about Mary-Clare on textile art, felt making and her work as a British textile artist and felt maker
click here to read the articles (also useful for students studying textile art)

Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset-based feltmaker and textile artist

I was born in the Phillipines and grew up in Hampshire, southern England. I come from a creative family of artists, jewellers and woodcarvers. My Art Foundation was at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design (Farnham, Surrey), where my brother Chris taught me. Told that I had to specialise for my Degree course, I chose Jewellery Design, which I studied at the University of Central England (then Birmingham Polytechnic).

I designed and made jewellery for many years and exhibited in the UK and abroad, but was really always a frustrated fibre artist!

I moved to Dorset in 1995 and discovered feltmaking a few years after that. My initial work as a feltmaker was extremely colourful, freed from the constraints of making jewellery, where it is difficult to use colour easily.

Felt is the perfect medium for me since, as a predominantly abstract artist, I can either be very imprecise - letting the medium control the design - or can immerse myself in a particular design and exercise as much control as if I were almost 'painting' with the fibres.

Over the last five years, as a feltmaker and felt artist, based in Dorset, I have become interested in making abstract 'Floating' felt art, trying to make the pieces as thin as possible - almost transparent.  When framed by sandwiching between sheets of clear polystyrene or acrylic, the light can penetrate the felt piece, giving it an ethereal, almost-not-there quality.   The pieces are hung slightly away from the wall, giving the impression of floating in space (hence 'floating felts').   When also lit by a spotlight, the work has an incredible vibrancy and 'life', particularly in comparsion with conventionally-framed two-dimensional paintings - the eye of the viewer is no longer constrained by a rectangular frame, but can wander on and off the piece at will.

Whilst I use wool for the basis of a piece, I normally incorporate other fibres - in particular silk, but also mohair wool, flax, viscose, cotton, nylon and metallic threads, or fabrics.   Many of these threads - being shiny - reflect light and create even more life in the piece.

Most of my floating felt designs come about by ‘playing’ with the fibres, or starting off with an idea and seeing where the fibres take me.

I have been inspired, as a felt artist or feltmaker, by many of the treasures found at the Victoria & Albert Museum, especially the mediæval enamel and gold caskets, tapestries, coloured Roman glass inset with gold, damascening work (inlay of gold and silver into iron and set with semi-precious stones) and 18thC brocade costumes.   I also draw inspiration form the countryside and coastline of Dorset.   I love to contrast gold with the matt wool and in some cases I like the designs to be slightly hidden, or sandwiched between fine layers of wool.

For some time, I have been developing the technique of lighting the floating felt pieces from behind, to turn them into wall lights.   Several examples of these backlit abstract textile art pieces - 'Art Lights' - are available for sale on this website.

I started developing this range in 2002.  The innovative idea is to combine floating felts with one or more integral light sources - merging art with home decoration to stunning effect.

The original Art Lights used a '2D' compact fluorescent light shining through a floating felt stretched on a square frame, with a diffusing sheet between the light and the felt, and finished with a sheet of glass on the front.   The light shining through brings up the pattern of the individual wool fibres.

The units are designed so that the light also shines out from behind the piece (as shown in the Art LIghts Gallery and, on the page available here, in the image of an art light in situ).

Tokelau Storm and Tokelau - Lagoon are framed as floating felts, but with the felt piece going right to the edges of the frame, and then lit by a single 40W bulb, as are a series of smaller art lights (which will soon be up on the page).

I then had the idea to use ultraviolet-reactive ('day-glo') fibres lit with uv tubes set into the frame (actually 'blacklight-blue' tubes, which produces safe uv-A light).   (see Tokelau - Deep Down)   When the tube is switched on, this produces an intense bright glow from the fibres.   One of them (Burning His Roses) also incorporates my latest idea - fairy lights to backlight the piece as well - click here to see this piece in situ.   One of the most interesting things about my Art Lights is that, when the light is switched off, you see a very different image (as shown in the enlargements of the pieces in the Art Lights Gallery).

