Our roots
A tradition of form, experimentation, and deep artistic intent.
Felting Academy stands on the shoulders of remarkable artists who reshaped what felting could be. Their work is our foundation — not just technically, but spiritually. It is from their vision that we continue to build.
In the early 2010s, a creative explosion occurred across the post-Soviet space — especially in Russia and Ukraine — where felting evolved from decorative craft into an expressive, sculptural discipline. Artists began treating wool as a medium of form, movement, and conceptual design. This moment, often referred to as the “big bang” of felting, produced new schools, new shapes, and new ways of thinking — and much of what we do today grew out of that fertile ground.
We honor the artists who helped ignite that moment — and the ones whose quiet mastery continues to shape our work.
A tradition of form, experimentation, and deep artistic intent.
Felting Academy stands on the shoulders of remarkable artists who reshaped what felting could be. Their work is our foundation — not just technically, but spiritually. It is from their vision that we continue to build.
In the early 2010s, a creative explosion occurred across the post-Soviet space — especially in Russia and Ukraine — where felting evolved from decorative craft into an expressive, sculptural discipline. Artists began treating wool as a medium of form, movement, and conceptual design. This moment, often referred to as the “big bang” of felting, produced new schools, new shapes, and new ways of thinking — and much of what we do today grew out of that fertile ground.
We honor the artists who helped ignite that moment — and the ones whose quiet mastery continues to shape our work.
🔹 Alexander Pilin (Russia)
A sculptor by nature and by discipline, Alexander Pilin brought structure, silence, and strength to felt. His approach treated wool not as fabric, but as mass — shaped with the logic of sculpture and the restraint of architecture. He taught us that emptiness inside an object can speak louder than its surface. His legacy lives in our respect for form, for clarity, and for honest artistic intent.
🔹 Alena Selezneva (Russia)
Alena Selezneva opened doors to elegance and movement in felt. Her work is known for its soft silhouettes and strong character — garments that breathe and hold space. Her contribution lies in the dialogue between structure and gesture. She showed that felt can both wrap the body and express its rhythm.
🔹 Inge Bauer (Germany)
With a background in textile design, Inge Bauer brought a precise and conceptual approach to felting. Her works often investigate contrast, rhythm, and repetition — rooted in minimalism, yet deeply tactile. She showed us that felt can be reduced, deconstructed, and built again — always intentionally.
🔹 May Hvistendahl (Norway)
A true experimenter, May Hvistendahl combined Nordic clarity with artistic play. Her use of folds, slits, and tension pushed the boundaries of wearability and sculpture. Her work speaks of motion, transformation, and sometimes, pure curiosity. In her hands, wool became light and kinetic.
🔹 Anna Gunnarsdóttir (Iceland)
Known for her abstract objects and poetic use of negative space, Anna Gunnarsdóttir helped redefine what felt can do in interior and sculptural contexts. She is also known for her thoughtful book templates, which help artists build felted forms through clear, modular design. Her work reminds us that felt is not only touch — it's thought.
