Fine Arts & Cultural Events
of Mahaska County
Oskaloosa Art Center Gallery
March - April 2024
Meghan Hammer
Artist Statement
I create felted wool fiber art to embrace the textures of nature. Just as wildflowers punctuate rolling hills with bursts of color and inspire a closer look, my work communicates exploration, while my process insists upon it. As fibers transform under my fingertips during the felting process, I delight in the contrast between my intentions and the tactile beauty and unpredictability of my medium.
Through my process, I explore the potential for collaboration and harmony between human touch and the simple beauty found in nature. I arrange tufts of cotton candy-like wool fiber in layers and use soap, water, and friction to create a piece of soft felt, to which I use a barbed needle to secure tiny strands of wool into place. I use vibrant, intricate details to accentuate the beauty of natural fibrous texture. I share moments of discovery through color, texture, and movement, and inspire the curious to explore along with me.
The more I search for a connection between art-making and the natural world, the more enchanted I become with felted wool. The cool shade of a wooded path combined with the smell of soft earth underfoot, or the rustle of the late summer prairie touched by the breeze encourages me to make art activated by sense. The unusual textures created through the felting process remind me of the wild places I’ve explored, and to where I am always yearning to return.
Megan earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing from the University of Northern Iowa in 2003. She later became fascinated with using wool as an art medium, and has been creating vibrant, expressive fiber art since 2018. Recent exhibitions of her felted wool fine art include the Carnegie-Ellsworth Gallery, the Polk County Heritage Gallery, the Iowa State Fair Fine Art Exhibition, and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.
Through sharing her work, Megan discovered a curiosity in others surrounding the art of felting. Since 2019, she has found joy and connection by leading creative workshops in which she shares felting techniques while encouraging an appreciation for nature. She has been a featured workshop instructor for organizations such as the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University, Polk County Conservation, and the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival in Colorado.
Megan’s artwork has evolved through different mediums, but has always been inspired by the simple, natural wonders she encounters. Megan can be found admiring and gathering inspiration from the flora of her surroundings, whether wandering the wild prairie, or weeding her backyard flower garden. She lives in Urbandale, Iowa with her husband, where she creates art while instilling a love of nature in her two young sons.
