Needle Felt Artist About Me Page

OK, here goes!

Kay Petal

Libra

born in Montana

raised and currently reside in Alaska

43 years young

married (for 23 of those years!)

mother to three furry, four-legged boys

rare cancer survivor

fiber artist

cook extraordinaire

domestic goddess ;)

I live in the bustling little community of Wasilla, Alaska. Wasilla's claim to fame is that it is home to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. I have spent most of my life here. Growing up in an artistic family, I have had many opportunities to dabble; pottery, sculpting, painting, sewing, glass bead making, etc., etc. I knew I had finally found my medium when I picked up my first felting needle in January 2007.

My first year needle felting was very exciting. I entered several sculptures into the Alaska State Fair and they did quite well. All of my entries took first place or better; I even took a Best In Show in the Fiber Arts department with my little likeness of Einstein.

I think the needle felting gods have been smiling on me because just after my success at the State Fair, I had the most wonderful opportunity to study with my needle felting idol, Birgitte Krag Hansen. She actually traveled to Alaska from Denmark to give workshops and I was able to take two separate workshops with her. Birgitte taught me the fine art of bringing the wool to life and it totally changed the direction I was going with my needle felting. The moment the pile of wool on my felting pad takes on a personality of it's own is highly rewarding. My 4 year old great-niece, Chloe, loves them and interacts with them as though they are real. When a new character comes to life, she introduces them to me and says "That's my aunt Kay Kay, she made you. She turns wool into people."

Besides needle felting, I have been experimenting with wet felting and look forward to exploring that medium as well. Cooking is another of my passions. There is such a freedom for creativity in the kitchen. Surviving a rare cancer is another thing that keeps me busy. I stay informed by networking with a handful of others in the world with the same diagnosis and then I have the arduous task of educating my doctors about this disease. I was diagnosed at age 40 and today I am doing really quite well, my prognosis is great and along with facing down the scary stuff, my eyes were opened to the things that truly make me happy. The name Felt Alive was inspired by the things I am learning on my cancer journey. I am learning to focus on what makes me happy and also to take more risks by learning to step outside of my safe little box. Sharing my needle felted characters with the world is a huge step for me in this direction. Oh - did I mention that I have been learning to sing and have even been brave enough to do a little Karaoke singing!

I am so fortunate to be able to focus full-time on the things that make me happy. Needle felting is certainly one of those things. I work out of my home studio on the shores of a beautiful Alaskan lake. Bald Eagles hunt the shoreline and Sockeye Salmon return each year to spawn. Sometimes late at night, my favorite time to needle felt, the cry of the Loons is simply inspiring. My husband Ethan and my three rescued Husky mutts, Homer, Lucky and Spike are my biggest fans as I sit by the fire with a pile of wool at my feet, happily needling away!