Commissions
Do you have a favourite place for walking or visiting… a view or landscape… garden, flower or seascape?
A place which holds special significance for you?
Or maybe a favourite bird, animal, insect … or a poem…
or a beloved cat?
Let me create a unique gift for yourself or a loved one, as I have for many happy clients!
Always created with love, care and sensitivity
I'm very happy to discuss specific requirements, sizes, prices etc…
A place which holds special significance for you?
Or maybe a favourite bird, animal, insect … or a poem…
or a beloved cat?
Let me create a unique gift for yourself or a loved one, as I have for many happy clients!
Always created with love, care and sensitivity
I'm very happy to discuss specific requirements, sizes, prices etc…
'Wonderful, thoughtful and reliable, and with updates and communication throughout,
Rowena is such a pleasure to work with.'
'Rowena is such a great listener and always seemed to respond with exactly what I wanted and loved,
even if I couldn't always put this into words! She made beautiful suggestions, too.
I just knew that it would turn out amazingly!'
Rowena is such a pleasure to work with.'
'Rowena is such a great listener and always seemed to respond with exactly what I wanted and loved,
even if I couldn't always put this into words! She made beautiful suggestions, too.
I just knew that it would turn out amazingly!'
Calling all cat and book lovers!
Special, literary feltings of your beloved pet...
Special, literary feltings of your beloved pet...
My ginger & white cat Charley has incredibly long legs. One day it clicked - I couldn't believe it - of course!
He looks just like the cat in the painting 'Le Chat Blanc' by Post-Impressionist Pierre Bonnard. Uncanny! :) ...
I just had to felt the painting!
Next, I created 'Jeoffry' inspired by a beautiful ginger cat, Pumpkin.
As I was felting I thought more and more of the wonderful poem by the 18th Century poet Christopher Smart...
'For I will consider my cat Jeoffry'.
Then I thought, 'hmm, I know quite a lot of cats in poetry and literature and cats in art too...
& your cat, I'm sure :-) will spark a famous poem or painting... in looks or character...'
Then... it would be wonderful to create a unique poetic artistic felting of your beloved friend!
- or the beloved friend of your beloved friend/family member! x 🌟
A fabulous felted commission for a fabulous feline.😺
I'd love to know what you think!
****************************
Inspiring lines from 'For I will consider my cat Jeoffry' (1763):
‘For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.’
‘For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.’
‘For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.’
‘For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.’
‘For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery’
‘For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.’
He looks just like the cat in the painting 'Le Chat Blanc' by Post-Impressionist Pierre Bonnard. Uncanny! :) ...
I just had to felt the painting!
Next, I created 'Jeoffry' inspired by a beautiful ginger cat, Pumpkin.
As I was felting I thought more and more of the wonderful poem by the 18th Century poet Christopher Smart...
'For I will consider my cat Jeoffry'.
Then I thought, 'hmm, I know quite a lot of cats in poetry and literature and cats in art too...
& your cat, I'm sure :-) will spark a famous poem or painting... in looks or character...'
Then... it would be wonderful to create a unique poetic artistic felting of your beloved friend!
- or the beloved friend of your beloved friend/family member! x 🌟
A fabulous felted commission for a fabulous feline.😺
I'd love to know what you think!
****************************
Inspiring lines from 'For I will consider my cat Jeoffry' (1763):
‘For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.’
‘For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.’
‘For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.’
‘For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.’
‘For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery’
‘For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.’
Some recent commissions...
'The daisy follows soft the sun'
- Emily Dickinson
A newly completed commission of a daisy bouquet for a baby daughter, Daisy.
💗
I've loved creating this felting and have woven in threads of grasses, dried, pressed flower stems and daisies too... along with tiny clear beads, some gold & silver strands and stitches 🌿
3 little bees wanted to join in, and a heart full of love xx
30 x 34cm (felting)
- Emily Dickinson
A newly completed commission of a daisy bouquet for a baby daughter, Daisy.
💗
I've loved creating this felting and have woven in threads of grasses, dried, pressed flower stems and daisies too... along with tiny clear beads, some gold & silver strands and stitches 🌿
3 little bees wanted to join in, and a heart full of love xx
30 x 34cm (felting)
I absolutelyLOVE it!!!! It's more than I imagined... just perfect! Thank you so so much Rowena. Mega happy with it.