Alongside this, in my work as a feltmaker and abstract artist, I am working on an extensive range of abstract & semi-abstract pop-culture and BritArt-inspired 'conceptual' fibre art work - some pieces as floating felts and some more ‘solid’ pieces, which are framed conventionally.   My creative process, as a textile artist, often starts with an idea from a song title, or just playing around with a cultural icon, or some ideas in my head - such as Me and its companion piece You, It’s Raining Men (from the Weather Girls single) or Kiss Kiss (from Holly Valance’s debut No 1 hit).  Currently, I’m busy on a whole series of It’s Raining pictures - cows, money, cats & dogs, etc.

As well as the rich prehistoric and mediæval history of Dorset, I have also been inspired, as a fibre artist, by places I've visited around the world, including Morocco, Central & South America, Thailand and India.   India holds a particular fascination for me - the motifs they use in their work and the fantastically bright colours in the textiles and embroidery.   I've been there several times, most recently on a very long trip with my young sons and husband, Andrew Green, who is writing a travel book about our experiences there, which will be included on his website, www.travelwriting.net.

I moved from London to West Dorset, shortly after our twin sons, Arran and Fingal (who we are home-educating), were born and now live in the artists' enclave and picturesque village of Abbotsbury, with a view of the sea to add further inspiration to my work. Abbotsbury is home to a disproportionately large number of artists - abstract artists, representational artists and textile artists - so, as an Abbotsbury artist, I don't feel like I am working alone!

See below (click here) for more information about artists' studios and art galleries in Abbotsbury, Dorset

My husband Andrew, who is a web designer, has designed and created this website - including search engine optimisation of my abstract art page - as well as working with me on the digital imaging and publicity for my work.

My studio gallery is open to the public all year round - but do ring first (01305-871561) if you're planning a special journey.

For further developments in my work, or, better still, - to hear up-to-date news about my art!

For or , please with your requirements.

Watch this space!

Art galleries and artists' studios in Dorset - Abbotsbury (near Weymouth)

The beautiful and picturesque artists' enclave of Abbotsbury, in West Dorset (southern England), is home to a large number of artists (abstract artists, representational artists & textile artists) and craftspeople. There are:

four individual artists' studios open to the public
two art galleries
a pottery
a (Crafts Council approved) wood gallery
two artists who can be visited by appointment
a tearoom running a series of textile exhibitions
two craft stone-masons, who undertake architectural work, letter-cutting and carving.

Click here for information about artists and craftspeople in the village, including links to their websites.
to get me to send you the

So why not pay us a special visit - just for the day or, better still, a relaxing weekend in any of the many guest-houses and hotels in the village? Click here to look at details of establishments offering accomodation in the village, including links to their websites.

Visit my art gallery and studio in beautiful West Dorset!

As a Dorset-based artist, I also sell my art and limited-edition prints from my studio-gallery in Abbotsbury.

So if you are visiting this area of Dorset, why not drop in to the gallery? (Do ring first (01305-871561) if you're planning a special journey).

... or you could even plan a special trip to West Dorset to see the work of all the artists & craftspeople in Abbotsbury, West Dorset - to be put on my email list and receive all my latest news and details of my special events, Private Views and felt-making workshops ... or to get me to send you the

* Please note that your name & email details will never be passed to anyone else. We respect your privacy and security *

