Greetings. Doing that intro thing for folks new to following this website and to share where I and STRONGFELT are at these days…autumn 2022.
I’m Lisa Klakulak and evidenced by my kinky pinky, I like to work with my hands…following in the tradition of the farming/gardening/project-doing side of my family (the kinky arthritic hands too). I have been sculpting wool fibers in the wet felting process and hand/machine stitching now for over twenty years and not as a side gig or a hobby, but a full-time hustle. Years of my making can be viewed in the WORKS galleries on this website.
As time has passed, it became more and more apparent that, like the felting process, I was sculpting my own body via shrinkage and compression, through repetitive and directional agitation. I have focused more and more on teaching, finding joy in encouraging others making and the passing on of my approaches to material and process. I no longer do craft shows to spare my joints the agitation of production, as I want to use these hands for intentional projects and conceptual explorations and less for cranking out 20 bracelets, 20 sets of earrings, etc. You can view my most recent, small collection of WORKS from 2022 under ADORN:NECKLACES & EARRINGS.
Since beginning to teach my Online & Onpoint! Coursework, I have very much appreciated having my making filmed one time with a broad and detailed camera and therefore cutting back on using my hands for every demo also. The structure and length of my online courses allow participants to learn techniques AND apply them in a design/idea while supported by my mentoring and other participants encouragement. I love it and am excitedly working on the content of the next 10 week course for release in the spring of 2023. Images below are from Course 1, Foundational Structure.
That’s not to say I won’t be out and about in the world offering Face to Face Workshops, in fact, I am reserving my energies for just that…going all out when I choose to travel to teach and when I have a strong idea to make. You can check the TEACHING SCHEDULE at www.strongfelt.com for both Online Courses and F2F Workshops. I’ll be in the Pacific NW, Belgium and Switzerland late summer/early fall of 2023.
Felt the need to post about gratitude for my hands today in all their kinky glory.