- Charlotte, Cornwall
Tinkler
A felty representation of a much-loved super-soft silver grey, beautiful cat x
Felting incorporating Tinkler's fur, tiny beads, stitching and golden threads.
39 x 45 cm (43 x 49cm framed)
Felting incorporating Tinkler's fur, tiny beads, stitching and golden threads.
39 x 45 cm (43 x 49cm framed)
'Your lovely Tinkler work is now hung down in the modern kitchen, and in a place I can see clearly from where I always sit.
I plan to make a whole wall down here of your work (have 5 pieces now), and when sorted you must come round to see!'
Gill, Cornwall
I plan to make a whole wall down here of your work (have 5 pieces now), and when sorted you must come round to see!'
Gill, Cornwall
A felty representation and quite a challenge as Tinkler seemed to look so amazingly different in different lights,
on different days, different moods... an enigmatic..and ineffable cat! x
This reminded me of T.S.Eliot and his 'Naming of Cats', ...describing ineffable names :) x
(I wonder if Tinkler has two other names... one, she will never confess ...)
'When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.'
A cat Must have 3 names - one which is sensible, everyday, one particular, dignified and peculiar and one you never will guess, the cat herself knows and will never confess....
The Naming Of Cats by T. S. Eliot
The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
'Garden Jay with acorns'
34 x 39cm - felting and embellishing
34 x 39cm - felting and embellishing
It was wonderful to be asked to make a felting of a Jay!
When felting I thought of Emily Dickinson's 'A Bird , came down the Walk -'
...for the Jay's smiling struts and comedy and beautiful, striking plumage and character! ...
'A Bird, came down the Walk -
He did not know I saw -
He bit an Angle Worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,
And then, he drank a Dew
From a convenient Grass -
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall
To let a Beetle pass -
He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all around--
They looked like frightened Beads, I thought--
He stirred his Velvet Head
Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home--
Than Oars divide the Ocean,
Too silver for a seam--
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon
Leap, plashless as they swim.
When felting I thought of Emily Dickinson's 'A Bird , came down the Walk -'
...for the Jay's smiling struts and comedy and beautiful, striking plumage and character! ...
'A Bird, came down the Walk -
He did not know I saw -
He bit an Angle Worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,
And then, he drank a Dew
From a convenient Grass -
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall
To let a Beetle pass -
He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all around--
They looked like frightened Beads, I thought--
He stirred his Velvet Head
Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home--
Than Oars divide the Ocean,
Too silver for a seam--
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon
Leap, plashless as they swim.
'Oh, he’s absolutely beautiful. Thank you again, he's gorgeous!'
Helen, commissioned for a friend
Helen, commissioned for a friend
‘Marley’s Meadow’
(49 x 41 cm – felting and embellishing)
(49 x 41 cm – felting and embellishing)
So happy to be contacted with a request for a felting for a 1-year old whose name means ‘meadow in March’, born in the year of the rooster x
Whilst chatting, considering details, asking questions, perhaps favourite flowers etc… feeling into lots of ideas, a vision emerged!
I saw catkins for the Spring, daffodils and bluebells, celandine and pink campion… a sparkling stream and a Cornish standing stone… and two spring bunnies, some bees and butterflies and a rooster on an old gate… some patchwork fields in the distance with cows and sheep, birds and sky and springy trees! All in fresh light greens.
I thought about the little boy a lot whilst creating this and it felt so wonderful that his mum wanted this for him for his bedroom… I imagined them pointing together at the creatures and elements in the picture as he grows… am so honoured to have been asked to do this x
I used to read my son Mother Goose nursey rhymes from a book based on the original, featuring the classic, beautiful! Blanche Fisher Wright illustrations… and I looked through it again recently - such a joy!
THE SEASONS
Spring is showery, flowery, bowery;
Summer—hoppy, croppy, poppy;
Autumn—wheezy, sneezy, freezy;
Winter—slippy, drippy, nippy.
MARCH WINDS
March winds and April showers
Bring forth May flowers.
DAFFODILS
Daffy-down-dilly has come to town
In a yellow petticoat and a green gown.
