Textile Art: Things I Have Felt, Art & Mental Health- Katie M. Bruce

This Artist Decided to Tackle Mental Health with Tangible Felt Art

Project type: Tangible Artwork
Date: Feb - June 2017
Affiliated institution: Walnut Contemporary Gallery
Material Use: S.A.E F-5 Felt, 1/8" Thick x 66” Wide

Katie Marie Bruce [kmb_artist] approached us in January this year about getting sponsored for some F-5 Felt she wanted to use as a canvas. This alone isn't an odd thing, as felt is often used to cushion canvases, give artwork some depth or material for 3d designing and architecture. However in this case, the felt IS the canvas. 

A post shared by katie marie bruce (@kmb_artist) on Aug 13, 2017 at 2:50pm PDT

" [kmb_artist] My intent with the felted work is to present a large grid of embroidered panels, each section exploring my daily relationship to anxiety over the period of two months. By documenting the knots [in my body], the holes and vacuums of time [spent worrying], and the loops [of thoughts that become inescapable], this grid will serve as a visual record of the fluctuations I experience within my mental health — and the physical, felt knowledge which often precedes cognitive reflection. 

Felt — by virtue of the material’s name — additionally speaks to the tactile and ingrained nature of somatic feelings.

‘I felt…” can refer to both a physical and emotional response to a situation. By capitalising on this duality through the recording of my felt experience with anxiety, my intention is to facilitate a broader conversation about mental health and awareness. "

it's hard to make thread gestural, but emphasizing the void did wonders. somehow felt within an empty figure becomes more textural. pic.twitter.com/yIQQVXhXUj

— katie marie bruce (@kmb_artist) April 21, 2017

These passion pieces really brought out the diversity of felt. Pictures do not represent how talented the work of Katie Marie Bruce is. We’re obligated to mention that these pieces are just as much seen as they are felt. One of the goals Artist Katie Marie Bruce went for is giving the audience the ability to touch the piece and tangibly experience how felt as a canvas reacted to her work.

imperfect ribs w approximate locations of tightening points & localized pains. puffed felt like holding ones breathe, wishing for more pic.twitter.com/GPSdlsJV1f

— katie marie bruce (@kmb_artist) April 23, 2017

"[kmb_artist] I’m working to expand how we talk about or see mental health representations.One of the ways my anxiety manifests is in silence, ... 

Using slow images to relay how it (anxiety) feels has given me a chance to connect with others in ways that neither party were able to articulate previously."

If you spend too much time thinking about it, you're going to miss the point. Take a moment to admire the work and try to relate it to a feeling. What's the first picture that comes to mind when you see this?

to show the lack of structural confidence one has in ones self. to erode, crumble, and become else in front of an other. pic.twitter.com/CGnKepU92o

— katie marie bruce (@kmb_artist) April 26, 2017

If you want to find more of her work, check out her website.

We are always looking to feature our amazing customers and their equally amazing projects or crafts to our community! 

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