A Focus on Fiber Arts: Hand felted Owl Masks, and an Art Walk

While everyone is busy searching for Halloween costumes here, there, and everywhere, might I suggest another alternative, creating your own?

With the help of Robin Mac Cahill, you can needle felt a fabulous owl mask with wool roving and a special barbed needle. Robin is a frequent artisan, who teaches both wet felting and needle felting at the New Britain Museum of Art as well as workshops at the White Memorial Foundation, Flanders Nature Center and Trust and Brookfield Crafts Center.

Robin is well known for her extraordinary life-size felted puppets, which she uses in puppet shows at local libraries, schools, and art centers. One of Robin’s creations is of a bird that has a fifteen foot wingspan! This workshop is a wonderful opportunity to learn to work with wool in a very special way, with an instructor who has a way of bringing out the whimsy and creativity in her students. The workshop is open to adults and children over ten years of age and will run on Sunday, October 25, from 1-4 pm. Please call for further information, and registration. 860-482-3979.

Have you had a chance to visit all the new galleries, and studios downtown? This Friday, October 17, there will the first of hopefully more Downtown Art Walks. You can begin at Karen Rossi Studios for a reception from 4 to 7 pm which will feature a martini tasting, and then visit neighboring Stepping Stones Gallery.

Leslie Landau’s and John Noelke’s art studios will both be open for visits as well as Dawn Hill Designs. Enjoy dining specials at S&S Sweet Treats and Back Stage Restaurant on your way to Kelly’s Crystals Boutique. You can then work your way down to the corner to Performance Hub for some “art for your ears”. After that In Sheep’s Clothing on Water Street, will be offering weaving demonstrations. Five Points Gallery across the street be hosting an opening reception for their new featured artists at 6 p.m.

Virginia (Ginger) Balch knits, weaves and spins in all things “fibery” at her shop In Sheep’s Clothing at 10 Water St. Torrington www.in-sheeps-clothing.com or phone 860-482-3979.