VON ESCHENLOHR — ‘When Feathers Come Together: A Global Chicken Collection’
VON ESCHENLOHR | Germany
We were drawn to Sibylle’s friendly, wooly products and the way they celebrate the unending beauty of natural fibers. Since one of the primary inspirations of my original Chicken Footstools were sheep ottomans, it felt appropriate to return to those roots to create a chicken as wooly-bully as a sheep. Sibylle gave us a dynamic offering of textures and values of feathers to play with and we had lots of fun composing them onto her chickens. Thank you for joining with us in this journey, Sibylle. — Sally
ARTIST BIO:
Sibylle Eschenlohr is an Agricultural engineer, felt maker, sheep lover, wearable art, vegetarian rugs, and fluffy wool products.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Art and culture can keep doors open, connect people from the whole world when even the doors of diplomacy have slammed shut."
Why did you say ‘yes’ to this collaboration project?
As an agricultural engineer, I have come into contact with many different animals. Sheep and chickens have always impressed me in their own way and I feel that they belong in any small-scale farming and rural structure. It was my pleasure to be able to participate in such a high-quality project as the "chicken stoal" and to combine these two animal species in free inspiration. Connecting artists of the world is an important factor in these times.
What was your inspiration and process in creating your feathers?
The design of the feathers was a fascinating process whose workload was overlaid with great joy. My working material has always been raw wool. Primal, organic with real properties. You can touch them, smell them, look at the color, and feel the fat between your fingers. Feathers are iridescent and firm in shape. Through a combination of all these qualities, nature in an object is not imitated but becomes unique creation itself.
What was the most challenging aspect of the project?
The biggest challenge in this project was to limit the materials and to focus more on contrasts through light and dark or fluffy and flat elements. In times where sustainable thinking and reduced resource consumption is changing life and thinking it was my wish to consider these elements in the design process.
What have you enjoyed about this project?
With every new project, thoughts sort themselves anew. What surrounds us flows into it. Each felting process is a journey. From the selection of raw wool to the binding of these to the actual finish. So every finished felt tells a special story and fills with satisfaction and pride. A finished object always leaves hope through this spirit to make the world more loving and peaceful.
MATERIALS:
Gotlandwool, Merinowool, Rami
I’m a felting artist . I make mostly animals . Some life and so just cute , I love your work and found it very inspirational. Thank you.