Setting goals

In summer 2012, we left Dublin to Zurich. It has taken me more than one year and a half, to sit and look back to my felting.
During this time, all my energy and time was taken by the adaptation to the new country: new job, twice new house, new language, new style of life.... Few times, I tried to block a weekend and felt, but we all know that inspiration just doesn't happen like that.
So two months ago, when things started to settle down, I decided to start from scratch. A new creative phase starts for me in a different life frame. To evolute, I needed to question all my past assumptions, find  new motivations, set new goals, create a new network, confirm if felting is my medium and adapt my creative process to my new life syle.

So, what should you expect in this new phase?
The answer is new art installations and more international exhibitions, solo and group.
Keep an eye, the next months will be exciting...

"Entrez en Matière!" exhibition, France

Few months ago, I received one of these unexpected emails that makes you smile. It was a student from the University of Rennes, France. She is studying a master to become art curator and as a final project they need to curate an exhibition about art and science. The main subject is the crystallography, but there is a small part dedicated to "Lichens". And here is where I come in. They were delighted when they came across my "Lichen" installation, it was a 100 % match of what they need. So they asked me permission to use my installation.
The full installation won't travel until Rennes, just pictures of the pieces. They have been printed at big scale and they will be displayed at the University of Rennes from the 9th April to the 13th June as part of the exhibition.
Check the press release to see who are the other artists taking part, here.
So if you are around, don't hesitate to pay a visit...

… it is always nice to help students to start up!

 

Exhibition 2013: "Origins: Felt in the Natural World", Dublin

 "Origins: Felt in the Natural World" was a really special exhibition for me. There were two reasons, the location and the judges. The exhibition took place in one of my favourites places in Dublin, the National Botanic Gardens. While living in Ireland we used to spend many Sundays afternoons there, we loved to see how the seasons changed the garden, it was a really inspiring place for us.

The exhibition was curated by Gabriella McGrath, the judges were Carmel Creaner and Caroline Scofield. Caroline is a fantastic Textile artist I find fascinating her needle felted pieces. It was an honour to be selected by her.

The two selected pieces were an up-cycling of "Lichens pieces", a shelf and a frame.

The pictures were taken professionally by Joana Sieczkowska

If you want to check the full exhibition, check here

Exhibition 2013: Suave 5 - Spain and Portugal

2013 was a quiet year from a felting and posting point of view, but I was very pleased with my participation in two international exhibitions, the first was "Suave 5".

"Suave 5" is an international triennial exhibition about fashion textile accessories and it is organised by ACTM (textile creative association of Madrid). 

Previous "Suave" editions displayed pieces from feltmakers of the size of Dagmar Binder (Suave 2 and 4) and Annette Quentin-Stoll (Suave 3 and 4). So as you can imagine, I was totally thrilled, when I knew that my scarf "Barcelona" was selected.

More exciting was to see my piece in the Official poster.

"Suave 5" was shown, first time in Spain from the 30th May to the 30th June 2013 in the "Museo Nacional de las Artes Decoartivas", in the historical center of Madrid. The exhibition received a total of 3,552 visitants, and it was the temporal exhibition with more visitants that the Museum had, it was a real success. 

You can check a review of the Madrid Television, here.

Afterwards, the exhibition traveled to Portugal, it was in display as part of the contemporary art exhibition "Peninsulares" in the "Instituto do Design" in Guimaräes, from the 20th July to the 30th August. 

The exhibition was supposed to travel to Medellín, Colombia to participate to the VII  Biennial of Textile Art and Design on March 2014,  but unfortunately, this was cancelled.

You can have a virtual tour to the exhibition here, and check about this edition artists, here.

Irish times talking about my Lichens!

I recently discovered this article in the Irish time; published on the 9th July 2012; the journal reviews the 2012 summer art offer in Dublin for Babies and parents. My installation "Lichens" is mentioned:
"...But babies of all ages are welcome to attend Ark events, and the centre’s current exhibition, Awakening Curiosity, has much to stimulate the young mind. Inga Hamilton’s Evolutionary Tweak and Natzaret Sindreu’s Lichen are tactile crocheted reefs and giant lichens; a multitude of textures and shapes to stimulate tiny hands and feet..."

Read the full article here:  Young at art

Interview at The Ark's Awakening Curiosity exhibition

 Natzaret Sindreu talks about her work on show at The Ark's Awakening Curiosity exhibition for families, summer 2012.

Felting classes in Barcelona

After 5 happy years living in Ireland, we are moving to Switzerland; but between the two countries, I'll spend more than one month in Barcelona, my hometown! I'm happy to be here spending time with my family and friends, enjoying a real Mediterranean summer and teaching felting.

I'll be teaching in All you knit is love, the coolest yarn shop in Barcelona. they are in the trendy neighborhood of el Born. The shop is owned by a lovely couple, Miquel and Jennifer, he is Catalan and she is from US.(have a look to their video)

I'll be teaching needle felting and wet felting (shibori and others textures for felting). Have a look to my workshop page and.... Why not to combine a Barcelona trip with felting classes?!

To encourage peolpe to sign for the courses, my dress has been placed on the main window.