Mandy Troxel’s Wool Artwork

I’ve been happening upon Mandy Troxel’s wool “paintings” here and there on social media over the past several months and decided you need to see them if you haven’t yet…

Aren’t those amazing??

Mandy has a website for her art, music, and writing here and a blog here, and if you haven’t met her, this is what she says on her site:

At the start of the pandemic in 2020, I turned from a part-time career as a performing musician and music teacher to full-time farming. I made a fascinating discovery: farming is one of the most creative callings out there. It is an ever-changing lens through which daily tasks, however mundane, become a feast for the senses. Farmers work in relationship with the land, the weather, the animals, and their community. It’s a true challenge (thus the need for creativity!). 

With this inspiration always at hand, I felt my creative energy turning from musical expression to visual art. I had worked for nearly twenty years needle-felting wool miniatures with Bossy’s Feltworks. I now felt drawn to a more painterly approach. Starting with wool roving, I wet-felt the general landscape into a wool “canvas,” onto which I needle-felt layers of dyed or natural wool to create “paintings.” I use the word “painting” for lack of a better term, as I never actually use a brush or pigment. 

The novelty of painting these scenes with wool might catch the viewers’ attention and affirm this important truth: We are called and connected with this land, the animals, and this historic livelihood. It is my hope that my artwork shines a light on this connection, and that as we feel it more deeply we are more inclined to preserve and protect it.

Go here to get a fun look at a day in the life with Mandy at the Lum Farm on Coffelt Farm Preserve.