Even as a child, I was always busy building things, and I loved making shelters inside and outside to hide in. I spent a lot of time creating
places and garments for my dolls and decorating my room — and even my bike.
I have always been fascinated by colors and always drawn to whatever beauty was around me. My parents sent me to a craft school when I was quite young; I loved going there and have vivid memories of the place. Regular school wasn’t easy for me — I was dreamy and was mostly interested in animals, art and music.
When it was time to leave home to study, all I really wanted to do was make art. However, I was very unsure about my skills and didn’t even try to apply for an art program after high school; instead, I studied art history at university.
Through art therapy, I realized that all I really wanted to be was an artist and that I should at least give it a try. I worked very hard for one year
to produce a lot of drawings and paintings, and then applied to an art school where I was accepted and finally went to study fine arts.
Then, in 1989, I met my husband in Europe and I moved to Canada to be with him. Although I have never regretted my decision to leave, I discovered that immigrating is a lonesome and difficult experience. In Canada, I spent my days making art; this was my safe place and a way to deal with my emotions, which I expressed by making art books and jewelry and sculptures from papier-mâché.
My paintings and drawings were quite dramatic and very intimate and I loved to balance this work with more craft-like creations, for which I used paper and textiles and all kinds of threads. I made hundreds of creations in those days, which I finished mostly in book form.
Pregnancy turned my world upside down. I felt a great need to make the toys and clothes I always longed for myself and my world became very small and mostly concentrated around my home. I started making cartoons about my little world, which I called “the little gallery.”
When my children came into my life, my work changed in response to their world and I started making toys for them with wool; at this time, I discovered the felting technique and this was truly life-changing for me. I have never left this medium since.
From toys to accessories like scarves, hats and rugs, I discovered more and more ways to use this magical material — the wool. I love this material and the physical aspect of making the felt with my own hands.
By coincidence, I was asked to teach this art, which was, and still is, unknown to many people. I discovered that I really enjoyed teaching and sharing — and this has continued to this day.
Through my workshops, I got into contact with Cirque du Soleil (CDS), which is a very big company with a worldwide reputation. Their invitation to show my textile work was a complete surprise for me. I had never done any costume design, but for some reason I felt very at ease and happy in this environment.
Working for CDS tremendously stimulated my creativity and brought many new opportunities. Suddenly seeing my creations being worn was very inspiring and brought my felt art to new levels. My felt artwork really started to bloom after this collaborative work.
By this time, I had taken over the whole basement of our former house as a studio space. Because of the costumes I made for Cirque du Soleil and other companies, my work got more attention in the felt-and-textiles art world and this gave me opportunities to teach internationally.
Slowly, my work changed from costumes to large and quite voluminous sculptural pieces and I felt myself moving from applied art back to the fine arts. I received several grants from the Canadian government to study the possibilities of felt and to do large art projects with this medium.
Some time ago, we found a former dairy farm that had been destroyed by a fire and abandoned for many years. We imagined rebuilding the farmhouse and creating a large studio where I could practice my art on this property. That house and studio have now been built and I work there every day that I am home. Here, I also teach and host guests who come for workshops.
WATERCOLOR PAINTING BY CLAIRE DUSSAULT
My studio “Bloomfelt” is a colorful and spacious place in the municipality of Gore in the lower Laurentians in the province of Québec in eastern Canada, about one hour from Montréal. It is peaceful and quiet, surrounded by meadows, gardens and wild forest and there are several hiking trails on the property.
The property was first inhabited by immigrants from Ireland. This family cleared several acres of forest land and farmed and lived here for two generations. After a fire, which destroyed most of the buildings, the land was abandoned for 30 years.
Nature had started to overtake the formerly cleared land. It has been an incredible effort to rebuild, but today it is a very peaceful place with our family home, a textile studio and a wood workshop.
To have my own studio is a great blessing and a dream come true. I have literally created “a room of my own.” The solitude and the peaceful atmosphere are true gifts, for which I feel tremendously grateful. At the same time, I love to teach and share this space with others.
When we were in the throes of the pandemic and the whole world stopped for a while, I had time to look back at my former work — my paintings, drawings and embroideries. This led to my rediscovery of painting, and lately, I have been combining my felted sculptures with new paintings and also stitching on my felted pieces. I am very happy that painting is back in my life and I am searching to find new combinations.
I don’t really know why I make something, but I do know I want to make it. In art, I am free and everything is possible. Here I can be open, thin-skinned, easily yielding and very close to delight.
