A Conversation with Marie Pickering (SoftEarthArt)

Welcome to our next conversation!  This time we're getting to know Marie Pickering, a needle felter of gorgeous natural wool sculptures.  You can find her on Etsy as softearthart and she's got her own blog at Softearth's World.

 

What’s your “handmade groove ?”

New Zealand has a lot of sheep, this means lots of wool. I am a needle felt artist who turns this wool into Enchanted Creations.

What’s on your bedside table right now?

Country living magazine, a Rose Quartz crystal, Archangel Oracle cards, and a lovely slim line frosted touch lamp.

 

Who are your creative role models? What music, books, images, poetry spark your creative fire?

This would be Mother Nature, she inspires me with her beautiful colors thoughout the changing seasons.
Music: Sam Cooke, The Eagles, Seals and Crofts, The Carpenters, Joan Baez, all the old great folksy artists.
Books: Old fashioned Children' s fairy tales, Country living Magazine,Waldorf Children's books like Children of the Forest by Elsa Beskow, and The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle Olfess
Images: Rainbows, Natural wooden toys, silk dolls, carded wool, crystals, Mother Earth, gardens

What could you talk late into the night about with like minded people?

Anything to do with the Enchanted world, Gnomes, Angels, etc.  And movies, I am a keen movie fan.

If you could go to three workshops/creative events this year which ones would they be? What are they about?

Creative Hawkes Bay has Professional Development workshops these look cool. Margaret-Mary Farr offers wet-on-wet and veil painting classes, I would love to attend those.

How do you balance your creative life with your family, life commitments?

I walk every morning with my neighbor and do yoga (though not as often as I should).  My children have grown and flown so I have the time to create.

What is your favourite creative screw-up?

I don't have many of these, the beauty of needle felting is that you can pull it apart and start again.

Kitchen table or studio?

My open plan home has a beautiful large wooden table that my husband made, this is my workspace in the lounge, warm and snug by the fire.

 

Do you have a wish list? Can you tell us what’s on it?

I would love a large wooden cabinet to hold all my wool. I sometimes write small verses that go along with my creations, so maybe a small book of these. I would love a serious of postcards.

Thank you for sharing with us, Marie!