Think Martha Stewart and Snoop hanging out, making unexpected things happen. Sugar coated bundles of detail and slight oddness combined to make work that is arresting and uncanny.
I’m Dawn Kraditor Waters. I was first exposed to felted wearables on a trip to Amsterdam. A friend then taught me the basics and I created scarves and swanky wraps. One day I wondered if I could make a portrait. I had not seen one made of fiber, and I had never created one with paint, pencil or anything else. My chihuahua, Chico, was my first subject. It worked. The next few…not so much. I kept at it until the likenesses were recognizable.
I’m drawn to subjects who intrigue me or those to whom I have a sentimental attachment. People ask, “are these painted? Glued?” Many are fascinated by the process. I explain I use wool and a felting needle. “How long did these take?” They’ve taken 56 years.
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Keith Richards and his favorite flowers
I’ve always found the face of Keith Richards intriguing. The more time I spent with him and his kind soulful eyes, the more beautiful he became to me.
You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.
Wool. A felting needle. Time.
This is me, deep in concentration, working on Keith Richards. You can’t see it, but in my right hand is a felting needle. It’s a special needle that makes the fiber stick together and “felt.”
Elizabeth Taylor has a broken heart
Elizabeth Taylor was the pinnacle of Old Hollywood sex appeal. She could get the man. She just couldn’t keep him. When I saw the photo I used for this piece, I saw a sadness and longing in her fabled violet eyes. So I gave her a broken heart on the outside.
Obama’s hero is Notorious RBG
Whether you love him, or hate him, there’s no debating he holds Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the highest regard. Long live Notorious RBG!
We love Lucy
My Lucille Ball portrait was the first of my felted paintings to sell. I love working on curly haired-people and adding a touch of fabric to the piece, as I did with lace on this one.
Carrie Brownstein strikes a serious pose
You may know her from Portlandia. You may know her from Sleater Kinney. Or you may not know her at all. But I think she’s one of the most talented badass chicks around.
Prince of Minneapolis
Such a talent. Such a loss. Such a look in those eyes. I felted his purple jacket using the wet-felting process.
Cat Power felted vs. Cat Power photo
Musician and singer Cat Power is as beautiful as she is talented. I had to capture this look with wool (because I don’t know how to paint with paint).
Everyone has secrets
The rumor is that her son Barron gave her the shirt for her birthday. But I can’t say for sure. Like I said, it’s just a rumor.
King David
To me, Larry David is pretty, pretty, pretty good.
Christopher Walken Taketh No Sh*t
I wonder how many times people have come up to him and said, “more cowbell!” I bet he’s nice about it.
Bill Murray, everyone’s favorite party guest
I’ve loved him since the first season of Saturday Night Live, when my dad and I would watch every episode together. This expression tells me there’s something going on that he’s not going to tell us about.
Inconceivable!
I love The Princess Bride. This was a beast of unusual size and I think the top two portraits turned out the best. I really mean it. Anybody want a peanut?
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