Felt Art
Bessie Bidder has a background and interest in art and textiles, studied history of art. and has done many felt making courses. However the techniques she uses are mainly a self taught. She has been working and living in Frome self employed creating felt for seven years. She is a member of the International Felt Makers Association. Her back ground is in Tibetan Buddhist study and practise and HIV and Cancer Nursing. She is really interested in the mind and our experience of emotions and our felt experience of life in all its colours.
Personal work and influence
Bessie started felting by developing skills and expertise in making: hats, puppets and and scarves ect.. which were very successful, greatly admired and sold well. However as her community work expanded her individual work has developed from making beautiful functional items, into making felt that expresses the deeper 'Felt' experience of life. Currently she is focusing on making large flat felt pictures using coloured wool. She says its like painting with wool.
Bessie has a deep appreciation for nature and animals and is inspired by natural colours, landscapes and wildlife.
Bessie started felting by developing skills and expertise in making: hats, puppets and and scarves ect.. which were very successful, greatly admired and sold well. However as her community work expanded her individual work has developed from making beautiful functional items, into making felt that expresses the deeper 'Felt' experience of life. Currently she is focusing on making large flat felt pictures using coloured wool. She says its like painting with wool.
Bessie has a deep appreciation for nature and animals and is inspired by natural colours, landscapes and wildlife.
Community work
Bessie loves working a being with people and has developed collaborative felt art in the community.. Many people come together to create a shared piece. These are displayed in community shared spaces for all to celebrate. Bessie worked with in Vallis First school, Steiner Academy Frome, Open Storytelllers, Mells Church Of England School and Beckington Church Of England school, Various Frome Nursery's and elderly drop in groups and many community groups such as beavers and scouts. For many of these big projects funding has to be found. Bessie has been successful in getting Arts Council UK funds and awarded money from Frome town council for a Critchal School project.
Bessie loves working a being with people and has developed collaborative felt art in the community.. Many people come together to create a shared piece. These are displayed in community shared spaces for all to celebrate. Bessie worked with in Vallis First school, Steiner Academy Frome, Open Storytelllers, Mells Church Of England School and Beckington Church Of England school, Various Frome Nursery's and elderly drop in groups and many community groups such as beavers and scouts. For many of these big projects funding has to be found. Bessie has been successful in getting Arts Council UK funds and awarded money from Frome town council for a Critchal School project.
Workshops
Bessie teaches runs one off and regular workshops for adults and children from her workshop. where she teaches the basic principles of wet felting to Flat felted pictures and various three dimensional pieces Flowers, purses, Hats, Puppets, simple clothing; scarves and gloves. More recently she is working with autistic children doing regular individual Felting sessions which has been very successful.
Bessie teaches runs one off and regular workshops for adults and children from her workshop. where she teaches the basic principles of wet felting to Flat felted pictures and various three dimensional pieces Flowers, purses, Hats, Puppets, simple clothing; scarves and gloves. More recently she is working with autistic children doing regular individual Felting sessions which has been very successful.
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