	art galleries Dorset - click here for information about art galleries and artists in Abbotsbury, West Dorset click here to take a walk into the village of Abbotsbury, Dorset to my art gallery / studio NEW - interviews with Mary-Clare about textile art and her work as a Dorset-based textile artist click here to read the interviews (a particularly useful resource for students studying my work, or textile art in general) NEW - articles by/about Mary-Clare on textile art, felt making and her work as a British textile artist and felt maker click here to read the articles (also useful for students studying textile art)
	Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset artist About me and my work - as a feltmaker and textile artist Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset-based feltmaker and textile artist I was born in the Phillipines and grew up in Hampshire, southern England. I come from a creative family of artists, jewellers and woodcarvers. My Art Foundation was at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design (Farnham, Surrey), where my brother Chris taught me. Told that I had to specialise for my Degree course, I chose Jewellery Design, which I studied at the University of Central England (then Birmingham Polytechnic). I designed and made jewellery for many years and exhibited in the UK and abroad, but was really always a frustrated fibre artist! I moved to Dorset in 1995 and discovered feltmaking a few years after that. My initial work as a feltmaker was extremely colourful, freed from the constraints of making jewellery, where it is difficult to use colour easily. Felt is the perfect medium for me since, as a predominantly abstract artist, I can either be very imprecise - letting the medium control the design - or can immerse myself in a particular design and exercise as much control as if I were almost 'painting' with the fibres. Over the last five years, as a feltmaker and felt artist, based in Dorset, I have become interested in making abstract 'Floating' felt art, trying to make the pieces as thin as possible - almost transparent. When framed by sandwiching between sheets of clear polystyrene or acrylic, the light can penetrate the felt piece, giving it an ethereal, almost-not-there quality. The pieces are hung slightly away from the wall, giving the impression of floating in space (hence 'floating felts'). When also lit by a spotlight, the work has an incredible vibrancy and 'life', particularly in comparsion with conventionally-framed two-dimensional paintings - the eye of the viewer is no longer constrained by a rectangular frame, but can wander on and off the piece at will. Whilst I use wool for the basis of a piece, I normally incorporate other fibres - in particular silk, but also mohair wool, flax, viscose, cotton, nylon and metallic threads, or fabrics. Many of these threads - being shiny - reflect light and create even more life in the piece. Most of my floating felt designs come about by ‘playing’ with the fibres, or starting off with an idea and seeing where the fibres take me. I have been inspired, as a felt artist or feltmaker, by many of the treasures found at the Victoria & Albert Museum, especially the mediæval enamel and gold caskets, tapestries, coloured Roman glass inset with gold, damascening work (inlay of gold and silver into iron and set with semi-precious stones) and 18thC brocade costumes. I also draw inspiration form the countryside and coastline of Dorset. I love to contrast gold with the matt wool and in some cases I like the designs to be slightly hidden, or sandwiched between fine layers of wool. For some time, I have been developing the technique of lighting the floating felt pieces from behind, to turn them into wall lights. Several examples of these backlit abstract textile art pieces - 'Art Lights' - are available for sale on this website. I started developing this range in 2002. The innovative idea is to combine floating felts with one or more integral light sources - merging art with home decoration to stunning effect. The original Art Lights used a '2D' compact fluorescent light shining through a floating felt stretched on a square frame, with a diffusing sheet between the light and the felt, and finished with a sheet of glass on the front. The light shining through brings up the pattern of the individual wool fibres. The units are designed so that the light also shines out from behind the piece (as shown in the Art LIghts Gallery and, on the page available here, in the image of an art light in situ). Tokelau Storm and Tokelau - Lagoon are framed as floating felts, but with the felt piece going right to the edges of the frame, and then lit by a single 40W bulb, as are a series of smaller art lights (which will soon be up on the page). I then had the idea to use ultraviolet-reactive ('day-glo') fibres lit with uv tubes set into the frame (actually 'blacklight-blue' tubes, which produces safe uv-A light). (see Tokelau - Deep Down) When the tube is switched on, this produces an intense bright glow from the fibres. One of them (Burning His Roses) also incorporates my latest idea - fairy lights to backlight the piece as well - click here to see this piece in situ. One of the most interesting things about my Art Lights is that, when the light is switched off, you see a very different image (as shown in the enlargements of the pieces in the Art Lights Gallery). Alongside this, in my work as a feltmaker and abstract artist, I am working on an extensive range of abstract & semi-abstract pop-culture and BritArt-inspired 'conceptual' fibre art work - some pieces as floating felts and some more ‘solid’ pieces, which are framed conventionally. My creative process, as a textile artist, often starts with an idea from a song title, or just playing around with a cultural icon, or some ideas in my head - such as Me and its companion piece You, It’s Raining Men (from the Weather Girls single) or Kiss Kiss (from Holly Valance’s debut No 1 hit). Currently, I’m busy on a whole series of It’s Raining pictures - cows, money, cats & dogs, etc. As well as the rich prehistoric and mediæval history of Dorset, I have also been inspired, as a fibre artist, by places I've visited around the world, including Morocco, Central & South America, Thailand and India. India holds a particular fascination for me - the motifs they use in their work and the fantastically bright colours in the textiles and embroidery. I've been there several times, most recently on a very long trip with my young sons and husband, Andrew Green, who is writing a travel book about our experiences there, which will be included on his website, www.travelwriting.net. I moved from London to West Dorset, shortly after our twin sons, Arran and Fingal (who we are home-educating), were born and now live in the artists' enclave and picturesque village of Abbotsbury, with a view of the sea to add further inspiration to my work. Abbotsbury is home to a disproportionately large number of artists - abstract artists, representational artists and textile artists - so, as an Abbotsbury artist, I don't feel like I am working alone! See below (click here) for more information about artists' studios and art galleries in Abbotsbury, Dorset My husband Andrew, who is a web designer, has designed and created this website - including search engine optimisation of my abstract art page - as well as working with me on the digital imaging and publicity for my work. My studio gallery is open to the public all year round - but do ring first (01305-871561) if you're planning a special journey. For further developments in my work, or, better still, - to hear up-to-date news about my art! For or , please with your requirements. Watch this space!

