Fierce Felts

For me, one of the many joys of going to Castle in the Air every day is meeting the amazing artists who stop by. Whether they're shopping for materials, showing us items they've made, or just spending time on Fourth Street, the artists who come into the store all have wonderful stories to tell, both in words and in the works they bring with them.

Take Uma Schaef, a felting force of nature who visited Castle in the Air recently to show us her woolly wonders. These pictures are closeups of a great coat and a shawl she wet-felted featuring depictions of mythological creatures. She regaled us with the folklore behind the visuals for these fierce characters -- did you know that lions are sometimes depicted with antlers, which signify the king of the beasts' roar?!

Uma also showed us a knapsack and a few hats that she'd made. All were incredible in their detail and the freshness of the creatures. It seemed as though they were ready to fly right out of the wool. If you would like to see Uma's creations, give her a call at (510)486-0333.