Northeast Feltmakers Guild
Minutes of the April 2nd and 3rd 2011 Meeting held in Glen Falls, NY at Robin’s
Luckystone Feltworks Studio
Meeting was hosted by Robin Blakney-Carlson and Susan Blakney. The topic was
Mounting and Display Techniques & Considerations for Feltwork.
Those present were: Cheryl Christner, Patricia Bronstein, Piroska Toth, Temple Fawcett,
Gloria Scannell, Nan Travers, Laura Vaccari, Diane Hensler, Lynn Ocone, Jeanne
Noordsy, Donna Reilly, Roz Spier, June Adinah, Sherry Horn, Marjolaine Arsenault,
Virginia Hinchman, Susan Blakney, Sandy Denh, Sonia Emelianoff, Robin BlakneyCarlson, Cher Benda, Diane Christian, Linda Van Alstyne, Carol Ingram, Althea
Bilodeau, Irene Dizes, Linda Wright, Flo Rosenstock, Donna Corio
Our outgoing president Linda Van Alstyne called the meeting to order at 9:20am April 3,
2011.
Treasurer’s Report: We currently have $6, 346.65 in our checking account. The income
from April 1, 2010 to present was $ 4, 470 and the expenses were $2, 390.
Secretary Report: We currently have 94 members. Three new members were introduced
at the meeting.
Program Chair: Carol Ingram stated that the 2011 workshop “Illuminating Felt” taught
by member Sharon Costello was a huge success. Members’ work from the class was
displayed in the meeting room. Two workshops were held with twelve students in each.
The first was March 19th and 20th held in Portland Ct. The second March 26th and 27th
was held at Sharon’s studio in Rensselaerville, NY.
The next Northeast Feltmakers Guild meeting will be held Aug 6 and 7, 2011 in New
Boston, NH. The hostess will be Cheryl Christner. The program will be given by Nan
Travers and will be Dye Painting on Silk.
The Nov 5 and 6, 2011 meeting will be held in western, Mass. Nov 5th will be at Webbs
and Nov 6th at New England Feltmaking Supply for the business meeting. The pot luck
site Sat night has not yet been determind. Flo Rosenstock will be hosting the meeting
and also demonstrating Shibori Silk Dyeing.
Irene Dizes, the new program chair will start to send the messages about programs to the
website and Yahoo group.
Carol then discussed the way participants in the workshop were chosen. In the past
everyone who wished to attend was able to do so. Our membership is increasing and for
the first time we needed to hold a lottery this year. 30 members sent in money for 24
spots. She wondered if this was a fair way to determine who attended since the first
person she received money from was not chosen and the last person to send in their
money was picked in the lottery. Would a first come first serve approach have been
better. But it was stated that this would also have drawbacks.
A possible solution would be that if you attended the workshop this year, you would be
put on the bottom of the list for consideration next year.
It was unanimously agreed that if a member is hosting the workshop they should
automatically be enrolled in it.
Linda Van Alstyne said further discussion will be needed and that the decision of how to
handle the situation should be left up to the new board.
Web Master: Linda Wright stated 3 or 4 more members have sent in photos and personal
statements to be added to the website. This is good for potential dealings with galleries.
She needs about a two week lead time to get the info online.
We have 68 people on Face Book
Lynn Ocone maintains our blog. Instructors may send class info to her. The Yahoo
calendar may also be a place to list all classes
Exhibition Committee: Temple Fawcett, Patricia Bronstein, Kris Sandoy, Jeanne
Noordsy, and Linda Van Alstyne. Temple reported that the first CD of “Creation Myths”
pieces is ready to be sent to potential gallery show sites. But along with with the CD
paperwork from each artist is needed to be sent. The deadline for this paperwork is April
6th.
It appears each gallery wants different paperwork. Examples of paperwork requested
were a Bio, Artist’s statement, Resume, Curatorial statement, date of creation, price.
Would these be a lengthy statement or only one small paragraph. Would we be uniform
and all use first person or third.
Temple will post some examples she has already received from members. Diane
Christian, Carol Ingram, and Patricia Bronstein will be on a committee to clarify what
types of paperwork must accompany the CD to the galleries.
A poll was taken online to see if more members would be submitting pieces for “Creation
Myths”. Many said yes or maybe. Patricia Bronstein will be accepting info about these
pieces from Sept 1 to Sept 30th.
The minutes of the November 14th, 2010 Meeting were accepted.
