Lou Powell

I’m a West London-based felt artist with strong family connections to the West Country. I use a wonderful mix of brightly coloured wools to create my sculptures of people and quirky creatures. I source my wools from small, independent businesses in the UK run by folk who make beautiful products but who also prioritise being eco-friendly too.

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You will find through my work that I am a colour-fiend and all of my felted people and creatures are made using colours that complement each other or clash - but in a way which captures something of the character of the sculpture. I also like to experiment using wools mixed with sari silk, sparkly strands and curly wools. More recently I have been combining textures and media and have enjoyed using anything from recycled packaging to cashmere pilfered from out-grown jumpers.

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I take my inspiration from two main sources - the rugged, beautiful coast and wild flora of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (where my mother was born and brought up). And from my work as a psychotherapist, which requires an intense training and in-depth awareness of unconscious processes. I derive my love of colour and my whimsical, sometimes off-beat, imagination from these two parts of my life.

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I am passionate about using art as a means of self expression, and believe in the power of creativity to support and unite communities and individuals.

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All of my sculptures are one-off originals and take between 15 to 30 plus hours to make. To own one is to own something unique and joyful that will last for years to come.

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