About the Artist
Christina Serra
Publications~
(In no particular order)
-The Laurel Magazine, Feb 2010
-the Asheville CItizen Times
'CHRISTINA SERRA: “Wooly Nature: Adventures in Needle-Felted Wall Art,” Woolworth Walk, 25 Haywood St., Asheville, to Feb. 27. 254-9234.'
-Mountain Express
'05 thru Feb 27 Woolworth Walk Gallery Through SA (2/27) - Asheville artist Christina Serra will be showing her newest needle-felted wall pieces. Info: www.christinaserra.com.'
-Woolworth Walk "Nature Merging"
February 1-27, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday February 5, 2010 from 4-6 p.m.
Artists: Diana Christian: Paintings and Christina Serra: Paintings and Felt Art
For the month of February the F.W. Gallery at Woolworth Walk will feature the work of local artists Christina Serra and Diana Christian in the show Nature Merging. Felt artist Christina Serra was first inspired to begin felting in 2007 after visiting the Animal Fiber Fair at the Agricultural Center. She says that “Needle felting is like painting a picture. I use carded and dyed wool fibers as my paint, and barbed needles as my brush.” Christina creates colorful felt wall hangings often of nature scenes and figures ranging from people and animals to festive pumpkins and Christmas trees. Painter Diana Christian works predominantly with acrylic paint and adds realism to her work through shadows and detail. She nearly always paints from photographs a family member takes, which for Diana adds a personal connection to the piece. Come to the opening reception on February 5th from 4-6 p.m. to meet Christina and Diana and experience the art of nature merging through paint and felt.
-The Laurel Magazine, Feb 2010
-the Asheville CItizen Times
'CHRISTINA SERRA: “Wooly Nature: Adventures in Needle-Felted Wall Art,” Woolworth Walk, 25 Haywood St., Asheville, to Feb. 27. 254-9234.'
-Mountain Express
'05 thru Feb 27 Woolworth Walk Gallery Through SA (2/27) - Asheville artist Christina Serra will be showing her newest needle-felted wall pieces. Info: www.christinaserra.com.'
-Woolworth Walk "Nature Merging"
February 1-27, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday February 5, 2010 from 4-6 p.m.
Artists: Diana Christian: Paintings and Christina Serra: Paintings and Felt Art
For the month of February the F.W. Gallery at Woolworth Walk will feature the work of local artists Christina Serra and Diana Christian in the show Nature Merging. Felt artist Christina Serra was first inspired to begin felting in 2007 after visiting the Animal Fiber Fair at the Agricultural Center. She says that “Needle felting is like painting a picture. I use carded and dyed wool fibers as my paint, and barbed needles as my brush.” Christina creates colorful felt wall hangings often of nature scenes and figures ranging from people and animals to festive pumpkins and Christmas trees. Painter Diana Christian works predominantly with acrylic paint and adds realism to her work through shadows and detail. She nearly always paints from photographs a family member takes, which for Diana adds a personal connection to the piece. Come to the opening reception on February 5th from 4-6 p.m. to meet Christina and Diana and experience the art of nature merging through paint and felt.
Artist Statement
Christina Serra
Needle-Felted Wool Wall-Hangings
I am a Cuban-American woman, mother, artist; born April 10th, 1981 in Miami, Florida. I have lived in WNC for over 20 years now, and I am entirely self-taught in all of my mediums.
Needle-felting is like painting a picture. I use carded and dyed wool fibers as my paint, and barbed needles as my brush. My feltings are multi-subject; the wall hangings usually are nature scenes, and the sculpted figures are people and animals. I began this craft on the ride home from my first visit from the Animal Fiber Fair at the Agricultural Center in October 2007.
My subjects are from nature; scenes from our lovely mountains and trees, also incorporating familiar animals, such as horses, sheep, goats and rabbits. I buy the wool roving already dyed from local merchants, and arrange the colors on my foam work pad to create an image. I then poke the needles through the wool fibers which causes them to be pushed through one another, eventually creating a dense, felted non-woven fabric work of art. I then attach these pieces to handmade cedar frames, or hang them from natural branches. The needles are specially made for this process, and are very sharp, with downward-pointing barbs at the tips. This is all done by hand- no machines, and involves no soap or water.
Curiosity, pursuit of knowledge, and the beauty, mystery, and wonder of nature inspire me all of the time. If I see a photo of a shiny black Fresian horse in a canter, a silly playful goat, or a sweet soft rabbit, I want to re-create these things through my own perception. I aim to take all of the beauty, humor, sweetness, and curiosities that I encounter, and transform them all using the natural fluff of which sheep are abundant in.
It is still an uncommon thing to find people in the area who work with wool as I do; making soft, tactile sceneries of natural beauty out of wool is not something most people think about doing. I know it had never occurred to me before I began experimenting so much with the wool and needles.
While the above passion receives most of my current attention, I am also engaged in many others. I paint with watercolors, crochet handbags and hats, sew clothing and bags, and carve my own wood print blocks.
Needle-Felted Wool Wall-Hangings
I am a Cuban-American woman, mother, artist; born April 10th, 1981 in Miami, Florida. I have lived in WNC for over 20 years now, and I am entirely self-taught in all of my mediums.
