Featured News
10 June 2008
Floor Felt and Floor Cloth
The Steeple, Newburgh, June 28th to 13th July 2008.
Fife Contemporary Art & Craft present 'Floor Felt & Floor Cloth' by Jeanette Sendler, Fife Arts Co-operative Partners' artist in residence 2007 to 2008.
Based in Newburgh, Jeanette became inspired by the village's historic past in the cottage weaving industry. Later jute was woven in Dundee and used as part of the floor cloth/linoleum industry in Newburgh.
In 'Floor Felt & Floor Cloth,' Jeanette brings together new skills and experiences discovered during the residency with her expertise in tailoring, knitting, felting, printing and weaving. One particular theme running through the work is the link she makes between the decorations used in floor cloth made in the Newburgh area with floor felt from central Asia.
"Richly patterned fragments of original lino led me to think about the variety of surface designs. This resonated with my previous research into patterned felt flooring in Central Asia.
Felt making is an ancient craft and its roots take you back to Central Asia where floor felts are used as carpets to sit or step on.
As a felt maker I have taken patterns inspired by the lino industry and worked them into felt, echoing the techniques of early felt making. Both floor felt and floor cloth are richly patterned and tell us much about cultural differences and changing fashions.
Both methods of carpeting provide warmth, safety and comfort to our living environment."
Download PDF version here [16K]
