Heather Belcher

My aim is to share my enthusiasm for the medium of hand made felt. It is an incredibly versatile process; allowing the maker to draw freely with the loose wool fibres and embed the image into the body of the cloth, or to incorporate experimental knitting and weaving techniques, to mould the felt into 3D shapes (as would a milliner) or to form hollow structures such as coats with no seams. It is thought that felt is one of the oldest fabrics in the world.I am interested in helping students to uncover and develop their own visual language, whether that be focussed on functional deign items or directed more towards a gallery based outcome.

Students will gain a thorough knowledge of the basic techniques for making hand made felt. To put the subject into context they will have a brief introduction to the history of traditional felt and it’s roots in Central Asia and it’s more contemporary cultural context. They will be shown images of traditional coats and carpets alongside more contemporary uses of the medium by fashion and interior designers and artists.

I use a variety of techniques in my teaching depending on the project or course subject. I aim to keep the process as straight forward as possible without the need for extensive amounts of equipment. I teach the use of hand carders so that students are able to accurately control both the quality of the felt they make and the colours they wish to blend.

I use both a calico method and a bubble wrap and net approach. The latter is effective for making lighter weight ‘nuno’ type felt. I also use cane mats for rolling larger pieces of thick felt. I am very interested in teaching the method of constructing seamless hollow structures as in the traditional felt coats and cloaks originating from Central Asia.

My own work is inspired by a great many things. I am of course inspired by the materiality of felt itself – it’s physical qualities as well as it’s associations with garments and the body. It’s sculptural as well as it’s illustrative qualities intrigue me too. My current work is focussed on images of domestic objects and clothing.

I am a member of the Contemporary Applied Arts Gallery, 2 Percy Street, London , W1T 1DD
I will be exhibiting my work in the following exhibitions this year:

An Eye for the Detail – 4 April to end of May 2009
Ruthin Gallery, Ruthin, Wales

Cup – 9 May to 21 June 2009
Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon

Bending the Line – 11 July to 6 September 2009
Hub Gallery, Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Trained at Goldsmiths, University of London
BA Hons Textiles – 1983
MA Textiles - 1995

I am currently Associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, Visiting Lecturer on the Post Graduate programme at West Dean College, Visiting Lecturer on the Under Graduate programme at Leicester De Montford University and Hertfordshire University.

I teach short courses at West Dean College and the City Literary Institute in Covent Garden.

Crafts Council, London
Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Nottingham
Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead
Bankfield Textile Museum, Halifax

Article just published this month in Embroidery Magazine.
My work appears in many exhibition catalogues.

The 62 Group of Textile Artists
Contemporary Applied Arts Gallery