Needle-felting is like painting a picture. I use carded and dyed wool fibers as my paint, and barbed needles as my brush. My feltings are multi-subject; the wall hangings usually are nature scenes, and the sculpted figures are people and animals. I began this craft on the ride home from my first visit from the Animal Fiber Fair at the Agricultural Center in October 2007.
My subjects are from nature; scenes from our lovely mountains and trees, also incorporating familiar animals, such as horses, sheep, goats and rabbits. I buy the wool roving already dyed from local merchants, and arrange the colors on my foam work pad to create an image. I then poke the needles through the wool fibers which causes them to be pushed through one another, eventually creating a dense, felted non-woven fabric work of art. I then attach these pieces to handmade cedar frames, or hang them from natural branches. The needles are specially made for this process, and are very sharp, with downward-pointing barbs at the tips. This is all done by hand- no machines, and involves no soap or water.
Curiosity, pursuit of knowledge, and the beauty, mystery, and wonder of nature inspire me all of the time. If I see a photo of a shiny black Fresian horse in a canter, a silly playful goat, or a sweet soft rabbit, I want to re-create these things through my own perception. I aim to take all of the beauty, humor, sweetness, and curiosities that I encounter, and transform them all using the natural fluff of which sheep are abundant in.
It is still an uncommon thing to find people in the area who work with wool as I do; making soft, tactile sceneries of natural beauty out of wool is not something most people think about doing. I know it had never occurred to me before I began experimenting so much with the wool and needles.
While the above passion receives most of my current attention, I am also engaged in many others. I paint with watercolors, crochet handbags and hats, sew clothing and bags, and carve my own wood print blocks.
Christina Serra
General
I am a Cuban-American woman, mother, artist; born April 10th, 1981 in Miami, Florida. I have lived in WNC for over 20 years now, and I am entirely self-taught.
My main current passions are: needle-felting (wool fiber), watercolors, sewn handbags, woodcarving, and crochet hats and bags.
Needle-felting is like painting a picture. I use carded and dyed wool fibers as my paint, and barbed needles as my brush. My feltings are multi-subject; the wall hangings usually are nature scenes, and the sculpted figures are people and animals. I began this craft on the ride home from my first visit from the Animal Fiber Fair at the Agricultural Center in October 2007.
In painting with watercolors, I play with the idea of truth and freedom. What is to been seen, the exterior, is what I portray in my realistic paintings. What is hidden beneath, the brave free spirit of life, I express with the usage of bright flowing colors, and balance with a carefully rendered subject. This began when I dropped myself into a teaching position at the Waynesville Recreation Center, for instructing adult and child art classes, without first knowing how to paint with watercolors. I used this opportunity to quickly teach myself. My first piece was of a haflinger pony in the Alps, entitled ‘Lippity Haflinger’ (2007).
My woodcarvings are small embodiments of my theme of natural mediums and subjects of strong spirit. I carve sculptures of small spirit animals which fit warmly in one’s hand; wood-blocks for my own prints, and eye-catching wall reliefs.
I have only just discovered how fun and exciting sewing is, even though I have enjoyed the pass-time since childhood. I learn something new almost every time I sit at my machine. It is only fairly recently that I am making works (such as my bags) to sell. The variety of fabrics, ribbons, and thread keeps sewing constantly new for me. I enter my sewing space with an attitude of ' What can I discover today!' It is far too much like play to be actual work.
| christina_serra_artist_statement_3.doc |
Artist Bio
Christina Serra
Birthplace Miami, Florida, April 10, 1981
Seen at
Various Art/Craft shows in the area. (See Website for full list.)
Resident Artist Program at the Grove Arcade Arts and Heritage Gallery, Asheville NC. March-September 2008
Permanent installation of work at Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel, while working with Classy Glass co. (of Waynesville). 16 carved glass panels, in railings of second floor.
Galleries
Flat Rock Bakery, Flat Rock NC October 2010
444 Gallery, Asheville NC April 2010
Women in the Moon, Waynesville NC March 2009
Woolworth Walk, Asheville NC June 2009
Art From the Heart, Black Mountain NC August 2009
Southern Fried Gallery, Townsend TN December 2009
Asheville NC Homecrafts, Asheville NC November 2008
Education
Self-taught, beginning dates of each medium below:
Crochet-since childhood
Sewing-since childhood
Watercolors-January 2007
Woodcarving-February 2007
Needle-Felting-October 2007
Block-Printing-July 2008
Birthplace Miami, Florida, April 10, 1981
Seen at
Various Art/Craft shows in the area. (See Website for full list.)
Resident Artist Program at the Grove Arcade Arts and Heritage Gallery, Asheville NC. March-September 2008
Permanent installation of work at Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel, while working with Classy Glass co. (of Waynesville). 16 carved glass panels, in railings of second floor.
Galleries
Flat Rock Bakery, Flat Rock NC October 2010
444 Gallery, Asheville NC April 2010
Women in the Moon, Waynesville NC March 2009
Woolworth Walk, Asheville NC June 2009
Art From the Heart, Black Mountain NC August 2009
Southern Fried Gallery, Townsend TN December 2009
Asheville NC Homecrafts, Asheville NC November 2008
Education
Self-taught, beginning dates of each medium below:
Crochet-since childhood
Sewing-since childhood
Watercolors-January 2007
Woodcarving-February 2007
Needle-Felting-October 2007
Block-Printing-July 2008
