Experience

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  JA FELT Studio & Lab

  • United States
  • Design Services
  • 1 - 100 Employee

  • Designer- development of new textiles, contemporary and installation art

    • 1999 - Present

    I am a visual artist who makes bespoke textiles for large scale installations, cross collaborative applications - like beautiful sound absorption treatments on walls or ceilings, furniture or simply as art. Everything is made starting with raw natural fibers. FELT is not a singular kind of material, but rather a universe of textiles ranging from feather weight luminous material to thick, dense fabrics with a limitless color range and infinite applications. I maintain a studio / lab where we are continuously working to push this miraculous fiber and the resulting material into new territories.

  • Founder & Designer

    • 2002 - Present

    JA FELT textiles blend traditional craft with modern aesthetics in unparalleled design, scale and quality. I design and create refined industrial-like and handmade wool FELT to meet design specifications in consort with clients for commercial and residential applications. Wool FELT is a universe of textiles. JAF bespoke wool FELT has a limitless color palette, with surfaces ranging from highly textured handmade to smooth. Thickness and densities range from featherweight light responsive pieces to dense slabs. JAF textiles are made primarily of raw wool felted with other natural materials to form textiles that are durable, flameproof, sound absorbent that enhances the environment and makes healthier too. The JA FELT Studio & Lab is continuously working to expand the preconceived notions of wool FELT offering refined textiles for function and art. Applications range from art, soft walls, dividers, acoustic treatments, ceiling or wall panels, window treatments, furniture, custom upholstery fabric and area carpets. We have an excellent record in collaborative work from concept to completion with an enduring result.JA FELT Studio & Lab phone: 1.360.273.8548

  • Artist, Designer, Lecturer/ Presenter creating installation and commissioned work

    • 1999 - Present

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  Design & Textile Conferences, Museums, Univ...

  • Lecturer, Guest Artist - Presenter

    • Oct 2009 - Present

    My lectures and presentations demystifty FELT and share the entertaining and thought-provoking journey from cartographer's daughter to textile inventor in the rare and ancient art form of handmade FELT. How is Felt really made? Can it really be both an expressive art form and also make ou...

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  Museum of Craft and Design

  • San Francisco, California

  • Solo Exhibition Artist & Curator- FELT DeCoded, WOOL: Nature's Techno...

    • Feb 2017 - Jun 2017
    • San Francisco, California
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  American Craft Council and The Balvenie

  • Rare Craft Fellowship Finalist & Grant Recipient

    • 2016 - 2017
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  Textile Society of America

  • Member

    • 2010 - 2017
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  Artist Trust

  • Fellowship 2009 and GAP Grants 2010 & 2013

    • 2009 - 2013
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  Wieden + Kennedy

  • Portland, Oregon Area

  • Handmade FELT interiors for Patrick Doughtery's NEST sculpture

    • 2006 - 2013
    • Portland, Oregon Area

    Created bespoke FELT furnishings to complement Patrick Dougherty's human sized NEST Sculpture for Wieden + Kennedy Portland Oregon.

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  Gates Foundation, NBBJ

  • Seattle WA

  • FELT furniture for reception area

    • 2009 - 2012
    • Seattle WA

    A collaborative project with Rysia Suchecka of NBBJ Seattle. Created bespoke FELT furniture for the reception area of the Seattle Corporate Headquarters for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: including a solid FELT Slab Bench, and 30' long sofa all in handmade FELT.

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  Bellevue Arts Museum

  • Featured & Commissioned Artist

    • Jun 2010 - Dec 2011

    Chthonic Tent- First is the Royal Encampment Series. Commissioned for Travelers: Objects of Dream and Revelation, curated by Stefano Catalani,Aug 2011 -Dec 2011Luminarium - a commissioned site specific installation at the Bellevue Arts Museum was on view June 24, 2010 - April 11, 2011. Located i...

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  Grand Rapids Art Museum

  • CHROMA Passage: An environmental installation in handmade FELT

    • Sep 2010 - Nov 2010

    A site specific installation transforming a 50' glass passageway into a walkway of texture and color, made entirely of bespoke handmade FELT. The passageway, opposite Ellsworth Kelly's Blue/White, links the main lobby with the Museums' gift shop and restaurant. Funded in part by a gr...

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  Textile Society of American Biennial Conference

  • Lincoln, Nebraska

  • Textile Society of America Biennial Conference

    • Oct 2010 - Oct 2010
    • Lincoln, Nebraska

    "Textile Traditions of Central Asia and Reverberations Abroad" with Christine Martens, Dinara Chochunbaeva and Janice Arnold. Matilda McQuaid was discussant for the panel Ms Arnold led a post conference workshop on the traditional art of Central Asian felt-making.

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  American Craft Magazine

  • Cover Artist - Feb/March 2010

    • Feb 2010 - Mar 2010

    Feature story: Cover photo is a detail from Sound Waves. A permanent installation for a medical clinic designed resolve sound absorption problems in the lobby and over the reception area, as well as making a cohesive artistic feature in the space. The article covered a number of my FELT installat...

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  Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

  • New York City

  • Palace Yurt - Fashioning FELT Exhibition

    • Mar 2009 - Sep 2009
    • New York City

    The Palace Yurt was a site specific installation which served as the centerpiece of the Fashioning FELT exhibition. Inspired by the museum's historic glass conservatory, it was designed and created to demonstrate the versatility of Felt as an art form and functional fabric, as well as to pay...

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  Nordstrom Visual Merchandising

  • Visual Merchandising Vendor / Collaborator

    • Jan 1999 - Dec 2008

    Worked with Corporate Visual Designers and Merchandise Managers in all regions.

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  LA Opera

  • Los Angeles and New York City

  • FELT fabrics for LA Opera

    • 2006 - 2006
    • Los Angeles and New York City

    Collaborated with Costume Designer Constance Hoffman to create bespoke fabrics for lead costumes in the world premier of Julie Taymor's Grendel. It was performed in Los Angeles and New York City.

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  Cirque du Soleil / Celebrity Cruise Line

  • Summit & Constellation, Deck 11 Premier Lounge

  • Installation & textile artist for Bar at the Edge of the Earth

    • Jul 2004 - Sep 2005
    • Summit & Constellation, Deck 11 Premier Lounge

    Designed and created bespoke textiles which included, stage curtains, entrance curtains, tent fabric, furniture fabric, ceiling fabric and installation.

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  Nordstrom Corporate Fashion Office

  • Intern/ Assistant fashion coordinator

    • 1975 - 1976

    Hired models, designed runway shows, collaborated with Nordstrom Marketing and Print divisions.