Even as a child, I was always busy building things, and I loved making shelters inside and outside to hide in. I spent a lot of time creating
places and garments for my dolls and decorating my room — and even my bike.
I have always been fascinated by colors and always drawn to whatever beauty was around me. My parents sent me to a craft school when I was quite young; I loved going there and have vivid memories of the place. Regular school wasn’t easy for me — I was dreamy and was mostly interested in animals, art and music.
When it was time to leave home to study, all I really wanted to do was make art. However, I was very unsure about my skills and didn’t even try to apply for an art program after high school; instead, I studied art history at university.
Through art therapy, I realized that all I really wanted to be was an artist and that I should at least give it a try. I worked very hard for one year
to produce a lot of drawings and paintings, and then applied to an art school where I was accepted and finally went to study fine arts.
Then, in 1989, I met my husband in Europe and I moved to Canada to be with him. Although I have never regretted my decision to leave, I discovered that immigrating is a lonesome and difficult experience. In Canada, I spent my days making art; this was my safe place and a way to deal with my emotions, which I expressed by making art books and jewelry and sculptures from papier-mâché.
My paintings and drawings were quite dramatic and very intimate and I loved to balance this work with more craft-like creations, for which I used paper and textiles and all kinds of threads. I made hundreds of creations in those days, which I finished mostly in book form.
Pregnancy turned my world upside down. I felt a great need to make the toys and clothes I always longed for myself and my world became very small and mostly concentrated around my home. I started making cartoons about my little world, which I called “the little gallery.”
When my children came into my life, my work changed in response to their world and I started making toys for them with wool; at this time, I discovered the felting technique and this was truly life-changing for me. I have never left this medium since.
From toys to accessories like scarves, hats and rugs, I discovered more and more ways to use this magical material — the wool. I love this material and the physical aspect of making the felt with my own hands.
By coincidence, I was asked to teach this art, which was, and still is, unknown to many people. I discovered that I really enjoyed teaching and sharing — and this has continued to this day.
Through my workshops, I got into contact with Cirque du Soleil (CDS), which is a very big company with a worldwide reputation. Their invitation to show my textile work was a complete surprise for me. I had never done any costume design, but for some reason I felt very at ease and happy in this environment.
Working for CDS tremendously stimulated my creativity and brought many new opportunities. Suddenly seeing my creations being worn was very inspiring and brought my felt art to new levels. My felt artwork really started to bloom after this collaborative work.
By this time, I had taken over the whole basement of our former house as a studio space. Because of the costumes I made for Cirque du Soleil and other companies, my work got more attention in the felt-and-textiles art world and this gave me opportunities to teach internationally.
Slowly, my work changed from costumes to large and quite voluminous sculptural pieces and I felt myself moving from applied art back to the fine arts. I received several grants from the Canadian government to study the possibilities of felt and to do large art projects with this medium.
Some time ago, we found a former dairy farm that had been destroyed by a fire and abandoned for many years. We imagined rebuilding the farmhouse and creating a large studio where I could practice my art on this property. That house and studio have now been built and I work there every day that I am home. Here, I also teach and host guests who come for workshops.
WATERCOLOR PAINTING BY CLAIRE DUSSAULT
My studio “Bloomfelt” is a colorful and spacious place in the municipality of Gore in the lower Laurentians in the province of Québec in eastern Canada, about one hour from Montréal. It is peaceful and quiet, surrounded by meadows, gardens and wild forest and there are several hiking trails on the property.
The property was first inhabited by immigrants from Ireland. This family cleared several acres of forest land and farmed and lived here for two generations. After a fire, which destroyed most of the buildings, the land was abandoned for 30 years.
Nature had started to overtake the formerly cleared land. It has been an incredible effort to rebuild, but today it is a very peaceful place with our family home, a textile studio and a wood workshop.
To have my own studio is a great blessing and a dream come true. I have literally created “a room of my own.” The solitude and the peaceful atmosphere are true gifts, for which I feel tremendously grateful. At the same time, I love to teach and share this space with others.
When we were in the throes of the pandemic and the whole world stopped for a while, I had time to look back at my former work — my paintings, drawings and embroideries. This led to my rediscovery of painting, and lately, I have been combining my felted sculptures with new paintings and also stitching on my felted pieces. I am very happy that painting is back in my life and I am searching to find new combinations.
I don’t really know why I make something, but I do know I want to make it. In art, I am free and everything is possible. Here I can be open, thin-skinned, easily yielding and very close to delight.
