Wooly Pet Portraits
by
Mary Carol
Get to know Mary Carol Cheshire
Mary Carol, a long-time Bucks County resident, fell in love with Fiber Art during the Pandemic. She became fascinated with 2 D needle felting and has enjoyed creating art with wool ever since.
Many years ago, while living in Senegal, West Africa, her interest in fiber began. She learned to spin cotton with the local women, using a drop spindle made of clay and bamboo. The cotton was produced in the nearby fields, then harvested and combed. Baskets loaded with clouds of cotton were then expertly spun on home-made spindles. The thread was then woven into cloth by the local men using ingenious looms.
Mary Carol's fiber journey has led her into a passion for wool portraiture. She has created human likenesses but specializes in pet portraits. Memorial portraits have been especially meaningful to the owners, as a way to honor and remember their beloved pet.
One of Mary Carol's portraits was accepted by the prestigious Juried Art Show at Phillips Mill Inn, New Hope, Pa. in 2022.
The art which she entered in the 2022 Tinicum Arts Festival is titled, “Kraken” after the mythical monster of lore. It was inspired by a photograph taken by Italian-born Guerino Salvatore, who graciously gave his permission for its use.
You may contact Carol for more information regarding pet portrait commissions via email:
Commission your own precious pet portrait!
Examples of my work. Pet photos on the left and wooly portraits on the right.
Reference photo on left, portrait on right
Thank you for your interest in my art!
I offer 2D needle-felted original portraits of your pet dog. All the work is done 100% with wool. I would need two or three very clear reference photos with good lighting. The facial features must be clear and visible.
The cost of my personalized, one-of-a-kind portraits, is determined by the size. A portrait that fits inside a 10" embroidery hoop frame, starts at $250. The price goes up from there to $500 according to size.
I require a 50% down payment with the balance due when the portrait is ready to deliver.
Please allow 2 weeks for me to complete your portrait.
Customer Review
Kiara Holloway
Kimora Rodgers
How is this work done?
The reference photo is printed out, the major features are traced and transferred to the backing. Tiny pieces of wool roving (which is combed wool) are selected and stabbed into the backing using a special barbed needle.
Constantly referring to the reference photo, the wool "painting" is painstakingly created to be as close a replication as possible.
Customer Review
Kiara Holloway
Kimora Rodgers
Email address: carolcheshire51@gmail.com
Phone : 267-371-37600t
Email address: carolcheshire51@gmail.com