Whilst chatting, considering details, asking questions, perhaps favourite flowers etc… feeling into lots of ideas, a vision emerged!
I saw catkins for the Spring, daffodils and bluebells, celandine and pink campion… a sparkling stream and a Cornish standing stone… and two spring bunnies, some bees and butterflies and a rooster on an old gate… some patchwork fields in the distance with cows and sheep, birds and sky and springy trees! All in fresh light greens.
I thought about the little boy a lot whilst creating this and it felt so wonderful that his mum wanted this for him for his bedroom… I imagined them pointing together at the creatures and elements in the picture as he grows… am so honoured to have been asked to do this x
I used to read my son Mother Goose nursey rhymes from a book based on the original, featuring the classic, beautiful! Blanche Fisher Wright illustrations… and I looked through it again recently - such a joy!
THE SEASONS
Spring is showery, flowery, bowery;
Summer—hoppy, croppy, poppy;
Autumn—wheezy, sneezy, freezy;
Winter—slippy, drippy, nippy.
MARCH WINDS
March winds and April showers
Bring forth May flowers.
DAFFODILS
Daffy-down-dilly has come to town
In a yellow petticoat and a green gown.
'Across the bay to the Island, late Summer, St Ives'
(70 x 54 cm - felting and embellishing)
'Gulls loop blue, let fly
music white and wide! ribbons
around the island.'
(70 x 54 cm - felting and embellishing)
'Gulls loop blue, let fly
music white and wide! ribbons
around the island.'
'Thank you so much.... It looks fabulous on the wall! You are very talented.'
Chris, Berkshire
Chris, Berkshire
|
Warning: The seagulls are a little loud in this short video - aarg!
(just like the real St Ives!) |
'Ozzy'
(52 x 52 cm - felting and embellishing)
(52 x 52 cm - felting and embellishing)
'He's simply amazing, I’m super happy with how he’s turned out. I have no mental model for how you do this! Mind blowing!
The likeness is striking!
He’s definitely a felty Ozzy! We are over the moon.'
Tom & Dawn, Leicestershire
The likeness is striking!
He’s definitely a felty Ozzy! We are over the moon.'
Tom & Dawn, Leicestershire
'Hi Rowena, I thought I’d send you this photo of Ozzy admiring his self-portrait! It’s an amazingly beautiful picture and I’m thrilled you managed to capture Ozzy so well! We appreciated all of your research into Ozzy and his personality rather than just assume he was just another black cat (which of course he’s not!).' Such a wonderful photo and message to receive :) Thank you Dawn, Tom and Ozzy x |
The stages of preparation...
🐈
1. Chatting and finding out more... little quirks, idiosyncrasies, likes & dislikes, mannerisms, favourite chair, rug, newspaper to lie on :) ...any literary or poetic links?! ...sensing the warmth and wonder!
2.Looking through some photos... if I can't meet the cat 'in person'.
3. Sketching an idea for a felting design...and sending to the client (oh i don't like that word...so, in this case, sending to 'Ozzy's family') x
🐈
1. Chatting and finding out more... little quirks, idiosyncrasies, likes & dislikes, mannerisms, favourite chair, rug, newspaper to lie on :) ...any literary or poetic links?! ...sensing the warmth and wonder!
2.Looking through some photos... if I can't meet the cat 'in person'.
3. Sketching an idea for a felting design...and sending to the client (oh i don't like that word...so, in this case, sending to 'Ozzy's family') x
|
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Further stages of preparation...
🐈
4. Receiving feedback from the sketch and also thinking about literary associations! During chatting I was told that Ozzy is just like the black cat in the children's story 'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark' by Jill Tomlinson, illustrated by Paul Howard x so visited the library and found it - love this research 😊 - (just surprised this wasn't one of the 1000s I read with my son when he was little!)x
5. Creating a wet-felted base using local fleece and leaving to dry naturally.
6. Laying out/sketching a design and then wet felting again.This can result in lots of surprising changes as the wools move around in the process...
7. Adding layers, seeing what emerges! I love how you can't really control all that happens... Ozzy seemed to expand to fit his background beautifully - and he looks quite large, (also due to perspective and the fact that he has both back legs tucked under him 😸) hmm..this left little room for the planned purple petunias! but that's ok, it was absolutely 'right' somehow that he emerged like this...And there are flowers at his feet, he is sitting in flowers of purple and pink with added stitching and beading.