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Even as a child, I was always busy building things, and I loved making shelters inside and outside to hide in. I spent a lot of time creating
places and garments for my dolls and decorating my room — and even my bike.
I have always been fascinated by colors and always drawn to whatever beauty was around me. My parents sent me to a craft school when I was quite young; I loved going there and have vivid memories of the place. Regular school wasn’t easy for me — I was dreamy and was mostly interested in animals, art and music.
When it was time to leave home to study, all I really wanted to do was make art. However, I was very unsure about my skills and didn’t even try to apply for an art program after high school; instead, I studied art history at university.
Through art therapy, I realized that all I really wanted to be was an artist and that I should at least give it a try. I worked very hard for one year
to produce a lot of drawings and paintings, and then applied to an art school where I was accepted and finally went to study fine arts.
Then, in 1989, I met my husband in Europe and I moved to Canada to be with him. Although I have never regretted my decision to leave, I discovered that immigrating is a lonesome and difficult experience. In Canada, I spent my days making art; this was my safe place and a way to deal with my emotions, which I expressed by making art books and jewelry and sculptures from papier-mâché.
My paintings and drawings were quite dramatic and very intimate and I loved to balance this work with more craft-like creations, for which I used paper and textiles and all kinds of threads. I made hundreds of creations in those days, which I finished mostly in book form.
Pregnancy turned my world upside down. I felt a great need to make the toys and clothes I always longed for myself and my world became very small and mostly concentrated around my home. I started making cartoons about my little world, which I called “the little gallery.”
When my children came into my life, my work changed in response to their world and I started making toys for them with wool; at this time, I discovered the felting technique and this was truly life-changing for me. I have never left this medium since.
From toys to accessories like scarves, hats and rugs, I discovered more and more ways to use this magical material — the wool. I love this material and the physical aspect of making the felt with my own hands.
By coincidence, I was asked to teach this art, which was, and still is, unknown to many people. I discovered that I really enjoyed teaching and sharing — and this has continued to this day.
Through my workshops, I got into contact with Cirque du Soleil (CDS), which is a very big company with a worldwide reputation. Their invitation to show my textile work was a complete surprise for me. I had never done any costume design, but for some reason I felt very at ease and happy in this environment.
Working for CDS tremendously stimulated my creativity and brought many new opportunities. Suddenly seeing my creations being worn was very inspiring and brought my felt art to new levels. My felt artwork really started to bloom after this collaborative work.
By this time, I had taken over the whole basement of our former house as a studio space. Because of the costumes I made for Cirque du Soleil and other companies, my work got more attention in the felt-and-textiles art world and this gave me opportunities to teach internationally.
Slowly, my work changed from costumes to large and quite voluminous sculptural pieces and I felt myself moving from applied art back to the fine arts. I received several grants from the Canadian government to study the possibilities of felt and to do large art projects with this medium.
Some time ago, we found a former dairy farm that had been destroyed by a fire and abandoned for many years. We imagined rebuilding the farmhouse and creating a large studio where I could practice my art on this property. That house and studio have now been built and I work there every day that I am home. Here, I also teach and host guests who come for workshops.
WATERCOLOR PAINTING BY CLAIRE DUSSAULT
My studio “Bloomfelt” is a colorful and spacious place in the municipality of Gore in the lower Laurentians in the province of Québec in eastern Canada, about one hour from Montréal. It is peaceful and quiet, surrounded by meadows, gardens and wild forest and there are several hiking trails on the property.
The property was first inhabited by immigrants from Ireland. This family cleared several acres of forest land and farmed and lived here for two generations. After a fire, which destroyed most of the buildings, the land was abandoned for 30 years.
Nature had started to overtake the formerly cleared land. It has been an incredible effort to rebuild, but today it is a very peaceful place with our family home, a textile studio and a wood workshop.
To have my own studio is a great blessing and a dream come true. I have literally created “a room of my own.” The solitude and the peaceful atmosphere are true gifts, for which I feel tremendously grateful. At the same time, I love to teach and share this space with others.
When we were in the throes of the pandemic and the whole world stopped for a while, I had time to look back at my former work — my paintings, drawings and embroideries. This led to my rediscovery of painting, and lately, I have been combining my felted sculptures with new paintings and also stitching on my felted pieces. I am very happy that painting is back in my life and I am searching to find new combinations.
I don’t really know why I make something, but I do know I want to make it. In art, I am free and everything is possible. Here I can be open, thin-skinned, easily yielding and very close to delight.
The Women Create Foundation is a catalyst for small but significant strides to empower women creators through grants that help bring projects to life and foster innovation.
