Asheville fiber artist Amy Reader is felting the forest.
Bracket fungi are hearty mushrooms that grow in clusters on trees, often resembling little shelves. But don’t be fooled: These natural ledges aren’t meant for storing dog-eared paperbacks or displaying your great-grandmother’s collection of ceramic frogs. Instead, they serve as nature’s recyclers, breaking down dead wood and turning it into vital nutrients for the forest ecosystem. Fiber artist Amy Reader developed an appreciation for bracket fungi and other members of the fungi kingdom as a child hiking the mountains of Western North Carolina. “I’ve always found solace and inspiration in the forest,” she tells Asheville Made. “I love stopping to explore small details and little mushrooms and moss and all sorts of things that grow on the ground and trees.” And so, it should come as no surprise that many of Reader’s needle-felted works cull inspiration from the great outdoors, showcasing trumpet bell lichen, chicken of the woods, and other woodland wonders made from wool. Should aspiring felt fiends be interested in making their own forest friends, Reader will host a beginner-friendly class at Trackside Studios on Sunday, February 9. During this three-hour workshop, participants will create a forest floor-inspired needle-felted scene featuring bracket fungi, fluffy moss, and different lichen shapes. “This class covers what I consider the basics of needle felting,” says Reader. “We cover how to felt into a flat background, create three-dimensional forms, and attach those forms to a felted surface. Each student will leave with a small forest floor scene and a set of felting supplies.”
Amy Reader, Asheville, amyreaderartist.com. Needle Felting the Forest Floor is slated for Sunday, February 9, 10am-1pm, at Trackside Studios (375 Depot St., River Arts District, Asheville). Cost is $90. Visit tracksidestudios.com to register.