Tags
Africa, Art and Craft, craft, Felt, Felting, Fibre Art, Johannesburg, Jordaan, Ronel Jordaan, Social Responsibility, South Africa, Textile Design, Wool
Can you imagine making these incredible lifelike AND seamless rock pillows from felt?
Ronel Jordaan is an internationally recognised award-winning felt artist who lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.
After 26 years as a textile designer, Jordaan began exploring the possibilities of using felt as a creative medium. Entirely self-taught and following her own creative instincts, she began to turn fine gossamer thread into robust felted forms. By patiently rubbing and coaxing threads of pure wool into shapes in nature, she found her direction and started a small home industry. She merely created her own product and went with it… That’s not so hard, is it?
All of Jordaan’s felt pieces are made with an eye to environmental and social responsibility. The wool is treated by hand, the soap used is biodegradable, the dyes are lead free, and the grey wastewater is used to grow a vegetable garden. Job creation is at the forefront of the company’s planning. At present, 40 previously unemployed women have been trained under Jordaan and are now felters of international standing. A small group of men in Sebokeng, outside Johannesburg are supplying her with wire sculptures which form the sculptural support for the exotic felted lamps.
Jordaan’s felt cushions are completely hand-made, hand-dyed, hand-carded, made out of felt, and have no stitches. They are not several pieces of textile put together and made to look like a rock. It has a complete feel. The inners are a choice of polyester or 100% wool. All rocks can be treated for outdoor use.
In Sydney, Emily Ziz has a comprehensive catalogue (available here) of the extensive Ronel Jordaan range. It’s amazing!
birdcagedesign said:
They are great arn’t they! I would love a few for my living room. I had not realised he did all of the other items like the mat which is pretty awesome too! 🙂
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This Sydney Life said:
Go and check out Emily Ziz, BCD – some of the felt work makes me salivate…
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birdcagedesign said:
will definately check it out!
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whatimeant2say said:
These would not survive very long in my household, but I admire the creativity!
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This Sydney Life said:
Wonderbutt would love ’em! 🙂
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simplecherishes said:
Brilliant! They can be great zen stones for a spa-like ambiance!
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This Sydney Life said:
I can imagine a whole room of them and just diving in…
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EverydaySparks said:
They are great – I especially love that pebble mat! 🙂
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This Sydney Life said:
Ditto, Sparks!
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Cettina Lahiri said:
I love the pebble mat – I can imagine waking one morning and putting my bare feet onto the felt – again, amazing creativity!
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This Sydney Life said:
Hi C – I feel the same way about the pebble mat. Of course, not quite the same when you have a carpeted bedroom floor, as I do!
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paintlater said:
Damn! Now I want to totally re-paint the house to suit those giant pebbles. Fabulous…thanks Syd.
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This Sydney Life said:
No! – you don’t have to! The felt pebbles come in a range of colours. Just check out the catalogue on the Emily Ziz website…
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paintlater said:
I checked out that dangerous catalogue. I love that natural look though, I’m tempted to go the whole 70’s macrame and hanging plants for those little felty numbers.
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marinachetner said:
So fun! I could make a yoga Zen space with these in my future home (that has a giant yoga room just for me, with an adjoining back garden to boot!)
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This Sydney Life said:
What a fab’ idea! Is this future home going to be in Sydney? I will happily come and visit!
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marinachetner said:
Syders, if it is in Sydney, I will definitely extend an invite!! (Imagine, a yoga room!) It’s funny that I read this and mentioned a Zen room.. and your recent post was about Zen too. 🙂 We must be zenned out!
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This Sydney Life said:
One giant ball of synergy, Yogi M!!! 🙂
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marinachetner said:
Sending energy beams across the globe!
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The Design Tabloid said:
Yay! One of our local girls! She did this awesome little bench for an exhibition a few years back – the seat was made out of felt flower-like succulents and leaves… gorgeous! Super proud to know Emily Ziz is bringing some local South African flavour to Aussie shores! 😀
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This Sydney Life said:
She is amazing, DT. What a talent!
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soopafishl said:
tweeted this post, magic!
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This Sydney Life said:
Awww – Cheers Soop’. Appreciated! 🙂
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mdfcomgipobid1973 said:
Reblogged this on Carlos Lentz Site.
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