Patricia Bronstein then proceeded to read the draft of NEFG DEFINITION OF FELT
Felt is both a noun and verb; felt, the textile (fabric), can be created by either “wet
felting” or “needle felting” (dry felting) or a combination of both. Felt is loose wool or
other animal fiber that is made into a textile with a haphazard fiber structure by using a
combination of some of the following: pressure, agitation, water, soap, heat and needles.
Wet felting is a two staged process: felting occurs first by using moisture, pressure and/or
agitation to form a loose textile(soft felt) where the fibers have become enmeshed; fulling
then occurs by applying further agitation and/or pressure, and perhaps heat which causes
the “soft felted” textile to shrink and become firmer.
Nuno-felt (laminated felt) is wool or other animal fiber enmeshed or embedded into nonhaphazard textile (such as woven, crocheted, knotted or knitted silk, cotton, rayon, or
wool) using the wet felting process.
Needle felting is a technique which uses barbed needles to entangle loose wool or animal
fiber into a cohesive textile structure.
Felt is not a textile where the primary structure is knitted, woven, crocheted or knotted
A motion was made and passed to accept this Definition of Felt with one correction
being made to add animal with the word fiber in two places.
Patricia then proceeded to read the draft of EXHIBITION STANDARDS
Work submitted the Northeast Feltmakers Guild members for a guild show (exhibit)
should reflect quality commensurate with the intent and/or purpose of the piece.
Functional pieces should reflect technical mastery to fulfill its functions. Concept work,
where the idea predominates (“art piece”), should be presented in/on an appropriate
staging (frame, box, stand, or rack). All pieces submitted should be ready for display
with mounting structure, when required, of professional appearance and durability.
Requirements will vary with each individual show and venue. All submissions, both felt
and ancillary material, should arrive within specified dates. Accompanying material,
when required, should be of high standard; this includes high resolution images of good
quality, and well written bios and artist statements. Specific information will be given for
each exhibit and posted on the NEFG Yahoo site under Exhibition Information
A motion was made and passed to accept this draft of exhibition standards.
Questions arose about insurance for pieces entered into shows. Robin Blakney-Carlson
and Sue Blakney will investigate insurance.
Fiber Festivals: At the April 2010 meeting certain members volunteered to investigate
fiber festivals being held in their areas or states and how the guild could participate in
them. After verbal and written correspondence about festivals Linda determined it was
too difficult for the guild as a whole to participle in the festivals citing transportation of
goods, cost to participate, sitting the shows as some of her reasons for reaching this
conclusion. If a member is interested in listing a Fiber Festival they can go directly to the
calendar on the Yahoo group site and post it or send the info to the secretary, Donna
Corio, and she will post it.
Trip tik: Nan Travers and Diane Christian are working on a trip tik project for the guild.
Their goal is to have members research and write a short piece about different aspects of
felting. When completed the written work would be posted on our website with Guild
access only. Pre-set flyers would be there for download or you could pick and choose to
create your own with a template. Travelling Posters will be available to go along with
major events or to borrow. All material will have a Guild Copyright.
They passed around a sign-up sheet for members to choose a topic to research.
Linda Van Alstyne and Carol Ingram were then thanked for their years of service to the
Guild. They were given gifts of collage wall hangings made from members individual
pieces of felted work. They introduced the new board. Co-Presidents Althea Bilodeau
and Linda Wright, Vice President/Program Chair Irene Dizes, Treasurer Cheryl
Christner, Membership Alexa Ginsburg, Secretary Donna Corio.
Linda and Carol then thanked the membership for some great years of learning and
friendship and stated that they just couldn’t stop being involved with felting and that they
would be taking over the Felters’ Fling in 2013.
We celebrated with them with a champagne toast and coffee cake at a short break.
New Business:
Althea and Linda introduced each other. They want more verbal rather than email
communication between the board, members of committees, and other members of the
guild as needed. Suggestions were made to use webinars, Skype, conference calls. Nan
Travers and Cheryl Christner will check into what their work places use and see if we can
be connected through them.
A motion was passed to set aside $100 for Linda and Althea to use to study and
implement a type of conferencing system to be used by the Guild.
Guild Award: The Feltmakers Guild was approached by the Philadelphia Handweaver’s
Guild to have our guild name associated with an award for feltmaking to be given at their
show. They have asked for the guild to send them a definition of felting, which we just
approved, and a standard of excellence, which we have been somewhat working on with
the passage of our exhibition standards.
