All items by Wellbeing Crafts

Wellbeing Crafts is a collaboration between ieva and Michelle Holland two designer-makers who share a common vision of making things by hand using natural and locally sourced materials.

Ieva Alksne

is a maker who primarily works with natural fibres. Ieva’s main technique is wet felting often combined with weaving and occasional stitching. In her work, Ieva enjoys experimenting with various British sheep bread wool.

A strong believer in ethical and sustainable ways of living and making. For her work, Ieva acquires fleece from local farmers just a short walk from her home. Appreciating the opportunity to source the main material locally. Ieva prefers to process fleeces for her work literally from sheep to finished item. The amazing variety of colours and shades that can be found within diverse types of sheep, makes it possible to create work with very rarely needing additional dyed wool.

For Ieva, the tactile nature of her chosen medium is a key element of her creative process. Her work represents a dialogue between herself and the material; wool or other media she works with, are seen as equal contributors to the final product.
Ieva's work is a combination of her thoughts, physical sensations, environment, and medium. Her pieces evoke a sense of Latvian traditional crafts and natural healing.

Michelle Holand

As an artist, I'm deeply connected to the see and beachcombing. I find inspiration for my work in everything from the gifts of the sea; colourful bits of seaglass or shells. My journey with fibre art began with bookbinding, during which I combined natural materials such as wood, clay, seaglass and paper. Combining clay and seaglass in a woodfired pottery kiln created incredibly unique book covers with a remarkable tactile feel – so for the back cover, it seemed fitting to contrast this with warm woollen hand spun fabric.

This sparked my curiosity about all kinds of natural fibres – today I process most of these myself through carding, spinning, and dyeing using dyes that are either grown in my own garden or ethically sourced. Working with authentic materials is truly limitless - objects found both while mud larking and on simple walks offer new perspectives and inspirations every day.

Most importantly, however, I'm mindful not just of environmental impact through my work but also take great care to lead a sustainable lifestyle each day.

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