	Art galleries and artists' studios in Dorset - Abbotsbury (near Weymouth) The beautiful and picturesque artists' enclave of Abbotsbury, in West Dorset (southern England), is home to a large number of artists (abstract artists, representational artists & textile artists) and craftspeople. There are: four individual artists' studios open to the public two art galleries a pottery a (Crafts Council approved) wood gallery two artists who can be visited by appointment a tearoom running a series of textile exhibitions two craft stone-masons, who undertake architectural work, letter-cutting and carving. Click here for information about artists and craftspeople in the village, including links to their websites. to get me to send you the So why not pay us a special visit - just for the day or, better still, a relaxing weekend in any of the many guest-houses and hotels in the village? Click here to look at details of establishments offering accomodation in the village, including links to their websites. Visit my art gallery and studio in beautiful West Dorset! As a Dorset-based artist, I also sell my art and limited-edition prints from my studio-gallery in Abbotsbury. So if you are visiting this area of Dorset, why not drop in to the gallery? (Do ring first (01305-871561) if you're planning a special journey). ... or you could even plan a special trip to West Dorset to see the work of all the artists & craftspeople in Abbotsbury, West Dorset - to be put on my email list and receive all my latest news and details of my special events, Private Views and felt-making workshops ... or to get me to send you the * Please note that your name & email details will never be passed to anyone else. We respect your privacy and security *
	... take a walk up the stone-lined alleyway to my studio gallery
	Email a friend and tell them about this website back to top of page home gallery buy my art commissions contact me comments book all about felt links privacy & security If the site title and left-hand navigation links have not appeared, click here to get the complete About Me page images © Andrew Green text © & Andrew Green the gallery, 13 Market Street, Abbotsbury, Dorset, DT3 4JR, UK web design © Andrew Green (website design - Dorset) How are we doing? Any praise or complaints? Rate us - or any other company - at iXat.net "consumers helping consumers" abstract contemporary fiber art - abstract art pictures - abstract contemporary textile art - abstract art gallery

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Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset artist
About me and my work - as a feltmaker and textile artist

Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset-based feltmaker and textile artist

Art galleries and artists' studios in Dorset - Abbotsbury (near Weymouth)

Visit my art gallery and studio in beautiful West Dorset!

... take a walk up the stone-lined alleyway to my studio gallery

art galleries dorset - art gallery dorset - artists dorset

art galleries west country - art gallery west country - west country artists

art galleries dorset - art gallery dorset - artists dorset - art dorset

art galleries west country - art gallery west country - west country artists

Textile artists Dorset UK -

Textile art gallery Dorset -

Textile art galleries Dorset -

Textile art gallery West Country UK -

Textile art galleries West Country

Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset artist About me and my work - as a feltmaker and textile artist

Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset-based feltmaker and textile artist

Art galleries and artists' studios in Dorset - Abbotsbury (near Weymouth)

Visit my art gallery and studio in beautiful West Dorset!

... take a walk up the stone-lined alleyway to my studio gallery

art galleries dorset - art gallery dorset - artists dorset

art galleries west country - art gallery west country - west country artists

Mary-Clare Buckle - Dorset artist
About me and my work - as a feltmaker and textile artist