The Feltmakers Guild would have no financial responsibility for the award nor would one
of our members be judging the pieces. This was tabled for the time being until we can
receive more information. Robin will contact the weaver’s guild and get more info.
“Cheer” Carol Ingram is in charge of sending cards to members.
She has sent get well cards to Sheryl Amaral, Myra Lenburg, and Renate.
She also sent a thank-you to the Portland Senior Center and a $100 check for use of their
facilities for our March workshop. She will now also send a get well to Zoe.
A motion was passed to spend no more than $100 to have Carol Ingram take photos of
members works from our website and make a collage which will them be made into a
guild card to be used for “Cheer” and other necessary correspondence.
Dues: Linda Wright commented that since our first meeting of the year is in April and
that our fiscal year runs from April to April it would be better to change the date dues are
due to April 1st. A motion was passed to change the date.
Membership Growth: Our guild is growing and this is effecting our program
presentation, site accommodations and housing options. Suggestions were discussed
about how to deal with these problems. Should we limit membership to 100 and if more
people are interested in joining put them on a wait list. We now have 94 members.
Maybe we could try to have a few smaller regional meetings throughout the year and then
one large yearly meeting. Will not providing housing prohibit some members from
attending the meetings. Workshops may not be able to be as hands on.
It was also stated that this might not be the time to make any changes since organizations
always seem to go through membership cycles and eventually plateau. We should be
aware of the attendance at events in the next few years and then make a decision if
necessary.
Sherry Horn volunteered to compile a list of the geographic areas where members live to
help determine places for meetings.
The Vice President/Program Chair handles the yearly workshop. Do we need to expand
this to a committee.
Nan Travers talked about the Aug 2011 meeting where she will be teaching us to paint on
silk. This will be very messy. Wear old clothes. More info to follow as we get closer to
meeting dates.
Scholarships: Carol Ingram would like to have the guild establish a scholarship fund.
Members mentioned the possibility of awarding money to a graduating high school senior
who will pursue studies in a textile related field, or to give the award to a student already
in college. Possibly the guild could partially fund a member to attend the fling.
Althea and Lynn Ocone will research how other organizations set up scholarships.
Contact Althea if you have any info about this.
Guild’s 10th Anniversary in 2012: How do we celebrate our anniversary? Suggestions:
Put an article about the guild In Fiber Arts Magazine
Create a Resource Book to sell to other fiber groups using info from our Trip Tik
Have a big party
Have a felters retreat for members
Linda Van Alystne will look into using Silver Bay or Snow Farm
Nan Travers will check other venues
A motion was passed to put an undetermined amount of money aside to celebrate the 10th
Anniversary of the Northeast Feltmakers Guild in 2012.
Non-profit. We have not become a non-profit organization. This needs to be done.
Donna Reilly, a new member, talked about her artist co-op in Balston Spa wanting felt
pieces for an Exhibit to be held in June. She was told to put her request on the Yahoo
group and to work directly with anyone who replied.
Carol Ingram mentioned members receiving recognition and classes being offered.
Diane Christian has her landscape pictured in the latest issue of Fiber Arts magazine in an
article about United Felt
Latest IFS magazine, Felt Matters, Issue 102, March 2011 has an article about felter’s
retreat at Hyuck Preserve organized by Sharon Costello. This featured images of the
work of Linda Van Alystne, Kris Sandoy, Carol Ingram, Joei Bassett and Lynn Ocone.
Maybe the guild should get one membership to IFA. It is $87.50 for the year.
Classes: Linda Veilleux Aug 13 and 14 marbling with Laura Sims
Linda Van Alystne Oct 22nd and 23rd in Portland Ct teaching a slipper class
Robin Blakney-Carlson is also having classes. Check her website.
Suggested states for meetings in 2012 are Ct, Maine and Vt. It was discussed that Maine
has few members and because of weather problems and summer traffic it can be difficult
to get there.
Ct Carol Ingram volunteered
Vt Lynn Ocone
NJ Piroska Toth
Nan Travers works at a NY State College. There are meeting rooms available at her
location or in others throughout the system
Topics for Meetings:
Making samples of different types of wool felt studying the shrinkage, crimp, curl
Maybe a two day class. First day talk about wool, second day dye wool
Have Linda Van Alystne teach ergonomics for felters
The meeting was adjourned.
The post card swap was conducted and members lunched on leftover goodies before
heading home.