Vilte Kazlauskaite, Lithuania-based felt artist, will talk about “Archaic Felt and Its Tradition in Lithuania” at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20th in 1140 Grainger Hall, 975 University Avenue.
Kazlauskaite is one of the leading felt makers in Lithuania and will be an instructor at this year’s Midwest Felting Symposium in Madison from July 21st through the 25th.
According to the Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI), which is sponsoring Kazlauskaite’s talk, “Felting is one of the oldest textile processes in the world, predating both knitting and weaving. There is a long felting tradition in the Baltic nations. Though felt has never been as popular in Lithuania as woven fabrics, it has been used consistently both as a fabric and as a medium for arts and crafts. This lecture will lay out the origins of felting, its principles, and its traditions. A demonstration of traditional felt-making will also be presented. ”
For more information about felting and beautiful photographs of her work, visit Kazlauskaite’s blog or her website.
