Sharron Parker - Expressing Reality as Felt

Sharron Parker received an undergraduate degree from Duke University and a masters degree from UNC-Greensboro, studying education, art, and interior design. She continued her study in textiles with classes at Penland School of Crafts and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, where she has returned to teach workshops in felting. Her work has been exhibited throughout the US, in France, and through the Art in Embassies program, in Turkmenistan and Armenia. It can also be seen in these publications: 500 Felt Objects, 1000 Artisan Textiles, and Artistry in Fiber: Wall Art. She has been a feltmaker for 43 years.

Robert Motherwell said that “The function of the artist is to express reality as felt.” Sharron Parker does that literally — using handmade felt as her medium. Felting is believed to be the oldest textile technique, dating to the Stone Age. 2500-year-old felts have been found in Siberian tombs, depicting the nomadic people, their horses, and other animal imagery.

Here Sharron bases her work on the natural world. For example, the Stillness II and III series are references to Picasso marble, and the Close-up: Madagascar Moth pair are quite realistic details of the moth’s wings. Other pieces are more abstract references to butterflies, rocks, storms, etc.