Sonja Oswalt: Skin Deep – Portraits in Fiber

May 7-28, 2021
Sonja Oswalt: Skin Deep – Portraits in Fiber
Opening reception: Friday, May 7, 5:00-8:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday 9 AM – 5 PM

From the day we are born, human beings are drawn to faces. We develop our identities in the context of faces we see around us as well as the reflection of our own faces in the mirror. In this exhibition, I seek to capture a piece of the infinite beauty of the human face across gender, age, race, and ethnicity using the art of needle felting and the medium of merino wool. Subjects include friends who have influenced my life or artistic journey and others who represent things important to my growth and understanding as a woman living in America. I have included historic figures Sojourner Truth and Zitkala-Sa, translating black and white photography from the Library of Congress into color in the wool medium as I imagine they may have appeared. My great hope as a human and an artist is that by recognizing the beauty and wonder in the faces of our fellow humans, we can overcome our differences and live more fully into community with those around us.

Sonja Oswalt has worked with wool since 2012. Her works includes 3-dimensional animal replicas and fantasy figures, 2-dimensional landscapes and portraits, clothing, purses, and hats. She is largely self-taught, though she has participated in workshops with renowned felt-makers worldwide. Oswalt works on commission and via her Etsy online store. Her store, the Baad Hatter Felt Hats and Fiber Arts, reflects the whimsical style of much of her work.