8. Adding further layers of detail - not quite evident in the photos...initially I thought a pure black cat would be quite straightforward (!)...but he needed definition, after all, he isn't just a pure black 'shape'...and a black cat's coat is filled with colours in different lights...using deep blues on his body helped with this...just as a blackbirds and the Corvid family have a deep blue sheen...
9. Final details - Ozzy likes to stick his tongue out, so this is shown too x Adding beading and stitching to the flowers.
10. Sending photos to the family to check...hoping, in his own felty way, he resembles their wonderful cat. Deep breath and fingers crossed!
11. Ordering and then painting the frame - 56 x 56cm!
Ozzy measures 52 x 52 cm 😸 Much larger than I thought he'd be, when imagining showing more of a background... but he is so loved and looks so right, being this close-up xx
🐈
4. Receiving feedback from the sketch and also thinking about literary associations! During chatting I was told that Ozzy is just like the black cat in the children's story 'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark' by Jill Tomlinson, illustrated by Paul Howard x so visited the library and found it - love this research 😊 - (just surprised this wasn't one of the 1000s I read with my son when he was little!)x
5. Creating a wet-felted base using local fleece and leaving to dry naturally.
6. Laying out/sketching a design and then wet felting again.This can result in lots of surprising changes as the wools move around in the process...
7. Adding layers, seeing what emerges! I love how you can't really control all that happens... Ozzy seemed to expand to fit his background beautifully - and he looks quite large, (also due to perspective and the fact that he has both back legs tucked under him 😸) hmm..this left little room for the planned purple petunias! but that's ok, it was absolutely 'right' somehow that he emerged like this...And there are flowers at his feet, he is sitting in flowers of purple and pink with added stitching and beading.
8. Adding further layers of detail - not quite evident in the photos...initially I thought a pure black cat would be quite straightforward (!)...but he needed definition, after all, he isn't just a pure black 'shape'...and a black cat's coat is filled with colours in different lights...using deep blues on his body helped with this...just as a blackbirds and the Corvid family have a deep blue sheen...
9. Final details - Ozzy likes to stick his tongue out, so this is shown too x Adding beading and stitching to the flowers.
10. Sending photos to the family to check...hoping, in his own felty way, he resembles their wonderful cat. Deep breath and fingers crossed!
11. Ordering and then painting the frame - 56 x 56cm!
Ozzy measures 52 x 52 cm 😸 Much larger than I thought he'd be, when imagining showing more of a background... but he is so loved and looks so right, being this close-up xx
'Angel'
'A truly magnificent captured 'up close & personal' portrayal of Angel's personality and character "love, love".'
Allyson, New Zealand
Allyson, New Zealand
I was so happy to create a felting of such a beloved budgie, Angel. Such a beautiful character and full of quirkiness and cheekiness.
I always feel I get to know the subject so well, when felting them and paying such close attention to all aspects - a true discovery and joy :)
I always feel I get to know the subject so well, when felting them and paying such close attention to all aspects - a true discovery and joy :)
In one of the photos she looked punky and full of attitude and I was inspired to create a needle-punch sketch of her, too.
This led to playing with colour in a Warhol-esque way :)...
This led to playing with colour in a Warhol-esque way :)...
'Delighted to receive a commissioned and customised felting of my pet budgie Angel from Rowena Scotney Feltings -- my heartfelt gratitude for your beautiful talented work! I sent Rowena a couple of pics of Angel beforehand, and Voila, the result was remarkable, a truly magnificent captured 'up close & personal' portrayal of Angel's personality and character "love, love". The delivery was quick, and the felting was intricately packaged and travelled well across the ocean miles to New Zealand, arriving in immaculate condition. I'm ecstatic, overjoyed and so absolutely delighted!! Brought tears and smiles - joy abounding. A special piece I will treasure forevermore, radiating fond memories in years to come. I will send pictures when it is framed and displayed in a special place in our home. I recommend this as a special keepsake memoir for pet owners' ⭐ 😃 💖
Allyson R-C T, New Zealand
Allyson R-C T, New Zealand