MONICA BENNETT

Fibre Artist - Felt

Monica started felting in 2001, after quilting for twelve years. Although she continues to teach quilting on Pender Island, Monica has found that felt offers her greater expression and gives her a wider and more varied medium for her art. By starting with the raw material - wool - she is able to create a piece from the very beginning, thereby having direct control over both process and product. Working directly with her hands to shape and work a piece gives her a profound focus and deep fulfillment. Monica enjoys word play and learning to interpret her ideas in fibre. Currently, she is working on a series of pieces featuring goddesses.

"For both my art work and my functional pieces, I look to nature for inspiration. Nothing works better to replenish my creative spirit than walking by the ocean, exploring tidal pools or watching the whales swim past. On this island paradise, I can cherish every day at a healthier pace of life, giving me time to watch the natural world unfold around me. It restores my soul."

In 1988, Monica received her Bachelor of Applied Arts business degree from Toronto's Ryerson Polytechical Institute in Hospitality and Tourism Management . She took her first fibre course, in quilting, in 1991. Monica and her husband, Trevor, moved to Pender Island from Vancouver's North Shore in 1999 . Her studio "Feltwork & Fibre Arts" opened in 2001. Monica can be reached at (250) 629-3093 or