Spotlight: Deanne Underwood, Felt Artist

Deanne Underwood combines wet and needle felting to create her works of art inspired by the Canadian landscape. Look closely at the expressive skies, tightly braided fields, and the fine details in her mountain scenes.

How did you get started felting? Why did you choose that medium?

I discovered felt art when I was very young. I admired the work of the Saskatchewan fibre artist Myrna Harris who combined felting with stitchwork and other found materials to create stunning prairie landscapes. Sadly, Myrna passed away before I was able to procure one of her beautiful pieces. During Covid lockdown I decided to teach myself how to work with wool fibre as a creative outlet. This hobby quickly grew into a full-time endeavor as I fell in love with felting right away.

Felt is a perfect medium for Canadian landscape. It is soft and strong in equal measure. The fibres both absorb and reflect light, creating a feeling of comfort alongside jewel-bright intensity. It is possible to create a vast range of texture, play of light and palpable physical depth within a single landscape.

Mountain lake with island by Deanne Underwood

What do you do differently? What is your signature that makes your work stand out as yours?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

I have never taken a class or watched any instruction videos about felting technique. I believe that this medium lends itself to intuitive handling and each artist can find their own unique voice.

My needle and wet felted artwork are distinguished by expressive skies, textural cloudscapes, tightly braided fields, and the fine detail in my mountain scenes. My work is intensively felted so it can be displayed open to the air. This also gives it a smooth, elegant appearance that reflects my taste and aesthetic.

I enjoy showcasing my landscapes in reclaimed frames which bring their own charm and help lean into the nostalgic feeling of my work.

What inspires your work? How does your environment influence your creativity?

The Canadian landscape inspires my work.

I grew up in a military family and have lived all across Canada. I love felting coastal and mountain places, but the prairie is what truly feels like home.

It’s the best place to appreciate the boundless sky. The constantly changing sky is where each piece begins for me. Any given day you can find me gazing upwards with childlike wonder.

Mithril Sky by Deanne Underwood — Mithril Sky

When it comes to creating, are you more of a planner or an improviser?

With prairie landscape, I will mainly improvise. I am not usually trying to capture a specific place, but more of a sensory memory. With mountains, lakes and seaside views, I usually reference photographs.

Field of yellow with billowy sky by Deanne Underwood

How do you manage your creative time? Do you schedule start and stop times? Or work only when inspired?

I work school hours during the week. I have two teens and enjoy working while the house is quiet and my attention is undivided. I will often work at the weekend as well in a less structured way. I spend as much time as possible felting, but there are plenty of other tasks when you are a one woman show.

If I am feeling a little blocked, I will spend some time sourcing materials, getting out for a walk, or attending an exhibit (always great for inspiration). I also often have somewhat mindless activities I can complete like braiding fibre, preparing base layers, cutting fabric, texturizing wool for clouds, etc. I approach art making as a full-time pursuit and sometimes need to be careful to give myself time away. For me, working from home presents the challenge of maintaining healthy boundaries.

Spring at Moraine by Deanne Underwood — Spring at Moraine

Are you a “finisher”? How many UFOs do you think you have?

I am very much a “finisher”. I have one unfinished piece, but I may never complete it. It was from a couple of years ago and there are some technical issues with it that aren’t really surmountable. The wool will probably be repurposed in other pieces.

Do you have a dedicated space for creating? If so, what does it look like?

The front room of our house is my dedicated work space. I have two work tables, great overhead lighting and many, many boxes of wool. There’s a dichotomy between my neatly stored supplies and the fact that I have to unleash a bit of a disaster to create my work. I keep some of my recent pieces on display as well as originals from my favourite artists. It is a messy, happy space.

How do you organize all of your supplies?

My wool is stored in bins according to colour. I also have boxes of embellishment fibre.

Clara Solis by Deanne Underwood — Clara Solis

How often do you start a new project? Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?

I usually work on 3-4 pieces at the same time. I find it keeps my creativity and positivity flowing if I can go towards the landscape that is calling me that day. I can take a break from each and come back with fresh eyes.

I am working on larger pieces this year but I always have a few smaller ones in development at the same time. I will finish a piece and start a new one on the same day…there is no down time in my practice.

Centre Peak by Deanne Underwood — Centre Peak

Can you tell us about the inspiration and process of one of your works? How does a new work come about?

A recently completed work from my portfolio is called “Centre Peak”. Driving home from Cranbrook at Christmas, I pulled over on the Cowboy Trail to photograph a beautiful little mountain range that I always gawk at when we pass by. I was able to gather images I liked and used them as reference. It was important to me to capture the feeling of that day….the pale blue sky, the wind tossed clouds, the thin scrim of ice on the fields, the graphic contrast of the snow on the sprawling peaks. The finished work takes me right back to that day.

Mountains, meadows and lake by Deanne Underwood

Which part of the design process is your favorite? Which part is a challenge for you?

I love framing a scene in my mind so it feels like a perfectly contained little dream world. I love pulling just the right shades and types of wool for each project, and blending these materials so that there is a dynamic range of texture and colour in the finished piece.

It can be challenging to hunker down and do the boring part. I just completed a piece that had at least a thousand tiny felted trees in many shades of green. It was a slog doing the same thing over and over and not rushing the process. It’s important to be patient so the work is consistent.

Fields of hay with pink sky by Deanne Underwood

How do you manage a piece that just doesn’t seem to be working out?

First I will take a break and work on something else. It is amazing how many times I have had negative feelings about a work in progress only to come back the next day and see it completely differently.

If I still feel like I don’t love what I am creating, it is possible, to an extent, to remove fibre and try again, or add fibre on the top. And if all else fails, wool is wool, so the piece can be deconstructed and the materials repurposed in other projects.

How is your work different than it was in the beginning? How is it the same?

My work has far more detail now than it had in the beginning. I have discovered how to prepare an adequate base for the surface work and many ways to create textures and effects. My command of shape and form has also improved. My use of colour has changed over time. My earlier work was a little more surreal and playful. My recent work is more grounded and realistic. My perspective remains the same. I love a ¼-3/4 or 1/3-2/3 earth to sky ratio.

Three mountains with trees in the foreground by Deanne Underwood

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

I was very fortunate to meet and spend some time with the late, great Stuart Mclean. Meeting fans backstage after his shows he would ask them “What did you love about the show? What was your favourite part?” I love this positive approach to gathering feedback about your work.

I am my toughest critic, and I value constructive criticism from other art professionals. From everyone else who shows enthusiasm for my work I ask “Does this piece bring back a memory for you?”, “How does my work make you feel?”, “Which piece is your favourite?” and so forth. You can’t please everyone, nor should you try, but the people who are drawn in by what you create often enjoy telling you why and sharing their stories. Art is for starting conversations.

Passing Through the Front by Deanne Underwood — Passing Through the Front

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?

So far it is no trouble to stay motivated and inspired. Wool is a fascinating medium and I love finding new ways to work with it every day. I suppose I spend half my time tackling new places and the other half revisiting my favourite memories. A few ‘series’ have emerged in my body of work that all stem from the same time and place, but emerge differently each time.

Trees along the coastline by Deanne Underwood

Do you critique your own work? What is your process?

Not in a formal way. I spend a lot of time stepping back, placing the work in progress in its frame and contemplating the next step. If I love the piece when it is finished, I feel satisfied. What I love most about creating my art is that I don’t aim for perfection. If it captures a feeling, it is enough.