Felt Fiber Art with Esther

Esther is a fiber felt artist known for her three dimensional felt, sculptures and light objects. She grew up in Switzerland, moved to Italy 25 years ago, and lives in the quiet hills of Valle Scrivia, Liguria. When she first discovered felting, she fell in love with the possibility of transforming unspun wool fibers into clear, firm and resistant shapes. It was at a point in her life when she needed to renew, to return to the soil, to the natural environment and above all, to creating with her hands and creative skills.

Over the years she trained under master felters Inge Bauer, Lyda Rump and Beatriz Schaaf-Giesser. She experimented with installations, performance collaborations with other artists and land art. Then she began focusing on micro environments to become aware of the small, normal things that surround us with their beauty. This serves as constant inspiration for her creative work in the studio.

She says "I like wool and natural materials in my work because they are inexpensive, sustainable, re-growing and non-hurting. They are slow to grow, collect and work with." This slow process of crafting delicate fiber into a hard felted sculpture is a lesson in both technique and time – an interesting and challenging journey that shapes our inner creativity. She hopes to share a little lifetime and space with people from around the world knowing it is always an exchange and nutrition for everyone involved.