start with the no frame option. I found a provider of inexpensive but good quality picture mount kits that include a back board, mount and cellophane bag.
I made the felt for four pairs of pictures; cutting them apart before printing a different tree on each. I took these photos as a record rather than to present so they’re not the best, sorry.
Do you have a favourite? I think the one top left is mine.
I had 5 weeks of sales / exhibitions in June (one of two weeks and one of three, overlapping – I know, poor planning) and sold 4 of the 8, so I’m pretty happy with this experiment. What next? I will probably make a few more of these and I might source some sample frames to go along with them. Maybe I’ll get my local frame-maker to make one then buy a couple of cheaper mass produced ones so people can see what the options are. Framing is much more expensive than many people realise. I’m also offering photos of some of my bird felt pictures, and prints of some of my (non-felt) photographs in the same unframed format. I’ve sold three of these so far so will see how they go.
I thought I’d finish with a follow up to my sample making blog from March. https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2025/03/09/auditioning-fabrics/
I made each of the samples into cards and here they are.
